18 May 2008 Media Statement

Commerce Commission reappointments

Commerce Minister Lianne Dalziel has reappointed Anita Mazzoleni and Gowan Pickering as Associate Members of the Commerce Commission for four-year terms.

"Both Anita Mazzoleni and Gowan Pickering have made significant contributions to the Commission’s telecommunications and merger review work programmes. Their combined experience and expertise is very valuable," Lianne Dalziel said.

Anita Mazzoleni is a chartered accountant, solicitor and independent corporate finance adviser. She has held senior management positions in Deloitte, Citibank and Contact Energy. She is a member of the Commission’s Audit, Risk and Finance Committee and primarily works on telecommunications determinations.

Gowan Pickering is a business advisor and mentor, and past Chief Executive of IBM New Zealand, and the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology. He has been involved in a range of determinations for the Commission, covering telecommunications service obligations, mergers and acquisitions.

Background on the Commerce Commission

The Commerce Commission is an independent Crown entity responsible for promoting and protecting competition and consumers, and regulating specified markets in which competition does not exist, or is very limited. It aims to foster and develop healthy competition amongst businesses, informed choice by consumers, and sound economic regulation through its enforcement, quasi-judicial and regulatory responsibilities under the Commerce Act 1986, Fair Trading Act 1986, Electricity Industry Reform Act 1998, Dairy Industry Restructuring Act 2001, Telecommunications Act 2001, and Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act 2003. The Commission comprises between four and six members who are appointed by the Governor-General and a number of associate members appointed by the Minister.

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