Subscribe to RSSNew KiwiRail Chair Named
A Wellington company director, John Spencer, replaces Jim Bolger as head of KiwiRail.
State Owned Enterprises Minister Simon Power says MrSpencer has “a wealth of commercial governance experience, including successfully leading the merger of Asure and AgriQuality in 2007. He has also made a valuable contribution to the SOE portfolio as deputy chair of Solid Energy since May 2006.”
The appointment takes effect on July 1.
Mr Power said: “I’m confident Mr Spencer will guide KiwiRail successfully through the challenges ahead.”
Mr Spencer will retire from his present role at Solid Energy on April 30 to allow him to focus on KiwiRail.
“Mr Bolger has been a strong leader for KiwiRail since its inception in October 2008, and I thank him for his dedicated service over that time,” Mr Power said.
New way forward for KiwiRail
Recently in a TV interview, transport minister Steven Joyce admitted that the board was being “refreshed” but said it was up to Mr Power to make any announcements.
The government is expected to indicate w way forward for KiwiRail, including more funding, during the Budget.
EARLIER: John Key says KiwiRail not for sale yet
4 Comments
Coal-fuelled locomotives are the way of the future!
Sorry for being sarcastic, but I have no faith in any appointments by Key/Joyce/Hide or the whole bunch. They always seem to be from the same crowd.
But I guess I could wait. Maybe they will allow the new head to shine by giving him the ability to announce some much-needed investments.
Jon does this guy have a good corporate history of building assets rather than flogging them off..?
I’m not sure which way the government is going to go with Kiwirail, I’m quite hopeful they are going to invest in improving the track condition of the existing network in an effort to enhance the books rather than prepare the company for a sale but the proof will be in May’s budget…
Expect a lot of line closures though…
Solid Energy is one of KiwiRail’s biggest customers, if not the biggest. This’ll be interesting.
Fair enough comment, Andrew. So at least he MAY have some idea of what rail is about, and where its strengths and weaknesses are.