Hunt continues for Rotorua Chamber of Commerce chief

Rotorua Chamber of Commerce interim chief executive Allison Lawton. Photo/File

The search continues for a new leader for Rotorua's Chamber of Commerce more than five months after its chief executive resigned.

In November last year, Darrin Walsh resigned to take up a role with Credit Union Central.

Since then an interim chief executive, Rotorua businesswoman Allison Lawton, has been covering the role.

Chamber chairman John McRae said they were in no hurry to fill the role as Ms Lawton was "doing a great job as interim and we want to make sure we find the right person to take on the role permanently".

"We went to market and got a really good range of applicants, but we have been taking our time to make sure we get the right person for the job," he said.

"This person not only has to be the right person for the chamber, but also for the city.

"We have been looking in a new direction, not just connecting up business, but on top of that we are looking at taking the commercial sector's resources and co-ordinating in terms of economic growth for the city as we want to lead economic growth in the district and help stimulate growth.

"For that we need someone to work collaboratively to drive economic growth.

"Even though we did have a good number of applicants apply, we have not found the right person yet and will go back to the market again in a couple of months' time."