Business Leader of the Year Award: Simon Moutter

Simon Moutter oversaw the transformation from Telecom to Spark. Picture / Nick Reed

This week we are celebrating excellence in leadership as we publish the nominees for the 2015 Business Leader of the Year.

Past winners of the award include Graeme Hart, Lloyd Morrison, Christopher Luxon and Rod Drury. The winner will be revealed on Saturday in the Weekend Herald.

Spark chief executive Simon Moutter has taken on one of the biggest company transformations in New Zealand business, and if its latest company result is anything to go by, shareholders believe he is succeeding.

Early in his tenure as chief executive, Moutter outlined a clear plan for rebranding what was then Telecom to Spark.

Consumers were dubious after a decade-long decline in brand value and market share, but the rebrand and turnaround from what Moutter described as a "slow, conservative infrastructure company" to a "competitive retailer of digital services" is now complete -- and ahead of schedule.

It's latest result saw shares in the company rise 9.42 per cent on the day, closing at $3.02, and increasing its market valuation by more than $400 million. The company's shares closed down 3c yesterday at $3.155.

Spark has also topped the NZX as the highest value company in New Zealand several times this year -- a spot it previously held firmly in its days as Telecom.

As well as the rebrand and transformation of the company, Moutter has had to streamline the business after its enforced split from lines company Chorus in 2011.

Consumers were dubious after a decade-long decline in brand value and market share.

He has had a lot of experience with the telco over the years.

In 1999, Moutter was appointed general manager of network delivery for Telecom before being promoted to group general manager for network and international in 2000. Following this, he was promoted to chief operating officer in 2002 before leaving in 2008 for Auckland Airport -- returning in 2012 for the top job at Telecom.

Having finished the business rebrand, Moutter is eyeing up diversification at Spark, launching several new products this year including home security system Morepork, and has hinted heavily at further product launches in the coming few years.