New NZTE chair announced

Former Ports of Tauranga Chief Executive Jon Mayson has been appointed chair of the board of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), the Crown entity responsible for facilitating the country’s trade, industry and regional development.

The announcement was made today by Trade Minister Phil Goff, and Economic Development Minister Pete Hodgson, who also announced that current board member Craig Ellison has been reappointed for another 12 months.

“Jon Mayson’s considerable experience in exporting, international supply chains and management provides a strong basis for leading NZTE’s work to support New Zealand businesses to be internationally competitive,” Phil Goff said.

Jon was Chief Executive of the Port of Tauranga from 1997 to 2005, during which time the Port grew to be New Zealand’s largest export port and established its MetroPort operation in Auckland. He has been President of Export New Zealand since 2005, a position which he will step down from in order to take up the role of NZTE Board chair.

“Jon is highly respected in the business and government sectors and is a companion to the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the shipping industry and to the export sector,” Pete Hodgson said.

Both Phil Goff and Pete Hodgson commended the work of outgoing board chair Phil Lough, who has led the Board since NZTE’s inception in 2003. Phil oversaw the consolidation of an offshore network of offices in key markets and the development of a wide range of programmes to assist businesses and sectors.

“In a changing economy where product innovation and international connections are becoming more and more important for New Zealand businesses, Phil Lough has done an excellent job in positioning NZTE to meet these challenges. We would like to thank him for his hard work and his dedication to New Zealand’s economic development,” Pete Hodgson said.

Both ministers also welcomed the reappointment of Craig Ellison, who has experience in a range of economic, strategic development and management areas.

Other board members are Peter Menzies, Peter Maire, Jane Hunter, Alan Isaac, Lorraine Witten and Peter Conway.