Appointment of Chief Executive of Ministry of Economic Development

30 June 2008

The State Services Commissioner, Mark Prebble, today announced the appointment of David Smol to the position of Chief Executive of the Ministry of Economic Development.

David Smol is the Deputy Secretary, Energy and Communications Branch at the Ministry of Economic Development, a position he has held since 2003. He has been the Acting Chief Executive at the Ministry since 3 June of this year.

"Mr Smol has demonstrated the leadership that this position requires, particularly with his roles in changes to the regulation of the electricity sector, including the establishment of the Electricity Commission and the reform of telecommunications regulation, including loop unbundling and the operational separation of Telecom. He has built effective and positive relationships with Ministers and stakeholders over time and has a strong reputation as a trusted, credible and highly competent public servant," Mark Prebble said.

David Smol first came to New Zealand in 1989 and spent four years at the Treasury. From there he moved into the Energy sector joining first the Electricity Corporation and then becoming involved in the Contact Energy establishment team when the Corporation was split. In 1997 Mr Smol returned to the United Kingdom for family reasons, taking on a consultancy role working mainly with energy companies and financiers, in the UK and Europe. He subsequently became a director of the consultancy and took on responsibility for the human resource and then the finance functions. In 2003 Mr Smol was appointed to the role of Deputy Secretary, Energy and Communications, which prompted a return to New Zealand.

Mr Smol is qualified with a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) from Warwick University (UK) and a Master in Philosophy (Economics) from Cambridge University (UK). He completed his professional examinations through the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (UK).

David Smol takes up his appointment on 1 July 2008.

ENDS

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