KEY POINTS:
The newly appointed chair of the world netball championships board is confident New Zealand will deliver an event that will showcase the sport and the country despite the short time frame.
New Zealand Post director Sara Lunam was yesterday appointed to chair the board of the subsidiary company
that Netball NZ has set up to run the tournament in Auckland from November 10-17.
Netball NZ offered to host the championships after Fiji was stripped of the tournament last December in the wake of the military coup there.
Lunam's role includes oversight of the championships board, which comprises two representatives of the Netball NZ board and two appointed members.
She will also appoint a general manager who will be the spokesperson of the company.
"We have been extremely lucky to have really high-calibre applicants for the [general manager's] role," Lunam said.
"We are going through a selection process at the moment and will hopefully be able to make an announcement on that mid to the end of next week."
Lunam's corporate career includes executive roles here and Australia. She now runs her own strategic and management advisory business and is on the board of NZ Post and a subsidiary, and is a trustee of the Pacific Business Trust.
The passionate sports fan said of her new responsibilities: "What an exciting role to be involved in - a world championship in New Zealand's top women's sport, and it is an international event. If you have any interest in sport or any passion for sport it is something like this that really energises you."
Lunam said although the timeframe was short she was confident her board would deliver a world-class event.
"It will be a challenge, but we have got a great team that we are able to second from Netball NZ who have done a lot of foundation work already.
"With the appointment of the general manager to lead them and the people they will be pulling in to help from the wider netball community, I have got no doubt that we can put on something that can really showcase netball and New Zealand."
* Meanwhile, there has been plenty of interest in Netball New Zealand's chief executive job.
The selection process is being overseen by Australian recruiting company Sportspeople. Applications close on March 21.
Incumbent Shelley McMeeken finishes at Netball NZ next week.
Veteran administrator Jack Ralston has been appointed interim chief executive.
He has more than 12 years' experience directing national and international events in sports including track and field, rugby, cycling, soccer, golf, basketball and tennis.