Patrick Wilson, promoted from his role as director of operations, is the first Kiwi in 21 years to be appointed managing director of McDonald’s New Zealand. Wilson brings with him 27 years’ of experience at McDonald’s, having started as crew person when he was 18. Outgoing managing director Mark Hawthorne has been appointed vice president, regional manager responsible for NZ, the Pacific Islands, South Africa and the Middle East.
New Zealand software firm Hindin Solutions has appointed Neil Fletcher as chief executive officer. He was most recently with smart energy metering firm Arc Innovations, as both chief technology officer and general manager of technology services and prior to Arc, spent many years working internationally in product development at Motorola, Lucent Technologies and Tait Electronics.
Andrew West, former chief executive of AgResearch and the Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences and current adjunct professor of AgriBusiness at the University of Waikato, has been appointed as the new vice-chancellor of New Zealand’s specialist land-based university, Lincoln University. Outoging vice-chancellor professor Roger Field has retired from the role with effect from April 2012.
IRL has appointed professor Juliet Gerrard, as its second industry and outreach fellow. The fellowships, initially for five-year term, have been established as part of IRL’s drive to strengthen links between research institutes and high-value manufacturing organisations. Professor Gerard, who runs the Biomolecular Interaction Centre at the University of Canterbury, has worked for Crop and Food Research and conducted research for Fonterra. She is principal investigator at the MacDiarmid Institute and Riddet Institute and has been on number of editorial boards for scientific journals.
IT business solutions provider Intergen has appointed Martin Gale to head up the company’s South Island team as southern regional manager. He replaces Tim Mole who has been appointed to lead Intergen’s business intelligence team. Gale has previously held positions with Fujitsu, SBS Bank in Invercargill and Meridian Energy.
Christchurch law firm manager Alan Pollard has been appointed to the position of CEO, Pipfruit New Zealand. Pollard has until recently been president of the Canterbury Employers Chamber of Commerce.
Process mapping software company Promapp Solutions has extended its business development team by appointing Lindsey Bradfield as business development manager – Australia. Bradfield has had various marketing roles including segment manager for the consumer channel at Southern Cross Health Society and marketing specialist at Lumley General Insurance.
Leading Heinz Wattie’s through the next phase of its growth is Michael Gibson, who has been appointed managing director. qualified chartered accountant, Gibson has been with the Wattie’s businesses for over 22 years, initially joining Wattie’s Frozen Foods. He was appointed chief operating officer in April 2010 from his position as finance director. Nigel Comer, regional CEO for HJ Heinz in Japan, Australia and New Zealand, has relinquished the role of MD Heinz Wattie’s
The latest in roll out of new strategic positions within EMC Australia and NZ is the appointment of Dan Kieran as national manager of mid-tier storage. 20-year veteran of the IT industry, Kieran joins EMC after 13 years at Sun/Oracle in Canada and more recently Australia where he was senior director of storage sales for ANZ.
