Timberlands boss to move to Microsoft

Timberlands West Coast's chief executive Nigel O'Rorke is to vacate the post in early March 2006 to become director of business planning and operations with Microsoft Australia.

Mr O'Rorke was appointed to replace David Hilliard when Timberlands restructured almost three years ago.

Announcing the move yesterday, Timberlands chairman Ross Black said Mr O'Rorke had piloted the company through a remarkable transition.

Timberlands had changed to a much smaller and more humble operation, Mr Black said.

Total operating costs had been reduced by 34 per cent and the company had relocated to smaller, more appropriate premises. Most valuably, a new culture of collaboration and respect for all has been firmly established under Mr O'Rorke's guidance, Mr Black said.

"The current malaise in the New Zealand forestry business prevents the company's impressive gains from fully showing through in the financial results, but it is most certainly in much better shape to cope with a testing market," Mr Black said.

Mr O'Rorke will continue to lead the company until his departure, but a recruitment process for a new CEO will begin immediately.

- NZPA