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Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki Board Chair Joanna Breare and Board Deputy David Downs have announced their intent to stepdown from the Venture Taranaki Trust Board at the agency’s AGM in September 2024.
As a result, the regional development agency’s shareholder, New Plymouth District Council, will commence a recruitment process for new board members to replace the outgoing members.
Outgoing Chair Joanna Breare has been involved with the agency as far back as 2010, initially as a member of an offshore energy group led by former VT CEO Stuart Trundle.
She later led the Taranaki 2050 project, working closely with the Taranaki community and VT. Joanna joined the VT Board in 2019 and became Board Chair in 2022, succeeding Jamie Tuuta. Joanna brought with her a wealth of executive leadership and governance experience in her role as Todd Energy CE.
Joanna is proud of the Trust’s significant achievements during her tenure on the Board and as Board Chair. “It has been a privilege to work with my Board colleagues, the Venture Taranaki team, our stakeholders, and the wider Taranaki community. Through many global and national changes and challenges the team continues to elevate the region through its many strands of work that connect back to our strategic focus areas of Energy Transition, Food and Fibre, and Destination Development,” Joanna says.
Board Deputy David Downs who joined the board in 2018, bringing with him a multitude of experience in tech, start-ups, and brand and positioning in his role as NZ Story CE, echoes Joanna’s sentiment.
“I leave the Board with the knowledge and confidence that the region is in good hands as the team continues to turn obstacles into opportunities, upholds a strategic lens across the region to go after emergent economies, and consistently positions Taranaki is a sought-after destination and the ideal place to live, work, play and invest,” David says.
New Plymouth Mayor Neil Holdom has acknowledged the considerable contribution made by both Joanna and David. “Both have served the Trust across consecutive terms of service, and their leadership, partnership, and commitment have built a lasting legacy for Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki, and the region,” Mayor Holdom says.
With both trustees coming to the natural end of their terms with the Trust, a recruitment process is underway to recruit for these vacant board roles via VT’s shareholder, New Plymouth District Council. The Trust looks to continue its long legacy of attracting highly capable governance professionals and executives to support the Trust, and the region for years to come.
Candidates wishing to apply will be able to do so via Seek and Institute of Directors as of June 18. At the September AGM, a new Venture Taranaki Trust Chair and Deputy will be appointed by the Trustees.
Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki is a catalyst for future prosperity in Taranaki with strategic focus areas in energy transition, food and fibre, destination development and visitor futures.
Venture Taranaki seeks to inspire and nurture growth, connect communities, empower individuals, and ignite innovation to sustain and stabilise our region through lasting development, investment, and opportunity. VT is a Council-Controlled Organisation of the New Plymouth District Council, governed by an independent Board of Trustees, and guided by Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
The Venture Taranaki Board is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the Trust, which delivers a range of regional development, promotion and enterprise support services Taranaki-wide, administrates the New Plymouth Major Events Fund, and holds contracts for service with other local government and central government agencies.
