New Wellington Regional Stadium Trust joint board appointments

Greater Wellington Regional Council and Wellington City Council, the two partners in the Wellington Regional Stadium Trust, this week announced two new joint appointees to the Stadium Trust board.

Rachel Taulelei, who has Ngati Raukawa / Ngati Rarua affiliations, will join the board from 1 July. Rachel has significant business experience, particularly in the food and beverage sector. She is the founder and managing director of Yellow Brick Road, a seafood company that bases its business on sustainability and that was the 2010 Emerging Gold winner. She is a director of Grow Wellington, chairs the Wellington Culinary Events Trust, and was named as a Sir Peter Blake Leader in 2012.

Therese Walsh has also been appointed to the Stadium Trust board. She is currently the New Zealand head of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 and, because of her commitments in this role, she will join the board in April 2015. Therese has extensive business, governance and event management experience at a senior level and is a member of the Government's Major Events Investment Panel. Previously, she was the Chief Operating Officer for Rugby New Zealand 2011 Limited, the company established to deliver the Rugby World Cup Tournament in 2011. Therese has recently been named as a Sir Peter Blake Leader for 2014.

Regional Council Chair Fran Wilde says she is delighted that the two new appointees have agreed to offer their services to the regional community.

“These two women are amongst the most talented and focussed of a new generation of leaders in Wellington and their presence on the stadium governance group at a time when the organisation is engaged in a new fundraising round will be enormously helpful.”

“The stadium has to constantly refresh the patron experience and Rachel and Therese will each bring experience and a new perspective”.

Wellington's Acting Mayor, Justin Lester, says both new appointees will bring highly valuable event management, governance and hospitality skills and experience to the board table.

"Both Rachel and Therese have the skill mix needed to contribute to the successful governance of the stadium. The facility is in very good hands."

The councils also reappointed Mark McGuinness and Sue Elliott as trustees.

Both councils expressed their appreciation of the work of the retiring trustees. Sir John Anderson retires from the Trust after having served on it for eight years. Liz Dawson will retire at the end of March 2015, after what will be more than nine years of service.

ENDS

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