Appointment of Chief Executive of Ministry of Fisheries
13 November 2007
The State Services Commissioner, Mark Prebble, announced today the appointment of Mr Simon (Wayne) McNee as Chief
Executive of the Ministry of Fisheries.
Mr McNee is the Chief Executive of the Pharmaceutical Management Agency (PHARMAC), a position he has held since 2001,
and is currently seconded to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
"In his role at PHARMAC Wayne McNee has built effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, some with
competing interests, in an environment that is sometimes emotionally charged. He has the professional skills, maturity,
integrity and determination to make a successful transition into the Ministry of Fisheries.
"New Zealand’s marine environment and fisheries resources are highly valued economically, culturally and
environmentally. As the incoming Chief Executive, Wayne McNee will be expected to focus on the long-term direction of
fisheries management by considering issues such as oceans policy and biosecurity, the capability of the Ministry to
achieve its goals and balancing profitable harvesting, long-term sustainability, and conservation of the marine
ecosystem.
"Wayne McNee will lead the Ministry to achieve the Government’s goals for fisheries, through implementing aquaculture
reform, reducing the complexity of the regulatory environment, implementing customary fisheries policies, and promoting
fisheries contribution to New Zealand's economic transformation," Mark Prebble said.
Mr McNee will also be expected to work closely with the other natural resource sustainability agencies, the Department
of Conservation, the Ministry for the Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, to investigate
opportunities for closer engagement and collaboration.
After completing a Bachelors degree in Pharmacy at Otago University in 1985, Mr McNee undertook a series of pharmacy
roles both in New Zealand and England before taking up the Therapeutic Group Manager role at PHARMAC in July 1995. He
then followed a career pathway within PHARMAC culminating in his appointment as Chief Executive. In 1998 Mr McNee was
awarded a post graduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy at Otago University and he has undertaken Executive Management
programmes at Oxford and Stanford Universities.
Mr McNee takes up his appointment early in 2008.
ENDS