Refreshed line-up for TIA Board

Refreshed line-up for TIA Board

Three new Directors are joining the Board of Tourism Industry Aotearoa, to help steer the direction of New Zealand’s biggest export sector.

TIA Chair Grant Webster has announced that new Tourism Export Council New Zealand Chair Anna Black, SKYCITY Chief Executive Graeme Stephens and Whale Watch Kaikoura General Manager Kauahi Ngapora have been appointed to TIA’s Board.

Ms Black, who is also Executive Director of inbound tour operator General Travel, will represent the Tourism Services and Services to Tourism Sector. She replaces outgoing TECNZ Chair Martin Horgan who has resigned from TIA’s Board.

Mr Stephens will represent the Attractions, Conferences and Events Sector, replacing the General Manager Operations for the New Zealand International Convention Centre, Callum Mallett. Mr Mallett has also resigned from TIA’s Board.

The TIA Board has decided to co-opt Mr Ngapora as a Director. Under TIA’s Constitution, the Board can co-opt up to two members for their particular skills or to boost the representation of certain sectors or geographical areas.

Mr Ngapora will fill a co-opted position previously held by Real Journeys Chief Executive Richard Lauder, who was elected to represent the General Industry Sector in the Board elections in September.

In line with TIA’s constitution, both Ms Black and Mr Stephens will hold office until TIA’s AGM in 2018, at which time the seats they hold must be put up for election, Mr Webster says. Mr Ngapora’s term of appointment will be until the 2019 AGM.

“TIA is fortunate to have a strong and strategic Board with Directors from all the main tourism sectors. I look forward to working with our new Directors to keep New Zealand’s tourism industry working towards its Tourism 2025 goal of growing total revenue to $41 billion a year,” Mr Webster says.

The three new Directors bring the number of new faces at TIA’s Board table for 2017-18 to six, with three other Directors being elected in September. They are Wellington Airport Chief Executive Steve Sanderson, Air New Zealand Head of Government and Industry Affairs Duncan Small, and AccorHotels Vice President New Zealand, Fiji and French Polynesia Gillian Millar.

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