Far North Holdings Appoints New CEO

The appointment of an Auckland property specialist as chief executive of Far North Holdings Ltd reflects the company’s search for an entrepreneur with local and international experience.

Directors of the Far North District Council-owned company have appointed Andrew Nock (48) to replace former chief executive Malcolm Nicolson.

Mr Nicolson took up the position of chief executive at the Northland Regional Council in January after managing Far North Holdings for 12 years.

Mr Nock’s most recent position has been as a private consultant providing development and investment advice to domestic and international companies.

Prior to this, he was property development manager at Auckland Airport where he was in charge of commercial developments.

He also has extensive work experience overseas where he completed a degree in urban estate surveying.

He was European commercial director for THI, one of Europe’s leading retail and leisure centre development and investment companies.

This work involved developing “green-field” sites and social and economic regeneration projects with central and local government agencies.

He also established tourism businesses in the United Kingdom and Spain and provided property, design and planning advice to some of Europe, Asia and Australasia’s biggest-listed companies, including Sonae, La Salle Investment Management, Pradera and Pirelli.

Mr Nock grew up in New Zealand and has great memories of the Bay Of Islands where his family holidayed.

He has three children (two of which are about to study at university) with his wife Caron who is a landscape designer/florist.

Far North Holdings Chairman Ross Blackman says 40 people from across New Zealand and overseas applied for the job which was advertised after Mr Nicolson resigned last October.

“We were delighted with the response. The calibre was incredibly high and it was a really difficult process of elimination.”

Directors considered people from the Far North for the job, but picked Mr Nock because they wanted a manager who could broaden the company’s horizons in a global environment.

“Tourism is a big part of our income and we’re dealing with international people all the time.

"We were looking for someone who had skills and international experience we didn’t have.

“We believe that Andrew’s ‘grass roots’ association with local business, combined with his international property experience will help Far North Holdings through its next stage of growth.”

The directors have high expectations of Mr Nock who starts work with the company on March 5.

“He has a very clear understanding that we’re not putting him in as a caretaker.

“We’re looking to him to take the lead from the front and not wait to be told what to do by the board.”