Ford NZ turns to ex-telco boss

Ford New Zealand has announced the appointment of Mike Purchase as its new managing director, effective November 16.

He brings nearly four decades of experience across the telecommunications and technology sectors, having held senior leadership roles with major New Zealand and multinational organisations including One New Zealand, Vodafone, WorldxChange, New Zealand Post and Capgemini Ernst & Young.

Purchase, pictured, was most recently chief enterprise director at One New Zealand, where he led a team of about 500 and was responsible for the Enterprise business unit’s strategy, transformation agenda, commercial performance and growth across the ICT and government sectors.

His experience spans large-scale profit-and-loss leadership, enterprise and government sales, digital transformation, customer engagement, professional services and business integration. 

Purchase has also led significant revenue-growth, market-transformation and organisational-change initiatives, including the transition of traditional telecommunications sales models towards complex ICT solution selling.

Fadi Mawal, chief executive of Ford Australia and New Zealand, says the appointment brings considerable commercial, leadership and governance experience to the business.

“Mike is a highly experienced and collaborative leader with a strong track record of delivering growth, leading transformation and building teams around customers and complex business outcomes,” adds Mawal.

“His experience across technology, enterprise, government and large-scale business operations will be a valuable asset to Ford New Zealand as we continue to build on our momentum and deliver for our customers, dealers and stakeholders.”

Alongside Purchase’s executive career, he also has governance experience after serving as a board member for Maritime New Zealand and Defend. He also previously served as president and chair of Royal New Zealand Coastguard and is a chartered member of the Institute of Directors.

He is replacing Annaliese Atina, who has been appointed managing director of Ford Vietnam, effective December 1.