Source: Auckland Council
Auckland Council has today appointed a new seven-member board of directors to oversee the merger of council-controlled organisations Regional Facilities Auckland (RFA) and Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) and to govern the merged entity following the amalgamation.
The council’s Appointments and Performance Review (APR) Committee has appointed Mark Franklin as chair along with six other board members all appointed from the existing ATEED and RFA boards.
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff, who chairs the APR Committee, has welcomed the appointments.
“The merger of RFA and ATEED was a key recommendation of the CCO Review. It is expected to produce a stronger and more responsive organisation, achieve economies of scale, remove duplication of effort, and save Aucklanders around $67 million over the next decade,” he said.
“With the merged entity to be established by 1 December 2020, the directors appointed today have the governance experience, skill mix and institutional knowledge needed to merge the two CCOs in this short timeframe and lead the organisation’s work programme.
“I acknowledge all those involved in the appointment process for the collaborative approach they have taken and thank the outgoing directors for their hard work and professionalism.”
The merger process amalgamates the two organisations into one, which will undertake all the current functions of the two organisations. RFA will be the merger vehicle as it holds substantial physical assets. The directors have been appointed as a new RFA board to lead the merger with ATEED and transition to the merged entity.
The new board will be in place from 14 September 2020 replacing the current RFA board. The current ATEED board remains in place until 30 November 2020 and they have been asked to work with the RFA board on the proposed merger.
The council will agree a name and a new Statement of Intent for the merged entity prior to the planned amalgamation on 1 December 2020.
The council’s Appointments and Performance Review Committee is responsible for all board appointments to substantive council-controlled organisations. All the directors have previously been appointed by the committee and have been through the full director appointment process.
About the new board of directors
The new seven-member board of directors consists of:
Mark Franklin (chair) has extensive commercial and governance experience, and strong networks within local and central government.
Mark has been Managing Director of Stevenson Group since 2010, and was previously founding Chief Executive of TZ1, and Chief Executive of Vector. He is a former director of Kiwirail, WEL Networks, Ultrafast Broadband, and Auckland Chamber of Commerce, and has held directorships at Stevenson Group. He is the ATEED board chair.
Jennah Wootten (deputy chair) has extensive experience in leading and delivering commercially successful mega events. She was Chief Executive of the highly successful World Masters Games in 2017 and has worked on some of Auckland’s most high-profile events.
Jennah is General Manager Partnerships and Communication at Sport New Zealand. Her earlier roles include General Manager, Destination and Manager Major Events at ATEED with a lead role in Auckland’s Rugby World Cup 2011 programme, the FIFA U-20 Men’s World Cup bid and developing Auckland’s first Major Events Strategy. She is an RFA board member.
Carol Cheng is a business adviser and China business specialist with over 15 years of accounting, auditing and advisory experience in New Zealand, Hong Kong and China. The Managing Director and Founder of Hong Consulting Limited, previously she was an Executive Director at PwC and a partner of Grant Thornton China.
Carol is an Executive Board Member and Treasurer of the New Zealand China Trade Association, a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors and a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. She is an ATEED board member.
Evan Davies is Managing Director of Todd Property Group Ltd, Chair of the Capital Investment Committee, and Chair of the Christchurch Hospital Redevelopment Partnership Group and Tamaki Redevelopment Company.
He is on the Melanesian Mission Trust Board and the Anglican Trust for Women and Children. He was previously Managing Director of Sky City Entertainment Group and General Manager of Brierley Properties. He is an ATEED board member.
Jennifer Rolfe is currently a Non-Executive Director of Citycare Limited and the Director and Managing Partner of Auckland-based creative agency, Rainger & Rolfe. She has 20 years of experience working in digital, brand and loyalty advertising managing some of New Zealand’s biggest and most interesting brands and working in some of the country’s biggest and best advertising agencies.
Jennifer has served on a number of boards including New Zealand Rugby League, Dunedin Venues Management Limited and Cancer Society’s Daffodil Enterprises Limited. She is an RFA board member.
Fabian Partigliani has more than two decades of experience as a global CEO, with blue-chip multinational companies in Europe, South America and Asia Pacific. He has held executive and non-executive director positions in management, business strategy and marketing. As CEO of Pernod Ricard, he led the transformation of that business into a successful, export-oriented company during his eight-year tenure. He has developed a management consultancy business focused on strategy, mergers & acquisitions and operational improvements. He is an RFA board member.
Dan Te Whenua Walker is an experienced leader in business development and relationship management with an extensive background in the IT and tech sector. He has a particular passion for how tech can be utilised for Māori and Pasifika economic development.
Dan is the Deputy Chair of NZ Māori Tourism, Pou Tuarā of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ruanui, Director of the Centre for Social Impact, and Chair of Whānau Mārama Parenting Charity and a variety of community trustee roles around Auckland. He is an ATEED board member.
