Who got that job?

Blake Swift

* General Manager Southern Area, NZ Signature Security Group (SSG)


Pocket CV

Name: Blake Swift

Delivery Manager, Major Growth Projects, Sept 2003-Aug 2004, Meridian Energy, Christchurch

Account Manager, March 2000-August 2003

EDS, Wellington, New Zealand

Account Manager, Sept 1998-Feb 2000

MCI Systemhouse, Ottawa, Canada

Business Development Executive, Aug 1994-Aug 1998, Systemhouse, Canada, United States and Britain

Q: What were you doing before accepting your new position?

A: My partner is from the South Island and we recently moved from Wellington to Christchurch to be closer to her immediate family.

Q: Why did you apply for this job?

A: I was looking for a leadership role in a small-to-medium-sized business that has considerable potential for growth. In addition, I believe there are numerous similarities between the IT services business and the electronic security services business and I saw this as a good fit for my experience.

Q: What are the major challenges ahead of you?

A: The challenge will be to continuously build and enhance a common customer service culture across each region while sustaining a high level of profitable sales growth.

Q: What qualities do you bring to the job?

A: I have held executive level positions in finance, business development, customer service and operations in the IT services business. I am delighted that the SSG general manager role will provide me with an opportunity to leverage this broad-based experience.

Q: What does being a Signature Security Group general manager mean to you?

A: I am personally inspired by the responsibility to provide strong leadership to our team. It is more enjoyable to work for a successful business and I feel a personal obligation to ensure that our team has the essential ingredients to realise our potential.

Q: What are your hobbies?

A: Playing ice-hockey, travel and spending time doing activities with my family.