NZTE appoints new Trade Commissioners

May 2007 - New Zealand Trade and Enterprise appoints new Trade Commissioners

Shona Bleakley has been appointed as New Zealand Trade and Enterprise's new Trade Commissioner and Consul-General in Melbourne. She took up her role in January 2007.

Ms Bleakley will work to promote and facilitate trade and investment between New Zealand and Australia. The role will also entail developing and leading NZTE's new focus on food and beverage in this market and promoting the New Zealand biotechnology industry in Australia.

Ms Bleakley was most recently a Special Advisor within NZTE, working on strategy implementation and the development of NZTE's client management system. Ms Bleakley was previously a Policy Manager with Industry New Zealand.

Prior to joining Industry New Zealand in 2001 Ms Bleakley worked as a Policy Advisor for the Ministry of Economic Development, and was also seconded to the Minister's Office from 1998-2000. She has a BA (Hons)/LLB in Politics/Law from the Victoria University of Wellington.

Jennifer Scoular has been appointed as New Zealand and Enterprise's new Trade Commissioner and Consul-General in Hamburg. Ms Scoular will lead a team of eight with regional responsibility for Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands, Scandinavia, and Central and Eastern Europe. She took up her role in December 2006.

Prior to taking up this appointment, Ms Scoular was Group Treasurer for Zespri International Ltd. She brings significant exporting experience to the role having dealt with the impact of changing global demand, and learnt the importance of building key strategic relationships and partnerships to cope with the changing demands of exporting.

Chris Tozer is New Zealand Trade and Enterprise's new Trade Commissioner and Consul-General in New York. Mr Tozer took up this role in November 2006.

Mr Tozer has worked with NZTE since 2000, joining the organisation in London where he assisted a wide range of New Zealand companies with market entry and business development requirements in the United Kingdom. In early 2005, Mr Tozer returned to Auckland to take up a role with Investment NZ. Mr Tozer is responsible for managing NZTE's New York office including its five staff. Mr Tozer is also the East Coast information, communications and technology contact for both trade and investment activities for NZTE.

Wayne Mikklesen has been appointed as Trade Commissioner for the Middle East and Consul-General in Dubai, and will commence his new role on 1 July 2007.

Following a period as an auditor with Ernst & Young, Mr Mikkelsen spent seven years in Germany where he completed an MBA with an international marketing focus at the University of Reutlingen and then joined New Zealand's trade office in Hamburg.

Mr Mikkelsen has worked with NZTE and its predecessor organisation, Trade New Zealand, for almost seven years most recently in the role of NZTE's International Marketing manager for Europe and the Middle East.

Karlene Davis has been appointed as New Zealand Trade and Enterprise's new Trade Commissioner in Bangkok. Her new role will involve identifying and developing strategic commercial initiatives, as well as improving relationships with Thailand and Thai companies. She also has regional responsibility for Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos. Ms Davis is currently an International Market Manager for South East Asia and will take up her new role in July 2007.

Ms Davis has worked with NZTE since 2003, before which she worked with Industry New Zealand as a Strategic Projects Manager. Ms Davis has a Master of Business Administration from Victoria University.

Bruce Gadd has been appointed as New Zealand Trade and Enterprise's new Trade Commissioner and Consul-General in Milan. In this role he will be helping New Zealand companies to access the Italian market and hopes to be able to match market opportunities with the capability in New Zealand. He will take up this role in early July 2007.

Mr Gadd has been working in the economic development industry since 2001. Before working for New Zealand Trade and Enterprise as Director of Regional Economic Development, where he oversaw the introduction of the Regional Partnership Programme, he was National Manager of Regional Economic Development at Industry New Zealand.

His work experience also includes working with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Treasury and the Health Funding Authority. Mr Gadd has a BA in Political Science and an MA in Social Policy.

Craig Armstrong has been appointed as New Zealand Trade and Enterprise's new Sector Director for Specialised Manufacturing. He took up his role in March 2007.

Mr Armstrong will be based in Auckland and responsible for leading NZTE's engagement with New Zealand's specialised manufacturing sector.

He has 15 years experience at a range of levels in the manufacturing sector and in managing a range of brands, products and strategies across international markets.

Most recently he was Managing Director of his own boutique consultancy in Melbourne to provide strategy, marketing and commercialisation resources to blue chip and start-up companies, and private equity clients.

Prior to that he held various positions at board, financial, and marketing management levels at a number of leading manufacturing, and food and beverage companies such as Heinz, Cadbury Schweppes, and Lion Nathan.

ENDS

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