New Bay of Plenty Regional Council Chief Executive Fiona McTavish will have no problems finding her way around the organisation, as she’s been General Manager Strategy and Science since January 2012.
She previously held key senior roles at the Ministry of Education, the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Capital and Coast District Health Board, before making the move into local government.
The transition has come at a good time for McTavish, with the council setting a clear direction for the future through its recent Long Term Plan process. “I’ve very much enjoyed working for BOPRC and feel very privileged to be appointed the Chief Executive,” she explained. “It’s a great time to be coming in as CEO, as we have a council who know where they’re heading, having just signed off the new Long Term Plan for 2018-28.
Thriving together
“We’re on a journey as a regional council, as we work towards our vision of ‘Thriving Together – mō te taiaō, mo ngā tāngata’, and I’m looking forward to delivering on the council’s decisions.
“I’m really proud with what I’ve achieved for BOPRC in recent times, with one of the highlights being the blueprint for public transport in Western Bay which has been approved and will be going live from December 2018.
“Other key projects I’ve been involved with include overseeing the Tauranga tertiary campus development, which has been funded through our Regional Infrastructure Fund and is now nearly at completion. It is an example of Tauranga City Council and Bay of Plenty Regional Council working with TECT and the Tertiary Education Partnership to invest in more people learning here for future jobs in the Bay of Plenty.
“It’s also been great to see the work carried out through our Environmental Enhancement Fund. This provides seed funding for community-based projects that improve the environment and help to raise awareness of environmental issues, using the enthusiasm and skills of the community. Council has spent around $100,000 in the past year helping communities develop the Western Bay area through this initiative.
Focus on collaboration
“The focus for council on building partnerships and collaboration is also a highlight for me and attending the Te Maru o Kaituna River co-governance forum, where the Kaituna river document was approved, is one recent example of partnership in action.
“Away from work, I have a strong involvement with education, and have been fortunate to serve as the chairperson of the board of trustees at Otūmoetai Intermediate School for the past four years. Through that role, I have been involved in the development of a community of learning for the area, Otūmoetai Kāhui Ako. Helping that collaboration to develop has been extremely rewarding.”
Having taken up her new role on 30th June, McTavish is already very clear on the most important tasks she needs to undertake. “I need to listen and learn as a new CEO. Although I’ve been part of this organisation for the past six and a half years, there is plenty of learning to do and I’m really looking forward to the years ahead.”
