With a whistle-stop tour of the 650km-long region already under his belt, the trained hydrologist is clear about business as usual, while also having to manage some big flood infrastructure projects in the next few years.
Mr Lew — the regional council’s fourth chief executive in three years — said the flood resilience funding for the likes of Westport, Hokitika and Franz Josef was an immediate focus and the council would need to reinstate its engineering staff’s capability to cope.
Until recently he was the Department of Conservation director of operations planning, a role he held for six years, and that gave him the opportunity to work on some of Doc’s key West Coast projects.
He began his career in local government 30 years ago as a hydrologist for the Wairarapa Catchment Board.
"I’ve probably spent well in excess of 15 years on regional councils in a second-tier role, always had the aspiration to be a chief executive of a regional council, which gives me the opportunity to use my 30-years’ experience in the functions of a regional council."
With four councils on the West Coast serving a population of just 32,000, Mr Lew is careful about the predicted unitary council question.
"That’s understandably up to the community and leadership on the West Coast. Regardless ... I do believe in a high degree of collaboration and co-operation across the councils on the Coast. I will be looking to do that."
Mr Lew said he had three key priorities in sight: flood resilience, completing the Te Tai o Poutini Plan to dovetail into other regional planning documents, and thirdly, "the efficient and effective business of council."
"I’m here to create a great culture with the staff and build what is already a good organisation."
He said the vital working relationship with council chairman Peter Haddock had already begun to gel, and building on the longstanding and close working relationship with Poutini Ngai Tahu was another priority.
In his former role, he was responsible for Doc’s national asset spending on the Hokitika Gorge extension, Dolomite Point and Ōpārara developments, the Pike Memorial Track and the post-2019 future planning for Franz Josef and Fox Glacier.
Mr Lew will be living on the West Coast and his partner will continue their Wellington-based job, working remotely from the Coast.
"I think it’s really important to be the CEO in regions like the West Coast to be part of the community, and to be present here," Mr Lew said.
Like many West Coasters, he can trace his New Zealand roots back to gold rush days — in his case the arrival of his grandfather during the "second wave" of migration from China in the late 19th century to the Otago goldfields.
By Brendon McMahon
