Bob Harvey back in business in West Auckland
Former Waitakere City mayor Bob Harvey to chair the BNZ Partners Centre in Henderson.
Former Waitakere City mayor Bob Harvey to chair the BNZ Partners Centre in Henderson.
If you wondered what former Waitakere City mayor Bob Harvey was doing in the supercity – you may not have looked in a bank.
Mr Harvey has a new role with the BNZ as chairman of the BNZ Partners Centre in Henderson.
The role means he will oversee relationships of “BNZ partners” clients at the Koru Club-style centre where partners can meet and use facilities and technology such as boardrooms, conferencing and presentation equipment they could perhaps not justify the outlay to own.
Mr Harvey is the latest chairman appointment of 22 BNZ Partners Centres across the country.
Former Fisher & Paykel chief executive John Bongard was the first chairman named when the Highbrook, Manukau centre opened almost a year ago.
BNZ plans to open 31 centres, at a $2 million investment for each, as the bank moves to extend beyond traditional banking and lending to more active business facilitation.
BNZ Partners director Anthony Healy said in appointing chairmen and women for the business centres, the bank was looking for people who would test the bank’s thinking and play the role of client advocate.
“They’ll need to have an international perspective as well as connections to their local region and won’t be shy to push us into what the client wants,” said Mr Healy.
Mr Harvey, who was mayor of Waitakere for almost 20 years, said he was looking forward to renewing friendships with companies and businesses in the area.
BNZ Partners managing partner for Auckland West, Morris Anderson, said Mr Harvey would bring a different lens to the business, with a wide range of business and political connections.
Mr Harvey founded advertising agency MacHarman Ayer in 1962, overseeing its growth to one of New Zealand’s most successful advertising companies.