Executive Appointments

Jonathan Freeman has been elected chairman of PwC New Zealand by the firm’s partnership team. He succeeds John Shewan. Mr Freeman joined PwC in 2007 as a senior assurance partner specialising in working with businesses in New Zealand and Australia across sectors such as energy, retail and healthcare, and has led the firm’s people and culture team for the past two years.

Therese Walsh has been appointed to the board of Television NZ. Ms Walsh was the chief operating officer for Rugby New Zealand 2011.

NBR motoring editor David Linklater has been re-elected president of the New Zealand Motoring Writers Guild. The guild is a professional association of more than 30 motoring journalists.

Natural Products New Zealand has appointed two new board members. Leigh Kite is general manager personal care at Comvita. Previously she worked with Health-eries and API, the New Zealand distributor for Blackmores. She has also held sales and marketing management roles with major multinational brands.  Dr Wendy Maddocks-Jennings is owner and managing director of MJ Health, a natural skin care and aromatic products. Dr Maddocks-Jennings has over 25 years’ experience in nursing, health education, research and complementary health and has a research doctorate exploring the use of specific complementary therapies in health care in a clinical setting. 

Healthvision (New Zealand) has appointed Sean Conroy chief executive. Mr Conroy has been national operations manager with Healthvision for the past three and a half years and has previously held senior positions with Summerset Group, ING New Zealand and Healthcare NZ. Catherine Robertsonhas been promoted from marketing manager to general manager operations. Previously, Ms Robertson was primary health manager with Smith & Nephew and also held senior positions with ASB Bank and Geneva Health.

Law firm Buddle Findlay has appointed Simon Jensen as a partner in its Wellington office. Mr Jensen is a member of the banking and finance team. He specialises in payments, prudential regulation, treasury funding, financial markets and clearing and settlement systems.

SenateSHJ has appointed Kimberley Pickworth and Emma Field as consultants in its Auckland office. Ms Pickworth has recently returned to New Zealand after four years in London working in healthcare and pharmaceutical communications. Ms Field has had a career in journalism, working in print, television and most recently for Mediaworks Radio. 

Accounting services provider WHK Auckland has appointed Greg James as a principal. An expatriate, Mr James has spent five years in tax roles in China/Hong Kong.

Louisa Wood has been appointed research director at market research company Ipsos. Ms Wood has had 15 years’ experience as a qualitative researcher in New Zealand and overseas. Tony Patrickhas also been appointed as a research director. Mr Patrick has had a long career in market research covering multiple categories and countries.

Mike Simm has been appointed chairman of Competenz, the industry training organisation for the engineering, manufacturing, baking and food and beverage manufacturing industries. Mr Simm is chairman of Brightwater Group, a Nelson-based engineering contracting company, and deputy chairman of Far North electricity company Top Energy. An accountant, he worked at Rheem in New Zealand and Australia and at McConnell Group before becoming executive director of Fullers Bay of Islands. Mr Simm is joined by two new directors, Kelly Smith and Tom Barratt. Ms Smith has 20 years’ experience in the fast moving consumer goods. She is the founder and managing director of Biz Advisor, a consultancy firm for small to large FMCG companies specialising in sales and business optimisation and has a background in sales. Mr Barratt worked as a mechanical engineer and regional engineer for Coal Corporation of New Zealand before moving to Du Pont and his current position as the managing director of Degussa Peroxide.

Insurance broking and financial adviser group Plus4 Insurance Solutions has appointed financial adviser Rod Mudgway to expand its presence in Auckland. Mr Mudgway is the principal of Brackenridge Financial Solutions.

Kate Ashcroft has joined Buddle Findlay’s Auckland office as a senior associate in the litigation team. Ms Ashcroft  specialises in employment law and her background includes experience in corporate human resources in Australia.