Mr Peat was appointed to the role in December, replacing interim manager Jon Mezger, and intended to work for the chamber alongside his role as group general manager for Taco Medic International.
Mr Peat and his wife Karen built a house in Wanaka in 2015, and became full-time Wanaka residents in 2018, after 20 years in China, India and Australia.
"I don’t really want to live anywhere else if I can help it," Mr Peat said.
His story was a familiar one — born in Christchurch, holidayed in Central Otago all his life, fell in love with the region and returned for good.
"In 2018, we came back to Wanaka from China for a holiday and the girls said, ‘Why do we have to keep leaving?’."
So the family checked out the schools and stayed.
Mr Peat has national and international experience leading premium hotel brands, including Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, Shangri-La and Hard Rock Hotels International.
He has launched new hospitality brands and developed business opportunities.
When he returned to New Zealand he became chief operating officer at Queenstown-based hospitality group, Go To Collection, before being appointed to his role with Taco Medic, a taco fast-food chain founded in Queenstown by Ant Wilkins and Robbie McGillivray in 2019.
Wanaka residents were waiting to learn if new hotel proposals in Ardmore St and at Three Parks would get resource consent but Mr Peat said he was too new in his Ignite Wanaka role to comment.
"I only just read about them in the Otago Daily Times.
"I think a lot of development in Wanaka is exciting but it is important to integrate it ...
"It has got to be in balance with what the local community needs as well as what the business community needs ...
"Wanaka has an awesome opportunity to do things the right way," he said.
Mr Peat said his first goals with Ignite were to engage with the local business community and build the 300-strong membership base.
He would listen, learn and advocate, he said.
"I think we are going to have an interesting couple of years.
"I think it is great the tourists are back.
"I don’t think there was any question Wanaka wouldn’t be busy again but the question is, for how long."
