Change of Leadership at NZUS Council

Change of Leadership at Nzus Council

14 November 2014

The NZUS Council is pleased to announce the appointment of the Hon. Simon Power, QSO to the position of Chair.

This follows the retirement of the Rt. Hon. James Bolger, ONZ who steps down from the role following over a decade at the helm. During that time Mr. Bolger oversaw the successful delivery of five USNZ Partnership Forums. These events played a key role in the normalization of relations between New Zealand and the United States.

Simon Power joins the Council from his role at Westpac Bank where he is General Manager of Business Bank and Wealth. Mr. Power is a former Member of Parliament and senior Minister during the first term of the current National Government.

“I am very much looking forward to carrying on the wonderful work of my predecessor,” said Mr. Power.

Mr. Power said he intends to apply a commercial lens to Council priorities, and that under his watch the Council will promote the NZ-US relationship as part of a balanced portfolio of national interests delivering maximum returns for both economies.

“We would also like to see more travel and relationship building at the individual and corporate level between New Zealand and the USA. This would help to underpin progress in business and trade and other important areas of the bilateral relationship such as education and the environment,” he said.

Mr. Bolger paid tribute to the role played by former Executive Director Stephen Jacobi.

“Stephen was tireless in his efforts to raise the profile of the bilateral relationship, and did tremendous work to build connections and understanding,” he said.

Mr. Bolger also welcomed the appointment of Fiona Cooper Clarke to the position of Executive Director, taking over from Stephen Jacobi, who stepped down earlier in the year, and Acting Executive Director Suse Reynolds. Ms Cooper Clarke is a former member of the Council’s Executive Committee and Advisory Board. Her previous career included roles at Fonterra, New Zealand Dairy Board, Bank of New Zealand and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, including a trade policy posting to Washington DC from 1992-1996.

ENDS

© Scoop Media