PwC Announces New Chair And Reappointment Of CEO For Next Four Years

PwC New Zealand Partner and Board Member, Keren Blakey has been elected as Chair of the New Zealand firm, effective 1 October 2020.

Ms Blakey has been a Partner for 14 years, including five years as a PwC Board Member. She is a Senior Partner in the firm’s Assurance team and works with a range of clients across the media and entertainment, retail and technology sectors. Prior to this she worked in the UK and Canada and has also held various leadership roles including as a founding trustee of the firm’s community engagement programme - the PwC Foundation.

Ms Blakey succeeds Michele Embling who has held the position of Chair since October 2016. Ms Embling will retire from the firm at the end of her term on 30 September 2020.

“We are delighted to welcome Keren as our next Chair. She has a successful track record working with a number of complex and high profile clients. She is well-known as an empathetic and inclusive leader who builds trusted relationships with her collaborative style. Keren will be an exceptional Chair of PwC,” says Ms Embling.

Ms Blakey says she is looking forward to working with the CEO, Board and a new generation of leaders as we navigate this next period at PwC.

“This is a challenging time for many. I am delighted to be elected as Chair and have the privilege to work alongside both our people and clients as we build a stronger and more resilient New Zealand. I am inspired by the firm’s purpose to build trust and solve important problems and believe there is no better time to demonstrate these.”

CEO and Senior Partner Mark Averill says, “I wish Michele all the very best as she steps down as Chair and would like to thank her for the significant contribution she has made to PwC. She is an outstanding leader and role model, and I have thoroughly enjoyed working alongside her during my first term as CEO.

“Michele has been a prominent member of the firm for over 20 years and was our first female chair. She has been hugely instrumental in developing our diversity and inclusion goals including the introduction of our 40/40/20 gender mix target. She is highly regarded for her governance expertise and ability to build sustainable and resilient organisations.”

Alongside her work as an assurance leader, she is the Chair of the External Reporting Board, a former Board member and Deputy Chair of Global Women and a Co-chair of Champions for Change.

Mark Averill has been re-elected as CEO and Senior Partner of PwC New Zealand for a further four year term from 1 October 2020.

“It has been a privilege to lead PwC New Zealand over the last four years and I’m honoured to be given the opportunity to guide the firm for a second term. We have a great team of partners and staff and I’m so proud of what we have achieved together. As I look ahead, I’m really excited about the future and working alongside Keren as we lean into and play our part in rebuilding New Zealand.”

About PwC

PwC New Zealand employs over 1,600 people and has offices in the Auckland, Waikato, Hawkes Bay, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago regions. Our people are dedicated to solving the complex problems businesses are facing in today's changing market place.

PwC firms help organisations and individuals create the value they’re looking for. We’re a network of firms in 157 countries with more than 276,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, tax and advisory services. Find out more at www.pwc.co.nz

PwC refers to the New Zealand member firm, and may sometimes refer to the PwC network. Each member firm is a separate legal entity. Please see www.pwc.com/structure for further details.

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