Chief Executive appointment

Hastings District Council today announced the appointment of Ross McLeod to the role of Chief Executive. Ross McLeod joins Council from his current position as Director of Corporate and Civic Services at Waitakere City Council, a position he has held for seven years.

Lawrence Yule, Hastings District Mayor, said the appointment was a positive one for Hastings.

"Ross has a strong background in managing major projects and ensuring the successful delivery of core Council services with a particular focus on sustainability. I am very much looking forward to working closely with Ross to ensure a positive and dynamic future for our district," said Mr Yule.

Ross McLeod will relocate from Auckland early in the new year and begin work on 11 February 2008.

Ross McLeod:

Ross joins Hastings District Council from Waitakere City Council where he has worked since 1992, the last seven years in the role of Director of Corporate and Civic Services. In this role he has had responsibility for 250 staff primarily in the areas of strategic development, legal services, information management, democracy and support services, Maori relationships, human resources, library services and emergency management.

Ross has amassed significant experience in the delivery of major projects, having been project sponsor for the groundbreaking Unitec Campus/Waitakere Central Library project, two other major libraries and the Waitakere Civil Defence Emergency Operations Centre. He has had a great deal of experience in devising and implementing urban development and town centre projects aimed at growing local employment and high amenity town centres. He has also had a large involvement in leading change and organisational development, leading information system implementation projects, programmes to make Council more responsive to business investment and the delivery of Council services through Libraries.

Ross has made a significant contribution to Waitakere's sustainability agenda, incorporating green building principles into a number of projects, leading corporate sustainability initiatives such as energy use and waste reduction, and sponsoring projects leading to a more sustainable urban form

In addition, Ross is the Local Controller of Civil Defence for Waitakere, and has chaired the Coordinating Executive Group of the Auckland Civil Defence Emergency Management Group since 2004, leading the New Zealand first Capability and Capacity Assessment of Auckland's ability to respond to a major emergency.

Ross has a Bachelor of Arts majoring in political studies, a Diploma in Local Government and Administration and a Masters of Public Management with Merit. In 2004, Ross was awarded the Prime Minister's prize for Public Management which is awarded to the top graduate in each year and the Holmes Prize in Public Policy, both awarded by Victoria University's School of Government.

Ross is a Vice President of SOLGM, and a Board Member of the Local Government Industry Training Organisation. In his late 30s, Ross is married with two children.

ENDS

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