Recently appointed EECA Business General Manager Ian Niven says he is looking forward to helping New Zealand firms leverage energy efficiency to increase productivity and profitability.
EECA estimates conservatively that the private sector could make $2 billion in savings. “What is often not realised is that energy efficiency is not just about reducing costs. Some of the world’s most successful businesses use energy efficiency to drive growth and enhance their brands,” he says. Ian brings a wealth of corporate governance, business development and energy industry experience to the role. Much of his career has been spent with listed energy companies in senior corporate and business development roles. He worked for BP in Wellington, London and Singapore and was involved in financing BP’s petrochemicals joint ventures in South East Asia.
Ian was General Manager of Transpower’s corporate functions during an intensive period of reform of the electricity sector in New Zealand. He was also CFO of Transalta when it listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange and he later led the company’s purchase of the Southdown and Stratford power stations. Over the past few years, Ian has worked mainly in corporate governance, developing and delivering services in director training, recruitment and board performance for the Institute of Directors. He has also worked in governance for Treasury’s Crown Ownership Monitoring Unit. A member of the UK Institute of Chartered Accountants and NZ Institute of Directors he is also an alumnus of the London Business School Senior Management Programme. “I am a keen student of the characteristics that define successful organisations. I’m looking forward to working with the EECA Business team and using my interest in organisational dynamics and behaviour change to help firms use energy efficiency as a catalyst for growth,” he says.
