Executive Leaders Masterclass

Tanya has been in local government for over 20 years and is currently the Chief Executive of Ōtorohanga District Council. She has only been in the role for eight weeks, but is no stranger to a CE role. Tanya would be one of the few Chief Executives who has made the leap from second tier to a CE role in local government, not once, but twice.

This time two years ago Tanya presented to this very forum. At that time she had just been suspended as Chief Executive of Westland District Council. In what Tanya calls “the perfect storm” she found herself embroiled in a very public situation that would be a worst nightmare for many people less resilient. By the end of April 2017 Tanya was unemployed and thought her local government career was over. But her passion for the sector was unwavering, and in August 2017 she took on a very different second tier role at Otago Regional Council. In the 18 months that followed she applied for six CE roles. Not one to be discouraged, Tanya’s grit, determination and belief that she had unfinished business as a CE saw her landing the Chief Executive role at Ōtorohanga District Council.

Richard was born in the Waikato and raised on a Waikato Dairy farm. He studied at the University of Auckland completing a Bachelors and PhD in Mechanical Engineering. While studying he worked at Gallaghers Engineering in Hamilton, Volvo in Sweden, MacMaster University in Canada and as a part-time lecturer at the University of Auckland.

Since completing his studies Richard has worked for: Fisher & Paykel Healthcare as a Research Engineer; Industrial Research as a researcher, team leader and General Manager; Meat & Wool New Zealand as General Manager Research; The Foundation for Research Science & Technology as a General Manager and Acting-CEO, the Ministry of Science & Innovation as acting General Manager Research; and most recently as General Manager Research & Technical Services at Callaghan Innovation.

Richard is a Fellow of the Institute of Professional Engineers of New Zealand [IPENZ], Associate Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Management [NZIM] and is married with one son.

Vicky Robertson is the Secretary for the Environment, appointed in April 2015.

Vicky has extensive experience across a range of complex policy frameworks. She is passionate about diversity as a critical factor in high performing organisations and speaks regularly at business and industry forums.

Vicky is also a member of the steering group for Te Hono - a network of primary sector leaders using design to realise the full potential of our exports. Vicky’s involvement has given the business leaders a richer understanding of the wider context their industries are operating in, including new approaches to policy development for more effective public services.

Jennifer is a senior leadership development practitioner, specialising in the Neuroscience of Leadership. She has a business background, having begun her career in the City of London, as a shipbroker and member of the Baltic and Mercantile Shipping Exchange.

She has held senior roles with the global organisation P&O Nedlloyd and her career has been internationally focused, encompassing London, Australia, Hong Kong and New Zealand. She set up her own consultancy in 2007 in New Zealand where she works with government and private sector organisations.

Her work is primarily in the areas of:

• Development, design and delivery of long and short term leadership programmes.
• Development and delivery of neuroscience of leadership programmes and workshops.
• Using neuroscience principles to design and support organisational change.
• Leadership development consulting solutions for organisations.
• Consulting to organisations to increase organisational buy-in to change initiatives.
• Senior executive coaching; working with individuals and senior teams to support them in becoming more effective leaders of people and results.

Jennifer has a passion for effective leadership, believing that a combination of evidence and practical application leads to learning and behaviour change.

She qualified as a Shipbroker in the UK and holds a Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management from Victoria University in New Zealand, as well as an MSc in The Neuroscience of Leadership from Middlesex University, UK.

Glenn Snelgrove has been involved in both Central Government and Local Government for over 40 years. He was a Government Auditor, auditing Local authorities and Government Departments both in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

His career started in Local Government in 1978, being Deputy Town Clerk for two Local authorities. Appointed Chief Executive for the Mount Maunganui Borough Council in 1986, and then moving to the Western Bay of Plenty District Council in 1989. Appointed Chief Executive Officer in 1991 and retiring after 25 years.

Awarded the New Zealand Business Excellence award – Silver in 2009 and Gold in 2013. Lead Facilitator in New Zealand for LGMA/Taituarā Management Challenge from 2010. Awarded the Institute of Public Administration New Zealand Improving Performance through Leadership Excellence 2014. Awarded Taituarā Distinguished Management Award in 2014. Chair of BOP Local Authority Shared Services from 2009-2014. Director of a number of companies, Chair of the Bay of Plenty Branch of the New Zealand Institute of Directors and National Councillor, Chair of a number of Local Authorities Risk Committees and a member and Chair of a number of Community organisations.

Greg has been involved with local government since the amalgamations in 1989. He has facilitated the recruitment of a number of Chief Executives and GMs since then, and also facilitates Chief Executive performance and remuneration reviews with City, District, Regional and Unitary Councils, so understands the expectations Councils have for their senior leaders.

He also works for a large number of private sector organisations, and has undertaken Chief Executive and GM appointments for these businesses nationally and internationally.

Greg is based in Hamilton and set up his specialist HR consultancy 20 years ago, having previously been a GM Human Resources with a DHB and a Consulting Partner in a business advisory firm, which is now one of the Big Four.

Barbara is nationally recognised as a leader in local government management. She has an executive career in local government spanning more than 35 years, with experience in almost every facet of council work. Currently the Chief Executive of Wellington City Council, Barbara moved to Wellington in 2017 after serving nine years as the Chief Executive of New Plymouth District Council. There she was responsible for driving the projects that changed the reputation of New Plymouth, gaining national and international recognition for its arts, culture and lifestyle.

Barbara’s story is inspiring for her staff – from her very early career as a Librarian to Chief Executive of the capital city. She was the President of Taituarā — Local Government Professionals Aotearoa for three years and during that time co-chaired the Central and Local Government Chief Executive Forum and served as a member of the Office of Auditor – General Local Government Advisory Group.

She is currently a member of the Advisory Board for the Wellington School of Business and Government. In her spare time Barbara enjoys getting out into the trails and open spaces of Wellington, though not as quickly as she did in the 1980s when she was a champion marathon runner and represented both Australia and New Zealand.

Colin MacDonald is Chief Executive of New Zealand’s Department of Internal Affairs, Secretary for Internal Affairs, Secretary for Local Government, and the Government Chief Information Officer (GCIO).

In his GCIO role, Colin is the ICT Functional Leader for government and works collaboratively across the state sector to transform government ICT and digital services, making it easy for New Zealanders to choose digital channels to access government services.

Colin has had more than 30 years of public and private sector experience in information technology and general management, beginning with studies in computer science at Glasgow University, and then starting his career in the UK. In New Zealand, he was previously Chief Executive of Land Information New Zealand, Deputy Commissioner Business Development and Systems at Inland Revenue, and Chief Operating Officer for the ANZ Banking Group (NZ).