Movers & shakers

Accounting, Audit and business advisory firm Staples Rodway is pleased to announce the appointment of David Searle as its new national chair. Mr Searle, who is Staples Rodway Auckland’s Managing Director, has worked in the firm’s Auckland office since 1992, joining the national board in 2014. Active in training and guiding members of the accounting profession, he has also served as New Zealand Divisional President of CPA Australia and Chair of the Australasian CA Training Group.

Darryn Melrose, former chief executive of Media Design School, is the new CEO of the country’s leading private art and design school, Whitecliffe College. The College, now owned by Asia Pacific Education Group (APEDU), is on an exciting growth trajectory, with NZ Fashion Tech and Computer Power Plus also now part of its portfolio. Melrose has extensive expertise in the art, design and technology sectors, and APEDU founder and CEO Feroz Ali says he is ideally placed to lead the group into 2019 and beyond.

Another expert has joined the K3 Legal team, taking the number of directors to eight. Jeff Walters isa specialist in property and construction law, with more than 19 years’ experience in the sector, including acting for some of New Zealand’s largest organisations. He started his career with Chapman Tripp in Auckland before a stint with Chapman Tripp in Wellington and then a return to Auckland and Bell Gully. In 2012, he joined Lowndes as a partner where he spent five years, followed by 18 months at Anderson Creagh Lai. Regarded as an industry leader, Jeff has presented seminars on topics such as residential development in Auckland, the Building Act 2004, the Property Law Act 2007, the NEC form of Construction Contract, and Limited Liability Partnerships and Property Development.

Wine Grenade, the wine maturation start-up, has appointed Sydney-based business-technology executive Phil Ridley as a non executive director.