Tourism Bay of Plenty chairman Ian Smith has stepped down from the board after nearly a decade, with Des Hammond taking up the chair role.
Mr Hammond is an independent director and chartered fellow of the Institute of Directors in New Zealand, and is currently an active member on the Bay of Plenty branch committee.
He has been a company director and executive, with more than 30 years of governance and leadership experience in the banking, finance, education and export sectors - both nationally and internationally.
Mr Hammond said he was looking forward to stepping into the role.
"It is an exciting era for the region with economic growth being experienced across several sectors. Tourism has the potential to be even more significant for the region and I look forward to being a part of that growth."