"We've got some really skilled people with excellent plans in place already.
"I know that the board went through a really thorough process, engaging in particular with business stakeholders in our community, to ask them what they want in this next leader.
"It was pretty unanimous they wanted someone local, someone who knows what's happening, and someone who can continue to drive more outcomes."
The previous two chief executives, Phillipa Ivory and Mark Ward, worked at the agency for a combined total of 23 months, with board member Gaelle Deighton acting as interim chief after Ward's sudden departure in May.
Middleton said Deighton had been "awesome" over the past few months.
"She'll hate it if I say this, but she's almost been a mum figure for us, and she's really helped calm the waters.
"For me, I'm young, my husband and I have bought a house here, and I'm very much committed to being in Whanganui.
"I'm committed to this leadership role for the foreseeable future."
Whanganui mayor Hamish McDouall said it was great to have "someone on the inside" of the agency take over the reins.
"Hannah already has credibility with businesses and other entities all over town," McDouall said.
"I've worked with her on numerous different things and she's an extremely impressive individual. People might raise their eyebrows at her relative youth, but, quite frankly, if you're good enough then you're old enough."
A key element of the role was having "the energy to promote the city and the energy to spot opportunities and take them", McDouall said.
Whanganui mayor Hamish McDouall says Middleton is an "extremely impressive individual". Photo / Bevan Conley
"Hannah is certainly putting down some roots in Whanganui and I don't think we'll be recruiting again for a long time."
McDouall said the Whanganui District Council would continue to "work and look" at its relationship with Whanganui and Partners, to allow "a certain amount of independence" without council taking its eye off the spend of public money.
Public criticism was "part and parcel" of the job, Middleton said, and she had "learned how to deal with it" over the past two years.
"Realistically in life you always hear from the people that love you and think you're doing a good job, and from the people who don't like you and don't agree with the work you're doing.
"The majority of the people sit in the middle and you don't hear from them, so I think it's important that the thought patterns are rational around that."
Middleton, who grew up in rural Taranaki, said she loved being a part of regional New Zealand.
"You go off and you study and you travel, but I love being in a place like Whanganui because you build all these relationships, whether that be in a community sense or in the business sense of a role like this.
"I can get in touch with our biggest, busiest, business, like the guys down on Heads Rd, and say 'hey, are you willing to have 70 graduates come through? It is on a Saturday though'.
"They'll say 'no worries', open their doors, and give you their time. Where else could you do that? If you asked a big factory in Auckland the same question they'd probably say 'absolutely no way'."
When asked by the Chronicle if there was a specific Whanganui and Partners project she was most excited about, Middleton said she would "get in trouble" with her workmates if she only named one.
"If I say one thing then the rest of my workmates will be like 'what about our projects?'
"It's across the board really, and especially with things like Te Puwaha and the port redevelopment project. I'm really excited about that because of the partnership we're forming with iwi and hapu.
"It's a new way of thinking and doing business that incorporates the Tupua te Kawa values. I think we're at the tipping point now of that project really laying some good foundations about the way we work.
"I think it's a way that nowhere else in New Zealand, or the world, are really nailing."
"More change" was the last thing the agency needed, Middleton said.
"We just need the chance get stuck in and deliver on the work that's been set up, which is really 'future thinking'.
"My doors are open and I'd love to hear from people who might not have had a reach from Whanganui and partners before, or that have some good ideas to contribute to our economic development."
"People can also come in and grumble face to face, let's hear it."
