Mark Gilbert to chair Motorcycle Safety Advisory Council

Former BMW managing director, Mark Gilbert to chair Motorcycle Safety Advisory Council

Mark Gilbert, recently retired managing director of BMW Group New Zealand, has been appointed as Chair for the Motorcycle Safety Advisory Council.

Gilbert brings strong management and leadership experience to the Council, as well as solid connections with the New Zealand motor industry. He retired last year from the managing director role after a 25-year career with BMW Group New Zealand. But retirement is no sit back in the armchair for Gilbert.

He is a trustee for both the Product Stewardship Foundation and the Home of Cycling Charitable Trust, and chair of Tyrewise—a collaboration between the Ministry for the Environment and the tyre industry. He was formerly President of the NZ Motor Industry Association Inc, and an Executive Member of the former NZ Business Council for Sustainable Development.

“The role of chair is a natural traverse from the role of managing director. They’re both challenging—you’re involved in every part of the organisation, you’ve got to be able to motivate and advise all sorts of different people, and you’re responsible for delivering what you promise. That’s the kind of challenge I like—particularly when the outcome you want is something as significant as better road safety for motorcyclists.”

What’s Gilbert’s approach to big the challenges? “To meet any challenge, you need to have clear goals – and you need to work out how you intend to reach them. That’s true for business and life. I like to start with the end in mind. And I really like to set stretched targets – to go after an even better result.”

Gilbert got his motorcycle license back in 1968, riding a Suzuki 50cc step through to get around Timaru, between home, school and work. In recent years, he’s been spoiled with the pick of the BMW fleet. He rides for fun, to get out and take in the scenery, and enjoy the freedom of the road. “Everyone who uses the roads has a responsibility for road safety,” says Gilbert. “It doesn’t matter what wheels you’re on. We’re all using the same tarmac to get where we want to go. We need to learn to share it safely. The Motorcycle Safety Advisory Council is already representing motorcyclists in that equation. I’m really looking forward to joining them and being part of that work.”

Gilbert’s appointment is for a two-year term, starting on 1 July 2013.

About the Motorcycle Advisory Council
The Motorcycle Safety Advisory Council was established to give motorcyclists a say about how ACC spends the $30 levy it added to motorcycle registrations in 2010. The Council recommends to ACC projects to be funded from the Motorcycle Safety Levy (MSL). Find out more about the Council at www.motonz.org.nz

ENDS

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