Chief Executive appointed to major institute in Australia

Press Release from Waiariki Institute of Technology

This press release is embargoed until 12 noon Friday, 1 July 2011

Chief Executive appointed to major institute in Australia

Waiariki Chief Executive Dr Pim Borren has been appointed CEO of Queensland’s largest Institute of Technology Southbank Institute of Technology based in central Brisbane.

Mr Graeme Nahkies, Chair of Waiariki’s Council, expressed the Council’s congratulations to Dr Borren on his appointment to one of Australia’s leading Institutes of Technology. “Dr Borren has been a visionary leader for Waiariki and has led the organisation through a significant growth phase in his five years at the helm.”

While disappointed that Waiariki will lose Dr Borren’s services the Council recognises that this is a significant appointment for Dr Borren which is well deserved and an important career move for him.

Mr Nahkies has indicated that his loss will not only be felt at Waiariki but across the wider region and especially in Rotorua where Dr Borren (who is also an economist) has been prominent within the local business community. He is currently the Chair of Rotorua District Council’s economic growth reference group and an active member of the Rotorua Business Leaders’ Group. While Dr Borren’s talents will be hard to replace, Mr Nahkies indicated that Waiariki is very well served by an experienced and highly competent senior management team. “Waiariki has developed a very strong foundation and will continue to thrive into the future as one of New Zealand’s largest regional polytechnics”.
Dr Borren is sad to be leaving the region which he regards as paradise.

He has been especially proud of the progress made in developing a truly blended New Zealand culture in his time at Waiariki and has indicated that his children too have benefited from Rotorua’s rich cultural heritage.

“I am so proud of what we have achieved at Waiariki over the past five years. We have doubled in size. The more support we gave our community through sponsorships and local investment, the greater has been their return through student demand.” Dr Borren has overseen a major building development programme since he joined Waiariki which has seen four new building projects completed during his tenure. But most of all he believes in the institute’s objective of growing people through vocational education, real skills, and opportunities for improving their life chances.

Southbank Institute of Technology enrolled over 30,000 students in 2010 with a combined revenue base of over $A120 million, including over 4000 international students from countries all over the globe.

Dr Borren believes he may well be the first NZ polytechnic CEO to be appointed to an equivalent role at a leading Australian Institute of Technology. “Certainly I cannot think of any other precedents over the past two decades”.
Dr Borren takes up his new post in early November.

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