Jim Quinn the former chief executive of KiwiRail has been appointed an independent director of Lyttelton Port Company.
He replaces director Alan Grant.
Quinn’s contract with KiwiRail ended in February as the board decided to find a new chief executive to address the company’s financial performance.
The closure of KiwiRail’s Hillside manufacturing plant in Dunedin and the loss of a propellor off the Interislander Ferry which cost more than $30 million dollars, were two difficult episodes which Quinn had to deal with.
During his employment at KiwiRail, Quinn saw $100 million of freight business growth and about $1.4 billion of capital expenditure and he is well known to Lyttelton Port.
KiwiRail has worked with Lyttelton Port as a business partner along with Solid Energy, ensuring the delivery of coal from the West Coast, plus a service set up to deliver Fonterra milk products from Clandeboye.
Lyttelton Port announced the appointment at the same time it published its audited interim report.
