ITSNZ president stepping down

Stephen Hewett has called time on his role as president of Intelligent Transport Systems New Zealand (ITSNZ) after a nine-year term on its board.

As business director of transport advisory at Beca with a focus on technology, Hewett was president for the past two years.

His specific international responsibilities included being New Zealand’s representative on the board of ITS Asia-Pacific and the ITS World Congress. 

“I have enjoyed working with the board to develop a business plan that has seen the creation our successful T-Tech conference format, bringing youth and academia onto the board, and creating the Young Transport Professionals initiative,” he says.

“It has been an honour to contribute to the evolution of ITSNZ over the past nine years, even more so representing it globally as president. 

“I look forward to seeing ITSNZ continue to grow and to be actively involved in the changing transport technology landscape.”

Recognising Hewett’s contributions, chairman Mike Rudge says: “Stephen has invested a phenomenal amount of time and passion to ITSNZ.

“As president, he has contributed hugely to the success of T-Tech as well as leading our engagement with ITS Asia-Pacific and the international ITS community.”

ITSNZ has undergone significant growth and change over the past decade with Hewett playing a pivotal role in many major milestones and achievements.

For example, the organisation hosted the ITS Asia-Pacific Forum conference in 2013 attracting 500 participants from across the world. 

ITSNZ was launched in 2004 and was volunteer-led at the time. However, rapid technology advancement and technology-led disruption created a bigger need for a national transport body with a technology focus.

Following a membership structure change in 2017, Beca became one of ITSNZ’s first gold members. This change and an increase in membership funding enabled the major expansion of events activity, especially the annual conference. 

The inaugural T-Tech conference took place in 2018 and doubled the size of earlier annual summits, with Hewett, pictured, playing a major role in the inaugural and 2019 conferences. 

He led the development of the professional papers and presentations component of the conference, co-ordinating submissions, judging and awards.  

Amy Strang and Helen Fitt have also stepped down from ITSNZ’s board after serving their two-year terms. 

Strang, along with Armin Guttke, were appointed as youth and diversity ambassadors and subsequently co-founded the successful Young Transport Professionals group funded by ITSNZ. 

Fitt, a postdoctoral fellow at Lincoln University, focused on social science and emerging transport solution in her role with ITSNZ. She was co-opted onto the board as an academia representative.