Five new directors have been appointed to Invercargill City Holdings Limited Group.

Invercargill City Holdings Limited Group (ICHL) is a 100 per cent owned subsidiary of the Invercargill City Council, which ensures its trading companies, including Electricity Invercargill Limited and Invercargill Airport Limited, are operating efficiently to make sure that maximum returns are made as a dividend back to the ratepayers of Invercargill.

Former CEO of Orion NZ Limited and Chair of Connetics, Rob Jamieson, has been appointed as chair of Electricity Invercargill Limited.

ICHL chair Brian Wood said Mr Jamieson has an extensive background in the electricity industry and that the board considered Mr Jamieson well placed to guide Electricity Invercargill Limited as it continues to review the investments and strategy of the group.

“The board would like to recognise the stewardship and relationships that have been developed by Tom Campbell during his time as chair of Electricity Invercargill over the past 11 years.  This stewardship has placed Electricity Invercargill Limited in a strong position moving forward,” Mr Wood said.

Emma Ihaia and Simon Young have been appointed as directors of Electricity Invercargill Limited, Chris Boyle has been appointed as a director to PowerNet Limited and Prue Halstead has been appointed as a director of Invercargill Airport Limited.

Ms Ihaia and Mr Young bring a broad range of regulatory and electricity distribution experience that will result in a board qualified to ensure the future of this strategic asset for Invercargill City Council, Mr Wood said.

“Mr Boyle has broad strategic and management skills and will add to the breadth of the PowerNet Limited board capacity.  Ms Halstead will bring strategic and commercial experience to the Invercargill Limited Board,” he said.

Invercargill City Holdings Limited and Invercargill City Council have also agreed to implement an intern director programme across the Invercargill City Holdings Limited Group.

“These companies play a significant role in Invercargill and Southland and the Board considers it important that steps be taken to develop a local pool of directors to positively transform organisations and communities,” Mr Wood said.

The programme is will be modelled on the Institute of Directors and Dunedin City Holdings equivalent programmes.  It is planned to have the first intake for this programme in July 2022, he said.