Top banker takes over at TVNZ

Sir John Anderson

Television New Zealand's new chairman will be Sir John Anderson, retiring chief executive of ANZ National Bank.

Sir John, who retires from the bank this month, will take over the TVNZ role when incumbent Craig Boyce's term ends in April.

Broadcasting Minister Steve Maharey took a paper to the Cabinet on Monday with proposals for the new chairman and the appointment was confirmed this morning.

Sir John has been appointed initially as a director to replace Dame Ann Hercus, who resigned last week, before taking over as chairman in April.

Mr Maharey said today: "I am delighted that he will be taking up the role of chair and confident he will provide the leadership and vision to take TVNZ through the next phase of its development."

The news comes after a turbulent few months for TVNZ during which sliding ratings, the resignation of chief executive Ian Fraser and a contract dispute with Close Up presenter Susan Wood weakened the reputation of the state broadcaster.

Last week, Mr Fraser bared all during an appearance before a parliamentary select committee, portraying the board as dysfunctional and meddling and alleging that director John Goulter, a former head of Auckland International Airport, had orchestrated a campaign to undermine him and news chief Bill Ralston.

Mr Goulter has denied the allegations.

During the select committee hearing, Mr Boyce said he had suggested to Mr Maharey that Dame Ann be replaced on the board with someone with financial experience, because the board lacked expertise in that area.

Sir John, who has 30 years' experience in the banking sector, fits that bill as well as bringing stability to a board that has been rocked by a series of controversies including Mr Fraser's outburst and the outcry over the doubling of newsreader Judy Bailey's salary to $800,000 last year.

Sir John led the integration of the National Bank and ANZ and said, when his retirement was announced in October, that the process was now complete and it was time for him to move on.

"I planned to always retire at 60, which was always actually a mandatory date for retirement for CEOs of the National Bank, so it all tied in very, very well," he said at the time.

Sir John was on the international board of the World Wide Fund for Nature for four years as well as being the New Zealand chairman and is chairman of New Zealand Cricket and a member of the International Cricket Council executive board.

He was awarded the NZ Commemoration Medal in 1990, was knighted four years later and this year was awarded the inaugural Blake Medal for his services to cricket.