Port’s board appoints chair

Jan Dawson has been elected chairperson Ports of Auckland Ltd (POAL) following the retirement of Bill Osborne. 

Dawson, who was appointed to the board of directors on August 31, is an experienced director – her previous roles include chairing Westpac NZ and being deputy chairperson of Air NZ.

“I’m delighted to be taking on this role,” she says. “I look forward to working with the board and management of POAL, which is so important to Auckland and New Zealand’s supply chain.”

One of her priorities is to complete the work already under way to implement the recommendations of the review into health and safety by Construction Health and Safety NZ.

Others include delivering the automation project, lifting productivity, improving customer service and delivering “a reasonable return” to Auckland Council.

The recruitment of a new chief executive officer and board members is under way, and Dawson, pictured, intends to have both processes completed before the end of the year.

“I would like to thank outgoing chair Bill Osborne for his service,” she adds. “He stepped in to lead the board during a particularly challenging time for the business and I wish him well for the future.”

Dawson, an independent director, has held senior positions at several Kiwi companies. She is currently a director of Meridian Energy and AIG Insurance NZ.

She is on the council for the University of Auckland and the Ministry of Health’s capital investment committee, and chairs these entities’ audit committee, and risk committee and remuneration committee.

Dawson was chair and chief executive for KPMG NZ for five years until 2011 following a career spanning 30 years specialising in audit and accounting services in the UK, Canada and this country. Her previous board appointments include Beca and Goodman Fielder.