New head for city council
Nigel Philpott has been appointed as the chief executive for Nelson City Council. Photo: Supplied.
Nelson City Council has appointed its new chief executive who will lead the organisation through the next five years.
Māpua resident and Primary ITO chief executive Nigel Philpott will start the job on 3 April, Nelson Mayor Nick Smith announced on Monday.
“Nigel comes with strong leadership and management skills following an extensive career in the Royal Navy in the UK and the Royal New Zealand Navy, roles in the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Education and most recently the Primary ITO,” Nick says.
Nick says Nigel got the job because of his strong people skills, a track record of improving staff engagement and his strong business acumen that will help council get good value for money for ratepayers.
"He has a natural affinity with our region and the social and environmental issues facing it. His knowledge of the marine sector will also support my vision of Nelson capitalising on our links with the ocean.”
A thorough recruitment process started last November when Pat Dougherty announced he would not reapply for the job, and ended when elected members resolved last Thursday to appoint Nigel to the top job.
His recruitment comes as council works on a governance reset following a particularly challenging year in 2022 with Covid-19 disruptions, the devastating storm in August, local elections and big changes around the Council table.
Former chief executive Pat Dougherty concluded his contract in December after more than 20 years’ collective service at council.
Nigel says he is looking forward to starting work at Civic House.
“I fell in love with the Nelson Tasman region in the 1990s, saw the opportunities for an unparalleled lifestyle and later bought a home at Māpua,” he says. “Taking on the chief executive role and having the opportunity to help shape the future alongside a highly talented senior management team and staff was too hard to resist.
“During these challenging times, with issues such as the high cost of living and raft of local government reforms, I see my role as empowering staff and having a laser-like focus on delivering good value-for-money services to the ratepayers of Nelson.”
Nigel holds a BA in Economic and Political Geography, a Master’s in Strategic Studies and a Master’s in Human Resources. He is also a voluntary chair of Birthright Wellington. His interests include flying, paragliding, mountain biking and boating.
Nick says he looks forward to working with Nigel to provide the combination of leadership and teamwork to ensure Council delivers for its community.
Nick says he wants to acknowledge interim chief executive Lindsay McKenzie and his support through the appointment process.
“Lindsay has been leading staff since Pat’s departure, is keeping council’s work on track and will finish as CEO on 2 April.”