Andrew Coker has signed off as chief executive of Priority One signalling the end of a ten-year tenure with the economic development agency.
He started in 2006 in a business development role before taking over the reins two years later.
"When I first started at Priority One in 2006 it was apparent that the region, just as Priority One, had the potential to take off and move from being reliant as an economy on retirement growth, especially from Auckland, to one that was innovation and education led with tertiary opportunities for our young people. We just had to work collectively to achieve them."
Reflecting on his time he said it was hard to pinpoint one highlight because the city had experienced significant growth but said "there's no doubt that the programme of tertiary and research provision, principally through the Bay of Plenty regional partnerships is one of the most exciting opportunities that I have seen emerge in the last ten years".
"It is huge for the region and opportunities are now arising as Iwi move from settlement mode into investment mode - that will provide another step change in our economic development in the future.