Auckland Council chief executive Jim Stabback considering quitting earlier than planned - here’s who may replace him

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown, left, and chief executive Jim Stabback. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Auckland Council chief executive Jim Stabback is considering leaving the role earlier than planned, say council sources.

Stabback dropped a bombshell in February, announcing he would be stepping down halfway through a five-year contract. He gave six months’ notice to push on with key issues, including the response to the devastating summer floods.

That would have seen him stay on at one of the country’s biggest and most complex public sector roles, which pays $630,000 per year, until August.

In a statement, the council said Stabback is starting to consider transition arrangements and the most appropriate time of those arrangements, but no formal decisions have yet been made.

The next step will be to work with the mayor’s office and formally notify the governing body, but no dates have been set for this, the statement said.

Stabback took the reins of the Super City in September 2020 under former Mayor Phil Goff, delivering key programmes and initiatives through the global pandemic, addressing staff wellbeing and safety, and dealing with the aftermath of the storms.

Stabback came from a private sector background and the Australian-born businessman was the former deputy chief executive of ACC.

It is understood the decision to stand down was not a direct result of his relationship with Mayor Wayne Brown, although there have been tensions between the pair, who are poles apart in style.

Phil Wilson, right, could step into Jim Stabback's shoes when the chief executive leaves the top job. Photo / Jason Oxenham

With the process of appointing a new chief executive still months away, it is understood that governance director Phil Wilson is the frontrunner to become acting chief executive when Stabback departs.

Wilson has held a number of senior management roles at Auckland Council since it was formed in 2010, and before that was the chief adviser to the mayor and chief executive at Manukau City Council.

He’s seen as a safe pair of hands, is popular with councillors and impressed Brown as the acting recovery manager following the storms.

The process of appointing a new chief executive will involve a recruitment agency seeking applicants. A selection panel, probably chaired by Brown, will then make a recommendation to the government body comprising all 20 councillors who are likely to conduct final interviews before deciding who gets the job.

Bernard Orsman is an Auckland-based reporter who has been covering local government and transport since 1998. He joined the Herald in 1990 and worked in the parliamentary press gallery for six years.