Fergus Power (61), who has been chief executive of the Wairoa District Council since 2014, described himself as a widely experienced senior manager with a commercial law background, when contacted by the Otago Daily Times this week.
In his three years at Wairoa ‘‘one of the highlights’’ was the aerospace company Rocket Lab’s establishment of a private launch complex at Mahia, which then saw the council trademark a series of names for the area to capitalise on potential tourism, including ‘‘Space Coast New Zealand’’.
Attracting the business to the area, Mr Power said, was ‘‘indicative of the success of a very laser-focused customer-centric approach’’.
‘‘I’ve instilled in the team here a very strong ethic of assisting people as much as possible when they are establishing or growing businesses that can bring about employment and increase profitability for the entire region.’’
He said he saw ‘‘multiple multi-layered opportunities of all descriptions’’ in the Waitaki
district.
‘‘It’s just a sparkling diamond of a district,’’ Mr Power said. ‘‘I’m just delighted that councillors have placed confidence in me and have given me the privilege to lead a strong organisation into perhaps some new adventures and some new ways of thinking and doing things as well — building on the strength that is already there.’’
Mr Power began his career as a marine biologist and moved into oil spill management and national disaster management before becoming involved in commercial law.
He has held roles at the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Kapiti Coast District Council.
After working at an Auckland-based commercial law firm, he moved to Cairns in 2012 where he was the principal solicitor for the Environmental Defenders Office of Northern Queensland, before moving to Wairoa.
‘‘I’m a great believer in life-long learning and collecting knowledge,’’ Mr Power said. ‘‘I’ve just got a curious mind, I suppose is the way you’d put it.’’
In a statement after the Waitaki District Council confirmed its decision in a public-excluded meeting on June 21, Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher praised Mr Power’s ‘‘across-the-board strength and experience’’ and said councillors had unanimously endorsed Mr Power’s appointment.
‘‘Getting Rocket Lab to locate to the area was an absolute gold medal achievement, given the concerted efforts of so many other districts and cities to win the company over. And his international intern programme has paid big dividends, with up to 15 European university interns working in Wairoa at any one time, with their expenses paid for by their home country governments,’’ Mr Kircher said.
‘‘These are the type of things that we want to see for Waitaki as we grow and become an even better place to live.’’
Mr Power will take up the role on September 18 and is moving to the district with his partner, Tri. He replaces outgoing Waitaki District Council chief executive Michael Ross, who is due to retire at the end of this month.
Council assets group manager Neil Jorgensen was named acting chief executive for the interim period earlier this month.
