Movers & Shakers

Milton Jennings has become chief executive officer of the New Zealand-owned life insurance company Fidelity Life Assurance Company Ltd.

He was previously its general manager of finance and marketing, and has worked for Fidelity Life for 15 years.

David Millar has been appointed general manager of Rotorua-based La Grouw Corporation, owner of Lockwood Homes.

He joins the 50-year-old company after eight years as managing director of Stihl in Melbourne.

Sue Stanaway has been appointed metropolitan residential manager for Bayley's Real Estate.

Her position as Auckland residential manager has been taken by Kirsty Macky.

Michelle Hanson has been appointed residential product manager.

She was previously a brand manager for Frucor Beverages.

Yates New Zealand has made two new appointments to its Auckland-based growing media operations.

Richard Bale brings nearly 20 years experience in growing media to his role of production supervisor for Yates New Zealand in Auckland.

He was most recently bark manager at Fence-Crete, where he worked for 16 years.

Philip Dunn, growing media sales manager, has been employed in the horticulture industry for more than 20 years.

Anthony Scott has been appointed executive director of the Association of Crown Research Institutes, based in Wellington.

He succeeds Sean Devine, now a research fellow at Victoria University. ACRI supports the common interests of the nine Crown-owned research companies, the largest providers of scientific research in New Zealand.

UnitedNetworks chairman Bob Green will be succeeded by Keith Stamm, who comes from UtiliCorp United, the network company's majority shareholder.

Green will continue as a director. Peter Lowe has resigned from the board.

George Ferguson has been awarded a personal chair at the University of Auckland for his contribution in service and research.

He was integral to the establishment of the chemical and materials department more than 30 years ago.

Adam Laidlaw is the new chief executive of the Christian Children's Fund of New Zealand.

He has more than 20 years' experience in the not-for-profit sector.

He is on the board of Amnesty International and is involved with the Auckland Zoo.

Most recently, Laidlaw was director of development at Auckland Grammar School.

The recent appointment of a general manager at the Tauranga head of office of industrial coatings company Altex Coatings Tauranga head office has left CEO Mike O'Sullivan free to undertake new business development. Altex financial controller Steve Joseph has filled the new position of general manager.

Wellington-based Beca director Keith Paterson is about to help to expand the economic relationship between Singapore and New Zealand.

The building services engineering expert is taking up a new role on the board of Beca Group company Beca Carter Hollings & Ferner (South East Asia) in Singapore.

Margaret Butterworth is the new premium category group brands manager for DB Breweries in Auckland. She replaces Ron Curteis and will be responsible for the development and management of DB Breweries premium beer portfolio, which consists of Heineken and Monteiths.

Leigh Wilson is the new acquisition manager of Beyond New Zealand, the joint venture distribution company established by South Pacific Pictures and Beyond Distribution.

She has spent 17 years with Television New Zealand, most recently as deputy communications manager for the TVNZ group.

Martin Devlin, the head of Massey University's graduate school of business, is stepping down after 12 years.

Next year he will take up a professorship with the College of Business' management department.

Tracy Wilson has become Pacific Retail Group's customer relationship management manager.

She has worked in retail, telecommunications, banking and publishing industries.

Aucklanders Roger Parker and Rick Starr have formed a new market research company, New River, bearing the company slogan "research for growth".

Starr, who is American-born, has had 10 years' management experience in the United States.

Parker has nine years of senior management experience, including a marketing position directly reporting to the head of a New Zealand bank.

David Cryer has been made regional marketing manager of Microsoft Great Plains Australasia. He oversees all marketing activities across Australia

Lawyer Bruce Fraser, of Christchurch, is the new chairman of the board of the National Heart Foundation, replacing Wellington's Faye Schaef.

He has been involved with the foundation since 1994, when he joined the Canterbury branch as a volunteer.

Brent Powell has been appointed general manager information systems and Mike Good general manager new business for Pacific Retail Group.

Both have come from Farmers Trading Company.

Amanda Foot is the new business development manager at Auckland design and brand agency Aviso.

She comes from Clear Communications, where she was senior account manager for its eMarketing team.

Before that she was an account manager for Television New Zealand's nzoom.com.

United Water general manager Mike Smith is transferring to a role with the company's Victoria, Australia, operations and will be replaced at its Papakura base by Tony Lines.

Lines comes from a network management position at United Water's Adelaide operation.