Hawke's Bay businessman and retired law firm partner Philip Hocquard has been appointed chairman of electricity distribution group Unison.
He replaces Kevin Atkinson who retired from the board last month after 19 years' service, the last eight as chairman.
Mr Hocquard has been a director eight years, and said he looks forward to working more closely with Unison Group chief executive Ken Sutherland and his executive team to ensure Unison delivers electricity reliably, safely and cost-effectively to customers.
"I am excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for Unison and the chance to take the company forward as emerging technologies and shifting consumer expectations continue to present significant opportunities to the business," he said.
"I will continue to focus on the same important issues that as a board we've been focused on. Safety, people, delivering a reliable and cost-effective service to our customers as well as returning a strong financial result for our shareholders, the power consumers of Hawke's Bay."