Linda Robertson, of Queenstown, and Michael Sidey, of Wanaka, were announced yesterday as the new CLT trustees, having started their roles on December 1.
They were appointed from 20 applicants for the two positions and would bring extensive experience to the trust, CLT chairman Tony Hill said.
The appointments come as part of a new governance structure voted upon last November in a referendum of Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes district residents. Previously, the trust had six trustees, who were all publicly elected.
The new structure will eventually have five elected trustees, and three appointed trustees; the appointed trustees' terms will be staggered.
The new structure was controversial when it was suggested last year, when former CLT chairman Peter Mead called the changes "an attack on democracy'' that would lead the CLT down too much of a corporate path.
In the referendum, almost 69% of votes were in favour of the new structure, which then CLT chairman Dr Malcolm Macpherson said would bring "the best of both worlds'' - community representation, plus the ability to recruit for the specialist skills and knowledge the trust needed as it moved forward.
Mr Hill echoed those comments yesterday, saying
over time the diversification, scale and complexity of the CLT's investment portfolio had intensified, and Ms Robertson and Mr Sidey would bring valuable expertise.
Ms Robertson brought extensive experience in the energy sector, and an ``impressive audit and risk background''. She has worked in local government and the corporate sector, worked within many energy organisations, and is a Chartered Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Directors.
Mr Sidey is deputy chairman of Forsyth Barr, and brought a strong investment background. He has worked as a chartered accountant in New Zealand and England, and is the chairman of the Halberg Endowment Fund and Wanaka Watersports Facility Charitable Trust, and a Halberg Disability Sports Foundation trustee.
