New CEO for Air New Zealand

3.30 pm

Air New Zealand has appointed Mr Ralph Norris to the position of Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, the company's Chairman, Mr John Palmer, announced today.

Mr Norris is a current Director of Air New Zealand Limited and was formerly Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the ASB Bank Limited and Head of International Financial Services with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

"We are delighted to have secured one of New Zealand's outstanding chief executives to lead Air New Zealand at this critical time in the company's development," Mr Palmer said.

"Beyond his more obvious financial capabilities, Ralph has a track record of success in change management, highly competitive marketing, and innovative application of new technologies - all of which are highly relevant to the challenges involved in driving forward with the recovery of Air New Zealand," Mr Palmer said.

Commenting on his appointment, Mr Norris said he welcomed the opportunity to expand his commitment to Air New Zealand.

"From my experience as an independent director of the company, I know the scope of the problems that have to be overcome, and I look forward to leading Air New Zealand management and staff to produce the solutions are needed to rebuild the core strengths of the company and develop new competitive advantages," he said.

Mr Norris is 52, and married with three children. Born in Auckland, he was educated at Lynfield College and is a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Management and the New Zealand Computer Society.

He started his working career as a commercial cadet with Mobil Oil New Zealand in 1967 before joining the Auckland Savings Bank in 1969 to specialise initially in the development of data processing services. After a series of promotions through the bank's management structure, he was appointed Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ASB Bank Limited in 1991 and retired from that position in September last year.

He played a lead role in the nation-wide expansion of the ASB Bank and the introduction of New Zealand to interactive telephone banking services, internet banking, and its first "virtual bank" BankDirect.

During his tenure as Chief Executive, the ASB Bank won the New Zealand Marketing Award for the Service Industry three times and was the first bank in Australasia to win the international Arthur Andersen Quality Service Award. Mr Norris was judged New Zealand Executive of the Year in 1997.

He is a director of Air New Zealand Limited, Fletcher Challenge Limited, and Team New Zealand Defence 2003; a consultant to the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, and a member of a number of trusts including the Starship Foundation Trust, the Knowledge Wave Trust, and the Northern Lifeguard Services Trust.

He is a former Chairman of the New Zealand Bankers Association, the Business Roundtable, and the Hosting Committee of the Asia Pacific Economic Council's CEO Summit. He was a member of the Prime Minister's Enterprise Council, the Prime Minister's Y2K Taskforce, and the Pacific Basin Economic Council.

Mr Norris takes up his appointment as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Air New Zealand Limited on Monday, 18 February.