Council appoints CEO to push free trade agenda

2 March 2004

Media Release

New Zealand – United States Council appoints CEO to push free trade agenda

Ellen Gordon, an experienced corporate and international business lawyer has been appointed chief executive of the New Zealand – United States Council.

Her brief will be to give “real urgency” to assisting the business community to send a strong message both to the Government and the United States Congress that a NZ-US FTA is strongly in the best interests of each country.

Clearly the recently concluded Australian free trade agreement with the United States is a platform for building stronger commerce and investment links. “It is now imperative that New Zealand have a similar platform with the United States, so we don’t suffer from any diversion and distortion of investment and commerce from the United States to this part of the world,” she said.

Ms Gordon wants to hear from New Zealand businesses with markets in the United States, and in particular those who believe a free trade arrangement will “add value” to their business.

Research reports confirm that with the right free trade framework in place, there is a potential to increase annual business between the United States and New Zealand by a billion dollars annually.

Ms Gordon, formerly with Auckland law firm Hesketh-Henry, will be based at the Auckland Chamber of Commerce.

ENDS

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