Rowing NZ announced yesterday that Meates will start the temporary role from January 1 while they continue to find a permanent replacement.
Meates has previously competed in the sport, and is “really looking forward” to the new role, where he will be based between Christchurch, and Lake Karapiro near Cambridge.
He said he is expecting to be in the role for about five months.
Exiting chief executive Geoff Barry recently resigned from the role after 18 months and will finish in late December.
For 12 years, Meates was chief executive of the Canterbury District Health Board, leading the health system’s response to some of the country’s worst disasters, including earthquakes, fires, Covid-19, the 2019 mosque terror attacks and Whakaari/White Island eruption.
Meates was also the independent chair of the Southern regional performance centre for rowing, but has not been in this role since Rowing NZ’s decision to remove all of the RPCs last year.
Said Rowing NZ board chairperson Jane Davel: “The board is confident David will provide stability and leadership, while we undertake a comprehensive search, and conduct a robust recruitment process, for a permanent CEO.”
Meates is no stranger to professional sport, he is the son and nephew of All Black brothers Bill and Kevin Meates.
The Rowing NZ role will be his first time leading a sporting organisation after managing several different health boards around the country.
Earlier this year, Meates ran for mayor, coming second to Phil Mauger with 51,298 votes, just over 2200 votes short of Mauger’s total.
-By Jaime Cunningham
