Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Whakatāne District Council appoints new chief executive officer

Rotorua Daily Post
23 Sep, 2018 09:15 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Stephanie O'Sullivan will take up the chief executive role at the Whakatāne District Council on November 19. Photo / Supplied

Stephanie O'Sullivan will take up the chief executive role at the Whakatāne District Council on November 19. Photo / Supplied

Stephanie O'Sullivan has been appointed the new chief executive of the Whakatāne District Council.

She will take up her new role on November 19.

Whakatāne District mayor Tony Bonne said O'Sullivan knew the area very well.

"She has worked here in the past, has family connections in Whakatāne and brings a unique governance and senior management skillset to the organisation.

"Council elected members are delighted to have employed a leader who will maintain the council's momentum and continue to build collaborative partnerships and an increasingly prosperous and resilient community," Bonne said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

O'Sullivan said she was thrilled to have the opportunity to contribute to achieving the council's vision.

"Whakatāne's climate, relaxed lifestyle, natural assets and strong cultural heritage and history provide a wonderful context to work within. I believe the district is poised for strong growth, post-settlement iwi investment, and will also benefit from the 'halo effect' of economic development opportunities in the wider eastern Bay of Plenty.

"These are exciting times and I feel privileged to be able to play a leadership role in shaping and facilitating the opportunities before us," she said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

A Bachelor of Resource and Environmental Planning (Hons) graduate from Massey University, O'Sullivan's most recent career highlights included her current role as the Bay of Plenty senior advisor for the Government's Provincial Growth Fund, and prior to that, serving as a Treaty Settlement Negotiator for Raukawa iwi in the Waikato, and chief executive officer of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ranginui.

O'Sullivan has also held numerous governance roles, including the Waikato River Authority, Tauranga People's Project and chairing the advisory board for the University of Waikato Adams High Performance Centre in Mount Maunganui.

O'Sullivan worked for Te Puni Kōkiri in Whakatāne in the late-1990s and has a sister, two nephews and friends there. Her husband, Goran Surucic, is a high school teacher and originates from Croatia.

O'Sullivan described herself as a "tangata tiriti New Zealander" – a person of non-Māori origin, whose forbears came here to enjoy the opportunities Aotearoa presents.

Discover more

New Zealand|crime

Whakatane cafe shooter jailed for 5 years

03 Sep 10:19 PM
New Zealand|crime

Mongrel Mob raids: More arrests in police crackdown

18 Sep 10:59 PM

"I've lived a life of cultural richness, and have had the opportunity to walk in two worlds. I feel a real connection to the Whakatāne district and I'm looking forward to listening, learning and gaining a solid understanding of the area, so that I can play my part in bringing the council's vision to life."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua Daily Post

Mixed verdicts delivered for Tribesmen accused of murdering one of their own

11 Jul 05:00 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

Pair deny charges over death of Paige Johnson in alleged hit-and-run

11 Jul 12:26 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

Home-schooled students ride 755km to Parliament for equal sports access

10 Jul 11:07 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Mixed verdicts delivered for Tribesmen accused of murdering one of their own

Mixed verdicts delivered for Tribesmen accused of murdering one of their own

11 Jul 05:00 AM

Mark 'Shark' Hohua died in June 2022 after a violent assault over money.

Pair deny charges over death of Paige Johnson in alleged hit-and-run

Pair deny charges over death of Paige Johnson in alleged hit-and-run

11 Jul 12:26 AM
Home-schooled students ride 755km to Parliament for equal sports access

Home-schooled students ride 755km to Parliament for equal sports access

10 Jul 11:07 PM
Heavy rain warning issued for Bay of Plenty, up to 140mm expected

Heavy rain warning issued for Bay of Plenty, up to 140mm expected

10 Jul 10:57 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP