Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is set for a new board chair with the appointment of Dr Paul Reynolds.
He will begin the role on February 1 and replaces Sir Brian Roche who has been chair since 2019.
Reynolds is an experienced chair and public sector leader and served seven years as chief executive and secretary for the environment at the Ministry for the Environment.
Transport minister Michael Wood says he’s confident Reynolds has the right skills to lead the board for the next three years.
“Waka Kotahi requires a chair that is a highly experienced governor who can navigate complex environments, drive the development of strategy, build consensus and effectively engage with a diverse range of stakeholders.
“Both Waka Kotahi and the wider transport system are facing challenges such as climate change, the transition to a focus on multiple modes of transport, the need for effective and modern regulation, and how to manage significant change equitably. All of these require a collaborative working approach, and a solutions-focussed leader with a vision for the future.
“Dr Reynolds is an experienced chair and public sector leader, as well as an excellent strategist. His appointment strengthens the board’s regulatory and environmental capabilities, as well as offering an additional perspective of the specific transport challenges experienced in regional New Zealand. As chair, he will work collaboratively with transport and Treaty partners to solve problems and explore new opportunities.
“I would also like to acknowledge and thank Sir Brian Roche for his dedicated service as chair for the past three and a half years. He entered the board during a challenging period for the organisation, and was able to make key structural changes while also managing the impacts of the COVID pandemic and other significant challenges. Waka Kotahi has benefitted from his calm and collected approach, and I am grateful for the advice and support he has given me in my time as Transport Minister,” Wood says.
