Vista Group co-founder Murray Holdaway hands over reins of cinema IT company

Murray Holdaway, co-founder of Vista Group, has been praised for his leadership. Photo / File

Northlander Murray Holdaway, the co-founder and chief executive of Vista Group, an Auckland-based company whose technology is used to manage cinema operations in 80 countries, is handing over the role of group chief executive to Kimbal Riley in a succession planning process.

Mr Holdaway, who was born in Kaikohe and grew up in Whangarei, will become chief product officer (CPO) for Vista Group, and continue in his role as an executive director on the Vista Group board.

Mr Holdaway attended Onerahi Primary School and Whangarei Boys' High School and lived here till he was 18 and went to university in Auckland.

Vista Group chairman Kirk Senior has praised Mr Holdaway for his exceptional leadership of the company, which he co-founded in 1996.

Vista has grown to become a dominant provider of cinema management, film distribution and customer analytics software in the global film industry. Its subsidiary companies provide products and services to multiple film industry segments.

"Murray has shown great vision and expertise in leading a team to create and grow Vista Group, one of New Zealand's top performing technology companies. His strengths continue to lie in product innovation and customer service and with the diversification of Vista since our 2014 public listing, we want him to focus in the area where he has traditionally provided the greatest value, which is product innovation.

"This is core to the group's success, the heart and soul of what we do," Mr Senior said.
"Now, after more than two decades building and leading Vista Group it is time for him to hand the leadership reins to Kimbal Riley, his natural successor.

"We are extremely fortunate that we will retain Murray's expertise and critical strengths in his new role as chief product officer."

Mr Riley says he is honoured to have the opportunity to be CEO of Vista Group, which is poised for the next stage in its evolution, and he is delighted to be working alongside its visionary co-founder.

The change in leadership is effective from April 3, 2018.