Antarctica NZ chief executive resigns suddenly after boardroom discussions

Saturday, 18 August 2018

Peter Beggs received a 'significant' payment from the public purse, upon ending his contract.

Antarctica NZ chief executive Peter Beggs and high-powered board member Sharon Hunter have quit unexpectedly, after talks with the board.

Both cited family reasons. Hunter, a prominent IT entrepreneur, said she stepped down from the board 'some weeks ago' to spend more time with her daughter.

Sharon Hunter said she quit the board a few weeks ago for family reasons.

Beggs resigned this Thursday, and claimed he had for some time been considering a return to the United Kingdom to be closer to his children's grandparents.

But at odds with the claim his departure was planned, Beggs has scheduled commitments as chief executive in a month's time. The entity's website still identified him as chief executive last night, and Governance NZ is promoting a lunch with Beggs in Christchurch on September 20, with tickets still selling for $45.

Sharon Hunter founded PC Direct and is married to former Auckland mayoral candidate Tenby Powell.

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A source said Beggs had received a 'significant' payment from the public purse, upon ending his contract. But Antarctica NZ chair Sir Brian Roche would not comment on 'individual employment matters', and refused to answer a list of questions relating to Beggs and Hunter.

He said the Crown entity would begin recruiting for a new chief executive 'as soon as practicable'; in the meantime, Beggs would work with the board to ensure a smooth transition.

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said he had been informed of Beggs' resignation in the past 24 hours.

'Things will take their course,' he said. 'I've been informed the resignation of Mr Beggs has taken place.

'That's an operational matter and anything else I could comment on, I would wait until I know a whole lot more.'

The other members of the glamour board are former Kiwibank chairman Rob Morrison, TVNZ chairwoman Dame Therese Walsh, former Air NZ chief executive Rob Fyfe and well-connected former Sky TV lobbyist Tony O'Brien.

The agency is charged with carrying out New Zealand's activities in Antarctica, including running Scott Base, and supporting science and environmental protection.

It received about $20 million in public funding in the last financial year; the seven board members earn fees of $82,000 and six top management earned $1.25m. Beggs himself was paid nearly $330,000.

In a text message, Beggs said he had worked with Roche on the media statement to Stuff.

'In addition, I would only note that Peter and his family have for some time been considering returning to the UK so they can be closer to the children's grandparents.'

His resignation comes at a critical time for Antarctica NZ which is preparing a business case to replace Scott Base with a modern facility costing about $150 milion.

Beggs, who took up the post in 2014, is also on a number of international groups to represent New Zealand's Antarctic interests.

A former high-flying executive for the European Thales Group, a high end electronics, aerospace and defence firm, he studied engineering and commercial law and pursued a career mainly overseas until returning to New Zealand in 2013.

Hunter was appointed to the seven member board by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in November, 2015. Her term on the board was to end this year but most terms are renewed for another three years.

Sharon Hunter insisted her resignation was purely for personal reasons.

Speaking from Los Angeles, where she is on holiday with husband Tenby Powell, the prominent entrepeneur was at first vague about when she resigned. She then confirmed it was 'some weeks ago, probably'.

'Anything that's taking place with Peter Beggs is at the behest of the remaining directors on the board – I've got nothing to do with it at the moment.'

Hunter said she had stepped down from board to concentrate on helping her 18-year-old daughter with some 'profound' health issues during the exam period.

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