Who got that job?

* CEO, Muscular Dystrophy Association

Pocket CV

Name: Chris Smith

2001 - 2004, CEO West Auckland Hospice

1996 - 2001, Commercial and operations manager, NZ National Maritime Museum

1994 - 1996, General manager, AIMECS


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

A: I was chief executive at West Auckland Hospice.

Q: Why did you apply for this job?

A: My achievements at the hospice included profile-raising, consolidating the financial structure and generating the funds to build a new hospice house.

This was a terrific challenge with a fine reputation and mission, plus I felt I wanted to work for a New Zealand-wide not-for-profit next.

Q: What are your major challenges?

A: Putting in place sustainable funding streams, expanding the association's services to its members and building our national profile.

Q: What do you bring to the job?

A: Sense of humour and a strong accounting and management background.

Q: What do you enjoy about working in not-for-profit?

A: It provides me with a huge sense of intrinsic satisfaction.

The results that my team achieve through their work are the actual improvements in the quality of life for our members.

Q: What does being chief executive mean to you?

A: Empowering, mentoring and encouraging my team to reach goals they thought impossible.

The true strength of a not-for-profit organisation lies in its staff and volunteers. The trick is to harness these strengths and passions, focus on a joint vision, and create a nurturing work environment.

Q: What else might you have done? I am really happy with the direction that I have chosen.

A: In a previous life, up till 1996, I achieved a considerable career in Marine Engineering.

Not-for-profit is a fulfilling environment to be involved with.

Q: What do you do in your spare time?

A: I am an active member of West Auckland Rotary, but in the time left over I enjoy the challenges that Southern Hemisphere gardening presents my wife and me with.