Exporters’ champ moves on
New Zealand Manufacturers and Exporters Association boss John Walley is hanging up his boots after 16 years in the job.
He has sometimes been seen as a lone voice for manufacturers and exporters battling a high dollar.
Walley said he was stepping down as chief executive because of ‘‘other matters that need attention and require me to step down from management responsibilities’’.
The move would give him more time for his Christchurch family life, other governance roles and business projects.
Leaving early in the general election cycle meant his successor would have time to make the role their own before the policy debate heated up again.
He took over as chief executive at the Canterbury Manufacturers Association from Mike Hannah, who now has a communications role with the Reserve Bank. Later the CMA morphed into the countrywide NZMEA.
Prior to Hannah, Ian Howell (also a city councillor) was in the CMA role for 23 years.
Lengthy stays could create issues, Walley said.
‘‘When you end up in a role like this and you’ve done it for a while, it’s very difficult to separate the organisation and the person, but that separation has to happen because you can’t build organisations around individuals.’’
Walley admits his outspoken style has not always endeared him to some in the business world.
He was made an honorary life member of NZMEA at a leaving function in the city on Monday
Christchurch mayor Lianne Dalziel said Walley had been a ‘‘fearless and incisive’’ commentator and advocate.
‘‘It was fortunate that you came to New Zealand for that working holiday all those years ago and never quite made it home,’’ she said. ‘‘Thank you for staying and striving to make a difference.’’
The association advocates and lobbies on behalf of manufacturers and exporters.
One of Walley’s main issues has been trying to battle the impact of a high kiwi dollar on manufacturing exporters.
He worries about the Reserve Bank raising interest rates to counter inflation and is in favour of policy settings by the bank that will tighten up on investment in the housing market.
‘‘We have to get the productive economy at the centre of policy rather than an afterthought.’’
At age 63 the exit will reduce some of Walley’s early morning rises and late finishes when he travels to Auckland for a day’s work on behalf of the association.
But he won’t be stepping down from all of his workload.
Before the NZMEA job Walley was an electrical engineer with an interest in helping out technology businesses seeking growth. He has remained interested in the tech sector since.
He has long been a director of PowerHouse, a group that takes technology often sourced from universities to help commercialise the products. Other companies he has part ownership in, include software developer ProWorkflow.com, Irmada and Nexus6, a medical devices and smart inhaler company.
‘‘Fearless, incisive’’: