New senior appointment for Waikato University

New senior appointment for Waikato University

The University of Waikato is pleased to announce the appointment of Raymond McNickle as Head of Corporate Services, a new senior position created to help enable the University to bring its new vision to reality.

The appointment will bolster the University’s ability to deliver on the ambitious vision of excellence, international connectedness and distinctiveness, which was announced in May.

Mr McNickle has substantial experience at senior management level in both the private and state owned enterprise sectors. He will take charge of the operational activities of the University including, student and academic services, marketing, student recruitment, finance, library, information and technology services, international, and facilities management.

Waikato University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Roy Crawford, said Mr McNickle had impressed the Appointment Committee with his appreciation of the fundamental values and principles underlying the new vision, and the challenges the University faced in delivering it.

“Mr McNickle’s considerable experience and success in influencing results at a large institutional level gives us genuine confidence in his ability to help lead the strategic change process,” said Prof. Crawford.

“He is an extremely incisive person. His manner is a wonderful balance of creativity, tough-mindedness and pragmatism.”

Mr McNickle grew up in Auckland but has been based in the South Waikato since 2002 as Business Improvement Manager with Carter Holt Harvey Pulp and Paper. He has been particularly successful at identifying and creating new, sustainable business opportunities.

“I have a passionate commitment to education and see it as the key to opening up opportunities for people” said Mr McNickle who in addition to a BCom degree from Auckland, has completed the Advanced Management Programme at Macquarie University.

‘I believe that the operations of the corporate services team of the University should be a demonstration of our know-how,” said Mr McNickle. “We have many people who are world-leaders in their field of expertise and the way in which the University conducts its business should reflect that level of excellence.”

Previously Mr McNickle has been a trustee of the South Waikato Economic Development Trust. He places a great deal of emphasis on contributing to and engaging with the community. “I bring a ‘stakeholders first’ philosophy with me into this new role, something which I see as central to Waikato’s new vision”, he said.

Mr McNickle is also Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Upper Atiamuri Primary School, which is attended by his two children, Shaun and Stacey.

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