New In The Job

…in foreign trade.

What’s the appointment? Graham Kearns is the New Zealand China Trade Association’s new executive director.

Who is Mr Kearns replacing? David Catty, who has directed the Association over the last four years, is retiring. The executive directorship has just become a full-time role.

Why now? It all comes down to success – and a strategic plan. Association chairman Stuart Ferguson said its four-year strategic plan concentrated on membership, activity and profile growth. “We always had an objective to justify the executive director being a full time role. Our success has seen this happen a little sooner than expected.”

What’s he done previously? Quite a variety of things! His career has ranged across a variety of general and international management roles, including corporate experience within the AHI, Fletcher and Brierly groups, and setting up and advisig companies in a consultative capacity.

Phew. That’s not all! Mr Kearns also has extensive experience when it comes to business association governance.

Which associations are those? Well, he has been Barbados Chamber of Commerce vice president and an ASEAN NZ Combined Business Council councillor. He is currently chairman of the Auckland branch of Export New Zealand, as well as being on the EMA Policy and Manufacturers’ Forums.

So why this role? Mr Kearns said he wanted to be part of the excitement of the growth of imports and exports between China and New Zealand. He also has experience in China - his involvement with joint venture manufacturing operations in Jiangmen, Guangdong and Hunan, for example. He said he wanted to give something back into New Zealand import and export operations.

Where did he start out?He studied at three different universities: Canterbury, Otago and Auckland. While he was very close to achieving his Bachelor of Commerce, he didn’t complete it because it began to conflict with his rapidly developing business career outside university. He later completed several management courses at providers such as AUT and the Manukau Institute of Technology.

And what about his first job? Tax. Or more specifically, a tax assessor for the Inland Revenue Department – before he was “poached out of there” to join Fletcher Construction.

What’s the association’s role? Mr Kearns described it as an “avenue of contact” between its New Zealand members (approximately two-thirds) and its Asia-based members. “It’s becoming a conduit for discussions between China traders – both in New Zealand and China – plus New Zealand businesses.” That in turn helps trade.