New President for ACRI

Association of Crown Research Institutes

1 March 2007

New President for Association of Crown Research Institutes

Dr Warren Parker, chief executive of Landcare Research has been elected President of the Association of Crown Research Institutes (ACRI). He succeeds Dr Rick Pridmore following the latter's retirement as CEO of NIWA.

Dr Alex Malahoff, chief executive of GNS Science, becomes Vice-President.

The Crown Research Institutes are New Zealand's largest science enterprises, and are owned by the Crown. The nine CRIs earn more than $600 million annually, and have 4,000 staff in 50 sites from Invermay to Kaitaia.

Warren Parker has been CEO of Landcare Research since July 2005. He has wide experience in senior management in the science and research communities. He was Chief Operating Officer (Science) based at fellow Crown research institute, AgResearch, with key roles in strategy and new business development.

Prior to joining Landcare Research, he was on secondment as Visiting Research Manager of IMBcom Pty Ltd in Brisbane, the commercialisation company for The University of Queensland's Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB). His principal task was to help facilitate increased trans-Tasman links in bioscience and its commercialisation.

Warren Parker says strengthening the links between the economic, environmental and social health of New Zealand is critical to our future prosperity and national well-being.

Managing issues such as climate change, biosecurity and limits to natural resources such as water and high quality land pose substantial challenges but also great opportunities for New Zealand.

"New Zealanders are imaginative, practical people who have built this nation on the back of courage, perseverance and innovation. Ingenuity is part of our national character, and a considerable strength to apply to global and local needs.

"In developing effective local solutions for sustainable resource use and a vibrant, growing economy we can also strengthen our position globally. In some areas we already lead the world.

"The magnitude both of challenge and opportunity is such that we need to address our overall investment in research, science and technology.

"There are encouraging signs from both public and private sectors of increased investment in sustainable development - but more is required if we are to grasp the opportunities before us.

"Natural ingenuity is not sufficient - it must be supported by investment in our science workforce and the innovation system more generally.

"ACRI is working with its members and others to demonstrate the value that RS&T already delivers to New Zealand - and the potential for its contribution to the future. After all, CRIs are all about benefit to New Zealand."

Notes to Editor
ACRI provides a forum for the nine Crown-owned science enterprises. Crown Research Institutes contribute to the economic, environmental, social and knowledge wealth of New Zealand in diverse ways.

The CRIs undertake research - from basic to applied - for government and private sector markets in New Zealand and abroad. They also provide the essential underlying capability in people, facilities and knowledge for the long term future of science and innovation in this country.

The CRIs are: AgResearch, Crop & Food Research, ESR, GNS Science, HortResearch, Industrial Research, Landcare Research, NIWA, Scion.

ENDS

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