Former Air New Zealand manager adds to mix of new development board

The chairman of the newly appointed Southland Regional Development Agency Board is excited the agency is now in a position to move forward.

It was announced yesterday that a former senior manager of Air New Zealand, Ian Collier, had been appointed as chairman of the agency set to incorporate Venture Southland.

The new board includes Dean Addie (Southland), Sarah Brown (Southland), Lucy Griffiths (Wairarapa), Maria Pera (Southland) and Joc O’Donnell (Southland). The agency was proposed in July 2017, and the transition from Venture Southland into the agency is expected to be completed by July 1.

However, the board was originally set to be appointed in November, and the transition was to be completed in January. Collier said that new regional development agencies take time to set up.

He was really excited for the board to be in a position to move forward.

The new direction of the agency, however, was still vague.

Collier said the next step forward would be meeting with the shareholders, being presented a letter of expectations for the board to review and appointing a new chief executive of Venture Southland, to replace exiting chief Paul Casson.

It was important to move through the transition with Venture Southland staff properly and doing so was one of Collier’s priorities.

He was happy that the shareholders selected himself and Lucy Griffiths, who live outside of Southland.

‘‘I think we bring different perspectives, different experiences and a different lens. So I think it’s a good mix on the board.’’

Collier said he had a good relationship with Southland through his previous role as regional affairs manager at Air New Zealand, in which he helped establish direct flights from Invercargill to Auckland.

He said working with Venture Southland had been a positive experience in the past but it was important to review its progress.

‘‘I think we bring different perspectives.’’ Ian Collier