Hayley Horan has been appointed chief executive of Business Central and the Wellington Chamber of Commerce.
Hayley Horan has been appointed chief executive of Business Central and the Wellington Chamber of Commerce.
Wellington’s Chamber of Commerce has today announced it has found a new chief executive after a leadership exodus at the organisation.
Hayley Horan will take over as CEO of the Wellington Chamber and partner organisation Business Central early next month.
Horan has had a successful career across various board positions,joining the chamber from Microsoft, where she works as an Australia New Zealand industry executive.
She has previously worked for Z Energy and spent six years at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, serving as the NZ Trade Commissioner to Singapore between 2017 and 2020.
Board chair Greg Pollock said Business Central and the chamber are “fortunate to have someone of her calibre”.
“Her experience, which spans SMEs, government and global companies, will prove invaluable for our organisation, which runs at the intersection of government and business,” Pollock said.
He said it represents an “exciting new chapter for the organisation”.
In response to questions from the Herald about the reduced senior leadership team, the board refused at the time to confirm who had left or give reasons for any departures.
Former Wellington Chamber of Commerce chief executive Simon Arcus resigned abruptly in July.
Horan said in a statement today that it is a privilege to take up the role.
“I’m excited to bring my experience, knowledge, and extensive networks to Business Central, and to work closely with our members, stakeholders, and partners to ensure the voice of business is heard while helping shape a resilient, sustainable future for our region,” she said.
The new appointment comes at a difficult time financially for the chamber, which recorded a $432,000 loss in its most recent annual report.
It cited a “difficult year” for 2023/2024, blaming an “extremely challenging economic environment”.
“The beginning of the financial period saw changes in management roles, and the team was preoccupied with restoration of various functions and operating processes in membership and learning and development”, the report states.
In the 2023 report, the chamber and Business Central also saw a substantial loss, recording a deficit of $486,000.
The 2022 report recorded a surplus of $229,000. Earlier annual reports are not publicly available.
Ethan Manera is a Wellington-based journalist covering Wellington issues, local politics and business in the capital. He can be emailed at ethan.manera@nzme.co.nz.
