Outgoing investment watchdog boss Sean Hughes is to receive the Beacon award from the New Zealand Shareholders Association for outstanding leadership.
Hughes, who finishes up as chief executive of the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) on December 17, will be recognised at the association's annual dinner on Wednesday.
Shareholders Association chairman John Hawkins said as the FMA's first chief executive Hughes had done an outstanding job building an organisation that was respected by investors and market participants alike.
"Equally, both he and the Financial Markets Authority are feared by those at the fringe who have in the past been able to manipulate commercial matters to their own advantage."
Hawkins said one reason for the broad support was Hughes' insistence that both he and the FMA be excellent communicators and attentive listeners when setting the regulatory scene or addressing the inevitable conflicts of interest that arose over particular issues.
