Executive appointments

Naomi Ferguson has been appointed chief executive and commissioner of Inland Revenue, to replace Bob Russell. Ms Ferguson is director, business customer and strategy at Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in the UK. Before this, she led the compliance division of HMRC and was responsible for 18,000 staff. From 2003 to 2006 Ms Ferguson was the deputy commissioner, service delivery at Inland Revenue in New Zealand. Before that, she was regional director, Inland Revenue, Northern Ireland. Ms Ferguson has an MA in English literature and sociology from Glasgow University. She also has a tax inspector qualification.

PricewaterhouseCoopers has appointed Wayne Munna corporate finance partner in the firm’s Christchurch practice. Mr Munn first joined PwC in 2006 as a director in the corporate finance team, before leaving to become chief investment officer of Ngai Tahu Holdings in 2010. He has over 15 years of commercial experience.

Rob Morrison has been elected chairman of Morrison & Co. Mr Morrison returned to New Zealand in 2009, having spent seven years as head of CLSA, an investment bank and private equity firm. His latest role will also see him managing his brother Lloyd’s stake in Morrison & Co. Lloyd Morrison, who died last month three years after being diagnosed with a rare form of leukaemia, founded Morrison & Co in 1988.

University of Auckland graduate Maya Mander yhas returned from five years’ study and teaching in Germany to take up a lectureship at the Auckland Law School. On graduating LLB (Hons) in 2006 and being awarded a senior prize in law, Ms Mandery received a German Academic Exchange scholarship to pursue an LLM in German law at the University of Würzburg. She taught common law courses at Würzburg and later at the University of Cologne where she embarked on a PhD, which has now been submitted.

The Bankers’ Association has appointed Kirk Hopechief executive, to take over from acting chief executive Martin Philipsen. A Wellington-based banking professional with over a decade of experience in the New Zealand financial services sector, Kirk Hope is a Victoria University Law School alumni and former head of regulatory affairs and government relations at Westpac. He was executive director of the Financial Services Federation.

Simpson Grierson has made eight staff promotions to senior associate in its Auckland office. Amy Johns joined Simpson Grierson’s commercial property group in 2010. Previously she worked in London and also has several years’ specialist property experience in New Zealand. Corina Faesenkloet advises local authorities, as well as the private sector, on resource management, environmental law, and local government issues. Kelly Williams joined Simpson Grierson’s transactional banking and finance group in 2005 after working for another Auckland law firm and overseas. Marie Harrison specialises in dispute resolution with a particular focus on construction and competition litigation. Matt Smith joined Simpson Grierson’s commercial group in 2007 and spent part of 2010/2011 on secondment at a London law firm. Nick Wilson joined the law firm in 2010 after returning from London where he worked at a large international firm. Philip Shackleton is a specialist litigator in the banking and finance department. Tim Fischer joined the firm in 2007 and has been practising resource management and local government law since 2003.

Christchurch International Airport has appointed Tim Maychief financial officer. Mr May has been acting head of finance since last November. Mr May began his career with Ernst & Young in London. He also worked within the Treasury Finance department of a UK bank before emigrating to New Zealand in 1995 and has worked with Ernst & Young since then. Mr May takes over the chief financial officer role from Neil Cochrane, who has been appointed general manager business services.

Minter Ellison Rudd Watts promoted two staff members to special counsel and eight to senior associates. Special counsel Vivian Cheng specialises in taxation and insurance. Special counsel Catherine Ross
is a corporate and commercial lawyer. She has worked in the electricity sector for more than 10 years. The new senior associates are: Oliver Skilton, Brendan Kevany, Elizabeth Rowe, Andrew Comer, Jennifer Campbell, Amanda Spratt, Kathy Wilsonand Christie Hall. Mr Skilton is a general commercial litigator. Mr Kevany is a corporate and commercial lawyer. Ms Rowe is a senior lawyer in the corporate team. Mr Comer is a corporate and commercial lawyer. In 2010 he was seconded to Goldman Sachs & Partners New Zealand, as assistant in-house counsel. Ms Campbell is a real estate lawyer. Ms Spratt advises on property matters. Ms Wilson has expertise in resource management, environmental, energy and infrastructure. She also practiced in the UK where she was an adviser in the Treasury Solicitor’s Department. Ms Hall is an employment law specialist with over 10 year’s experience. She returned to the firm from London, where she spent six years in the employment team at a City firm.

Rainbow Print has appointed Bernie Riley as its Wellington sales manager.  Mr Riley has over 20 years’ experience in the industry, most recently with Flagmakers as national sales manager.  Mr Riley will lead Rainbow’s move into the sign and screen printing markets.

Bayleys Valuations has appointed Bill Watkins as a senior commercial valuer. Mr Watkins was previously with Darroch in a similar role.