Acting Chief Executives for MBIE and Customs

20 June 2017

Acting Chief Executives for MBIE and Customs

State Services Commissioner Peter Hughes has today announced the appointments of Carolyn Tremain as Acting Chief Executive of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and Christine Stevenson as Acting Comptroller of Customs.

Ms Tremain is currently the Comptroller of Customs and Chief Executive of the New Zealand Customs Service, a role she has held since 2011. She has also held senior leadership roles in Inland Revenue. Before joining the Public Service she worked in various roles in the private sector, spending 13 years with Air New Zealand where she became Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Organisational Change.

“Ms Tremain is an experienced and highly regarded Public Service Chief Executive and senior leader,” Mr Hughes said.

“I am very pleased she has agreed to be MBIE’s Acting Chief Executive and I am confident she will be a capable and effective leader for MBIE’s staff and stakeholders until a new Chief Executive is appointed,” he said.

Christine Stevenson has been appointed as Acting Comptroller of Customs during Ms Tremain’s absence from the role. Ms Stevenson is currently Deputy Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections and has previously been Deputy Chief Executive of the Ministry of Justice. Ms Stevenson has also served as Acting Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections and Department of Internal Affairs.

“Ms Stevenson is a very experienced and highly capable Public Service senior leader who will lead the Customs Service very effectively,” Mr Hughes said.

Both Ms Tremain and Ms Stevenson will take up their acting roles on 1 July 2017 and remain until a new Chief Executive for MBIE is appointed. Current MBIE Chief Executive David Smol’s term ends on 30 June 2017.

A recruitment process for a new Chief Executive for MBIE has been underway. However, it is not possible to finish the process and make an appointment before the pre-election period starts on 23 June 2017.

The government exercises restraint in making significant appointments that commence in the pre-election period (the three months before a general election).

“The Chief Executive of MBIE is a significant role, leading a major Public Service department that provides services to thousands of New Zealanders every week, and holding important regulatory and policy making responsibilities,” Mr Hughes said.

“I have decided it is appropriate to pause the recruitment process until after the election has taken place,” Mr Hughes said.

“This is consistent with the general government approach to significant appointments in the pre-election period,” he said.

“I am confident that Ms Tremain will provide MBIE’s staff and stakeholders with stable and effective leadership until a new Chief Executive is appointed.”

“Christine Stevenson will be a very able and effective Comptroller of Customs over this period,” said Mr Hughes.

“I would like to thank David Smol for his decade of service to New Zealand as a Public Service Chief Executive,” Mr Hughes said.

“Leading the process of bringing four separate government departments together and establishing MBIE is a significant achievement that has made a real difference to New Zealand and the Public Service,” he said.

Biographies
Carolyn Tremain is the Comptroller of Customs and Chief Executive of the New Zealand Customs Service, a role she has held since 2011. Ms Tremain has previously held the roles of Deputy Commissioner Service Delivery and Deputy Commissioner People, Capabilities, and Governance at Inland Revenue. She was responsible for frontline service delivery functions including audit and investigations, contact centres, customer operations, customer and product innovation, litigation management, and the integration of new government programmes. Ms Tremain worked for Air New Zealand for 13 years where she was where she became Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Organisational Change. Ms Tremain spent the early part of her working career in the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Christine Stevenson is Deputy Chief Executive at the Department of Corrections, New Zealand’s largest Public Service Department, since 2011. Ms Stevenson acts as Chief Executive of Corrections when required as has also been Acting Chief Executive of the Department of Internal Affairs. Ms Stevenson has previously been Deputy Chief Executive of the Ministry of Justice and has held senior roles in the Ministry of Social Development. She started her career as an accountant in the private sector.

ENDS

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