Controversial comings and goings

Friday 15th December 2000

CHANGING OF THE GUARD: Kerry Hoggard, Ruth Dyson and Dover Samuels went while Dame Sylvia Cartwright got the top post

RESIGNATIONS/APPOINTMENTS

The business community's most controversial people move - the resignation of Fletcher Challenge chairman Kerry Hoggard - happened just before Christmas last year but the repercussions over the insider trading scandal which prompted it spilt over into 2000. Mr Hoggard was replaced by Roderick Deane.

In other high profile resignations, Dover Samuels relinquished his position as Maori affairs minister in June to be replaced by Parekura Horomia after a scandal about whether Mr Samuels had had an affair with a teenager. And Ruth Dyson resigned as associate ACC minister in November after being charged with drink driving.

The resignation of Team New Zealand skipper Russell Coutts and tactician Brad Butterworth in May to join a Swiss syndicate also created a furore.

Less controversially. one of the founders of Team New Zealand's successful 1995 America's Cup challenge, Ross Blackman, was appointed chief executive of Team New Zealand. Lawyer Peter Kiely became chairman of America's Cup Village.

In a widely tipped appointment it was announced in August High Court judge Dame Sylvia Cartwright would become the next Governor-General.

John Perham was appointed acting IRD head in March. In December, Australian David Butler was named to take over the role as a permanent appointment from February 2001.

There were concerns in August about succession planning at our top companies when a bunch of longtime chief executives resigned about the same time, including Air New Zealand's nine-year boss Jim McCrea, Contact Energy's Paul Anthony, the New Zealand Dairy Board's Warren Larsen and Metlifecare's Mark Russell.

In other top corporate moves Michael Beard replaced Francis Small as chief executive of Tranz Rail in March, Peter Kaliaropoulos took over as chief executive of Clear Communications in September and Peter Thodey was appointed managing director of BNZ in March, replacing Mike Pratt.

Comments from our readers

No comments yet