Tararua council appoints interim chief executive

Tuesday, 5 August 2025

Malcolm Alexander will take the interim role from September 1 until a permanent appointment is made by the incoming council.

The Tararua District Council has appointed an experienced local government leader as its interim chief executive.

The council announced Malcolm Alexander would take the interim role, starting on September 1, until a permanent appointment was made by the incoming council after the local body elections in October.

The incoming council would be briefed on the process and then be involved in short-listing candidates.

Interviews would be done after the election, and it was planned for the new chief executive to start in February.

Alexander replaces Bryan Nicholson, who announced his resignation in May after five years in the position.

Nicholson finishes in the role on Wednesday. He is leaving for Australia to become general manager at the King Island Council in Tasmania.

The Tararua council’s chief adviser, Peter Wimsett, would be the interim chief executive until Alexander arrived.

In a statement, the council said Alexander would bring a wealth of governance and executive leadership experience.

Most recently, he served as interim chief executive of the Wairoa District Council.

From 2012 to 2020, he was chief executive of Local Government New Zealand, where he led strategy, policy development and engagement with central government and member councils.

Tararua mayor Tracey Collis welcomed the appointment.

“We are thrilled to have someone of Malcolm’s calibre join us during this important transitional period,” she said.

“His proven leadership and deep understanding of local government will provide the stability and direction we need through the election and recruitment process.”

Alexander has worked in the public, private and non-profit sectors. His contributions to several national boards include work with the New Zealand Council for Infrastructure Development and The Aotearoa Circle.

He has served as chairman of The Horowhenua Company Ltd, a provider of regional economic development services.

He was also a member of the independent reference group advising the Government on climate change adaptation policy.

A qualified lawyer with degrees in law and political studies, Alexander is a graduate of Harvard Business School’s advanced management programme.

The council’s statement said it was looking forward to working with Alexander as it prepared for the appointment of a permanent chief executive.