New appointments to HNZC Board

Housing Minister Phil Heatley has today (Friday 17 December) announced two new Housing New Zealand Corporation (HNZC) Board appointments.

 Dr Alan Jackson has been appointed Board Chair and will take over the role from Pat Snedden on 17 December 2010.

 Susan Paterson will fill a vacant seat. Both Alan and Susan have been appointed for a term of three years.

Existing board member Greg Hinton has been reappointed for one year and Lope Ginnen’s term has been extended until 31 March 2011. Other members of the eight-person Board are Deputy Chair Adrienne Young-Cooper, Amos Forrester, Colin Dale and Jeff Staniland.

Mr Heatley says the Corporation faces an exciting and challenging period of change.

"The Government wants to focus HNZC on the task of housing those most in need, while reconfiguring its portfolio to ensure its homes are the right size, in the right place and in the right condition. I am confident the new members will bring a renewed business focus to the Board, while ensuring efficient and effective delivery of social housing," says Mr Heatley.

Mr Heatley also recognised the outstanding contribution made by outgoing Chair Pat Snedden, who took up leadership of the Board in 2004.

"I have enjoyed an excellent working relationship with Pat. He has put his heart and soul into HNZC for nearly a decade. He has ably represented the Corporation’s interests to successive Governments and has played a key role in bringing the Corporation to the point where Government is now able to focus its efforts on its core market – those most in need of a home."

Background on  new board appointees:

Dr Alan Jackson is a former senior vice president in the Australasian Offices of The Boston Consulting Group, and has most recently acted as the Chair of the Housing Shareholders Advisory Group. Alan is a director of Fletcher Building and a trustee of the Icehouse Business Growth Centre in Auckland. He has significant experience in change management with expertise in resources, diversified industrials, building products and construction sectors as a well as considerable knowledge of social housing issues, including the provision of social housing delivery.

Ms Susan Paterson is a professional director with a broad range of skills and executive experience including 15 years board experience. Susan has experience with direct profit accountability and consultancy/restructuring roles in assisting organisations to reach their goals. Susan has been the Airways Corporation Deputy Chair since 2006, was a director of Transpower 1999 – 2008, was an Energy Efficiency and Conservation director (1996 – 2000) and as a director, chaired the Ports Auckland Audit and Finance Committee from 2004 – 2009.