New Air NZ chairman's first task is to find a Gary Toomey replacement

By Chris Hutching

Friday 7th December 2001

JOHN PALMER: On deck before Christmas

Nelson orchardist-turned corporate high-flyer John Palmer was at Air New Zealand headquarters in Auckland this week familiarising himself with his new role at the helm of the board of directors.

An office has been arranged and a personal assistant appointed for what Mr Palmer (54) expects may be a job that takes up 40 hours a week as he helps turn Air New Zealand around.

From apples to airlines might seem a big jump but when it comes to corporate governance of troubled companies Mr Palmer has been in the right places at the right times to make the right decisions. Most recently he helped guide the Wrightson recovery as chairman, replacing former executives, appointing new directors with links to dairying, and focusing on rebuilding the business in time to take advantage of the rural upturn.

In 1992 he was chairman of the Kiwifruit Marketing Board when it staged a turnaround from a $75 million loss. He was born in Nelson in 1947 where he and wife Sally live, was educated at Nelson College and later graduated from both Lincoln and Canterbury universities. He has held directorships on a variety of companies including banks. He intends to maintain them including chairmanship of Wrightson.

Mr Palmer analysed the airline's books and weighed up the market before accepting his new job as chairman of Air New Zealand.

Among his first tasks will be to make more board appointments and an executive replacement for departing chief executive Gary Toomey.

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