Hawkes Bay Regional Council has announced the reappointment of Dan Druzianic as Chair of Hawkes Bay Regional Investment Company (HBRIC) for a further three-year term.
HBRIC has also appointed two new independent directors to the board – Debbie Birch and Jonathan Cameron – both of whom have significant local and global commercial and strategic experience, Council said in a statement.
Mr Druzianic is a professional director, chartered accountant and business advisor with broad experience across business sectors including agribusiness, infrastructure, property and investment.
As well as chairing HBRIC, he sits on the boards of Napier Port Holdings Limited, Unison Networks Limited and Bostock New Zealand Limited. He is a Fellow of the Institutes of Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand, and a member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors.
“Dan’s appointment ensures HBRIC has continued access to deep local commercial knowledge, experience and networks,” said Hawkes Bay Regional Council Chair, Hinewai Ormsby.
“It also comes after the recent independent director appointments of Debbie Birch and Johnathon Cameron to enable our Investment Company to really provide returns to help our ratepayers and ensure growth in Hawke’s Bay.”
Mr Druzianic said the appointments of directors was a big step for HBRIC.
“These appointments bring a wealth of commercial, visionary thinking to the region, and signify the commitment of HBRIC to grow and invest in Hawke’s Bay for the benefit of the region’s ratepayers,” says Mr Druzianic.
Debbie Birch is currently a non-executive director of NZX/ASX-listed Tourism Holdings, Eastland Group and Te Puia Tapapa Fund, and is the Chair of Taupo Moana Investments and Raukawa ki te Tonga. She is a trustee of Tuaropaki Trust, and the global charitable trust, the Human Rights Measurement Initiative.
She has held senior executive roles for global banks in Asia, and has more than ten years governance and executive experience in New Zealand across a range of sectors.
Jonathan Cameron is an experienced strategy, corporate development and Mergers and Acquisition executive. He has undertaken a number of highly complex transaction, and his key passion is working with organisations who want to build better businesses by unleashing their growth potential.
He has governance experience across a range of public and private boards, and is currently chair of the investment committee for Tupu Angutu, Lake Taupō Forest Trust’s commercial arm. He is also chair of the investment committee for the lines supply company Waipa Network.
HBRIC is a Council-controlled organisation set up to manage some of Regional Council’s largest investments around the region.
The objectives of HBRIC are to actively manage its allocated investment portfolio and any new investments it makes.These include its shareholding in Napier Port Holdings Limited (Napier Port), to ensure long-term growth of shareholder value, increased financial and strategic returns, security and sustainability of investments and explore partnership with Tangata Whenua, where possible.
Mr Druzianic first joined the organisation in May 2017.
