Job for Hamilton council boss

Michael Redman. Photo / Greg Bowker

CEO will move cities to be head of Super City events and economic development

A Hamiltonian has been handed the reins to drive Auckland's economic development, tourism and events.

A former mayor and now Hamilton City Council's chief executive, Michael Redman is to take up his new role as the chief executive of Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (Teed) - one of four top Super City positions announced yesterday - on November 1.

One of the Super City's seven council-controlled organisations, Teed will support and develop Auckland's economic performance and international profile.

Mr Redman yesterday said he was delighted by the "unique and exciting" opportunity and to be part of a team charged with improving Auckland's economic outlook, but said it was too early to comment on what the biggest challenges in his new role would be.

"To be honest, I really just need to get my feet under the desk up there," he said. "There's obviously a lot of information to absorb. But my focus has to be on supporting the council here in Hamilton in my last three weeks in office."

After establishing one of the largest privately owned advertising and marketing agencies in New Zealand, Mr Redman became Mayor of Hamilton at a time when the council was repositioning the city as an events centre. Before the end of his three-year tenure in 2007, Hamilton had snared major international events including hosting rights for theNew Zealand leg of the World Rally Championship and the V8 Supercar series.

Asked how his contributions in Hamilton would be remembered, he said: "That's for other people todecide.

"But the last six years have certainly been productive from a council point of view."

In his new role Mr Redman will manage $2.6 million of non-property assets with an annual revenue that is forecast to be $43 million for 2010/11.

Among the other CCO appointments announced yesterday were John Dalzell as the chief executive of the Auckland Waterfront Development Agency, Gary Swift, heading Auckland Council Investments, and John Brockies, taking an interim position as chief executive of Regional Facilities Auckland.

Mr Dalzell is project director of Sea + City Projects - a wholly owned subsidiary of Auckland Regional Holdings. He said his challenge was to transform the Auckland waterfront into an internationally recognised urban waterfront environment.

Gary Swift, who is chief financial officer at Watercare Services, will head Auckland Council Investments. The CCO will manage investments of around $1.2 billion, including large equity holdings in Ports of Auckland and Auckland International Airport.

John Brockies, who has been chief executive of the North Shore City Council for seven years, will fill the role of interim chief executive of Regional Facilities Auckland for six months.

RFA chairman Sir Don McKinnon said Mr Brockies had experience in building and developing major public institutions, ranging from the arts and culture to performance and sporting facilities.