Norris wins high-flyer award again

Air New Zealand boss Ralph Norris has been named the country's top-performing executive by Deloitte and Management magazine, regaining the title he first won in 1997 when he was with the ASB Bank.

The competition judges said Norris' performance at Air NZ had set a new benchmark in executive achievement as he "came to grips with and successfully managed a highly complex, competitive and crucially important industry sector".

Norris took the award ahead of Fletcher Building chief executive Ralph Waters and last year's winner, Solid Energy's Don Elder. Fisher and Paykel Appliances, celebrating its 70th birthday this year, won the company of the year award.

It was a finalist last year. The judges said progress in creating a valuable global brand in a tough and competitive international marketplace had made it an outstanding global manufacturing success story.

"Motivated management and astute governance had combined with a commitment to design innovation and quality to expand existing and create new, high-value, international markets," they said.

After years in the red, a 4845 per cent profit increase for Sky Network Television won it the most improved performance award.

Newly listed Pumpkin Patch won the best growth strategy award. The judges said the company's listing process and its growth strategy had been as smart as the fashion gear it designed, heralding a 15 per cent lift in turnover for the year.

Former executive of the year winner Rod Deane was named chairman for the year. He is the chairman of Telecom, Fletcher Building and ANZ National Bank.