Roger Sutton
Encyclopedia
Roger Sutton is a business leader in Christchurch
, New Zealand. He was chief executive of power lines company Orion New Zealand Limited
from 2003 until 13 June 2011, when he commenced as CEO of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority
. He is thus regarded as the most influential person in Christchurch.
, Gisborne
and Hamilton
. He graduated in 1986 from the University of Canterbury
with a Bachelor of Engineering
(Mechanical). He commenced his career with the Electricity Corporation of New Zealand
(ECNZ) as a mechanical engineer at New Plymouth Power Station
in 1987. From 1988 to 1989, he worked for ECNZ as a business analyst. From 1996 to 1998, he was general manager trading at Southpower, the electricity generation and distribution arm of Christchurch City Council
.
As a consequence of Max Bradford
's reform of the electricity sector, Southpower had to be split, and Sutton remained with the energy distribution part of one of its successors, Orion New Zealand Ltd, majority-owned by Christchurch City Holdings
. From 1998 to 2002, he was general manager commercial at Orion. In December 2002, he was appointed general manager operations. In early March 2003, he became acting CEO of Orion, and took the position of CEO on 1 May 2003, being responsible for 500 staff. In 2011, his salary was $700k. , he is chairman of Connetics, a fully owned Orion subsidiary. He is chair of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority
.
In the late 1990s, Sutton was a member of the New Zealand Energy Market rules committee and the market rules structure groups. During 2001, Sutton was seconded to the office of the Minister of Energy, Pete Hodgson
, during the country's electricity crisis.
announced Sutton as the first permanent CEO of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority
(CERA). The appointment is for a five year period. Sutton replaced the interim CEO John Ombler. On 13 June 2011, Sutton commenced the new role, which has a remuneration of $500k. The new role, where he has a staff of about 50, pays $200k less than his previous role at Orion.
Sutton's appointment was widely praised and welcome from all sectors of society, with the popularity gained by Sutton's reaction to the way power was restored, staff praised and information communicated after the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Christchurch mayor Bob Parker said that Sutton "would be very popular". The CEO of the Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce, Peter Townsend, said it was the "most important Government appointment of the year" and that Sutton had all the right attributes for the job. The Central City Business Association manager Paul Lonsdale said that Sutton had shown through his reaction to three earthquakes (this counts the Boxing Day aftershock as a separate event) that he is very pragmatic.
The chairman of the Canterbury Communities' Earthquake Recovery Network (CanCERN), Tom McBrearty, said that Sutton "brings two key ingredients – leadership around business and emphatic values around the community." Labour
MP Ruth Dyson
, whose Port Hills electorate
covers the area in east Christchurch worst affected by the last earthquake, said that Sutton was the perfect choice and gave him "12 out of 10".
Sutton was first suggested to lead the city's rebuild by former mayor Garry Moore
and Wigram
MP Jim Anderton
in early March 2011.
is his sister in law.
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, New Zealand. He was chief executive of power lines company Orion New Zealand Limited
Orion New Zealand Limited
Orion New Zealand Limited is an electricity distribution company, based in Christchurch, New Zealand.The company was formed under its current name in December 1998.Orion is owned by Christchurch City Council and Selwyn District Council...
from 2003 until 13 June 2011, when he commenced as CEO of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority
Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority
The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority is a public service department established by the New Zealand government to coordinate the rebuilding of Christchurch and the surrounding areas following the 22 February 2011 earthquake.-Description:...
. He is thus regarded as the most influential person in Christchurch.
Professional career
Sutton grew up in WellingtonWellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, Gisborne
Gisborne, New Zealand
-Economy:The harbour was host to many ships in the past and had developed as a river port to provide a more secure location for shipping compared with the open roadstead of Poverty Bay which can be exposed to southerly swells. A meat works was sited beside the harbour and meat and wool was shipped...
and Hamilton
Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
. He graduated in 1986 from the University of Canterbury
University of Canterbury
The University of Canterbury , New Zealand's second-oldest university, operates its main campus in the suburb of Ilam in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand...
with a Bachelor of Engineering
Bachelor of Engineering
The Bachelor of Engineering is an undergraduate academic degree awarded to a student after three to five years of studying engineering at universities in Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Denmark, Egypt, Finland , Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Korea,...
(Mechanical). He commenced his career with the Electricity Corporation of New Zealand
Electricity Corporation of New Zealand
The Electricity Corporation of New Zealand Ltd is a New Zealand state-owned enterprise formed on 1 April 1987, as a transition entity in the process of deregulating the New Zealand electricity market...
(ECNZ) as a mechanical engineer at New Plymouth Power Station
New Plymouth Power Station
The New Plymouth Power Station was a 600 MW thermal power station at New Plymouth. Located at Port Taranaki, it was dual fuelled on natural gas and fuel oil.-History:...
in 1987. From 1988 to 1989, he worked for ECNZ as a business analyst. From 1996 to 1998, he was general manager trading at Southpower, the electricity generation and distribution arm of Christchurch City Council
Christchurch City Council
The Christchurch City Council is the local government authority for Christchurch in New Zealand. It is a territorial authority elected to represent the people of Christchurch. Since 2007, the Mayor of Christchurch is Bob Parker, who stood as an independent candidate...
.
As a consequence of Max Bradford
Max Bradford
Maxwell Robert Bradford is a former New Zealand politician and Cabinet Minister. He was an MP for the National Party from 1990 to 2002, and is known for introducing reforms to the electricity industry in 1998.-Early life:...
's reform of the electricity sector, Southpower had to be split, and Sutton remained with the energy distribution part of one of its successors, Orion New Zealand Ltd, majority-owned by Christchurch City Holdings
Christchurch City Holdings
Christchurch City Holdings Ltd is a wholly owned investment arm of the Christchurch City Council. The council controlled trading organisations own and run some of the important infrastructure in Christchurch, such as the public transport and electricity delivery in the city.- Lyttelton Port...
. From 1998 to 2002, he was general manager commercial at Orion. In December 2002, he was appointed general manager operations. In early March 2003, he became acting CEO of Orion, and took the position of CEO on 1 May 2003, being responsible for 500 staff. In 2011, his salary was $700k. , he is chairman of Connetics, a fully owned Orion subsidiary. He is chair of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority is a New Zealand government/crown agency responsible for promoting energy efficiency and conservation....
.
In the late 1990s, Sutton was a member of the New Zealand Energy Market rules committee and the market rules structure groups. During 2001, Sutton was seconded to the office of the Minister of Energy, Pete Hodgson
Pete Hodgson
Peter Colin Hodgson is a New Zealand politician. He is a member of the Labour Party.Hodgson was born in Whangarei, and received a Bachelor's degree in veterinary science from Massey University...
, during the country's electricity crisis.
CERA
On 12 May 2011, Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry BrownleeGerry Brownlee
Gerard Anthony "Gerry" Brownlee is a New Zealand politician. He served from 17 November 2003 to 27 November 2006 as deputy-leader of the National Party – during that period the second-largest party in the New Zealand Parliament, and thus forming the core of the Opposition...
announced Sutton as the first permanent CEO of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority
Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority
The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority is a public service department established by the New Zealand government to coordinate the rebuilding of Christchurch and the surrounding areas following the 22 February 2011 earthquake.-Description:...
(CERA). The appointment is for a five year period. Sutton replaced the interim CEO John Ombler. On 13 June 2011, Sutton commenced the new role, which has a remuneration of $500k. The new role, where he has a staff of about 50, pays $200k less than his previous role at Orion.
Sutton's appointment was widely praised and welcome from all sectors of society, with the popularity gained by Sutton's reaction to the way power was restored, staff praised and information communicated after the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Christchurch mayor Bob Parker said that Sutton "would be very popular". The CEO of the Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce, Peter Townsend, said it was the "most important Government appointment of the year" and that Sutton had all the right attributes for the job. The Central City Business Association manager Paul Lonsdale said that Sutton had shown through his reaction to three earthquakes (this counts the Boxing Day aftershock as a separate event) that he is very pragmatic.
The chairman of the Canterbury Communities' Earthquake Recovery Network (CanCERN), Tom McBrearty, said that Sutton "brings two key ingredients – leadership around business and emphatic values around the community." Labour
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
MP Ruth Dyson
Ruth Dyson
Ruth Suzanne Dyson is a New Zealand politician. She is a member of the Labour Party and has been a Member of Parliament since 1993.-Early years:...
, whose Port Hills electorate
Port Hills (New Zealand electorate)
Port Hills is a new electorate of New Zealand created for the 2008 general election. It largely replaces the Banks Peninsula electorate, held by Ruth Dyson...
covers the area in east Christchurch worst affected by the last earthquake, said that Sutton was the perfect choice and gave him "12 out of 10".
Sutton was first suggested to lead the city's rebuild by former mayor Garry Moore
Garry Moore (mayor)
Garry Moore, CNZM is a former Mayor of Christchurch, New Zealand, serving from 1998 to 2007. He is a board member of the New Zealand Transport Agency. He is a 'South Island enthusiast'.-Early life:...
and Wigram
Wigram (New Zealand electorate)
Wigram is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. The current MP for Wigram is Megan Woods. She takes over this position from the retiring Jim Anderton, who held this position from 1996 until 2011.-Population...
MP Jim Anderton
Jim Anderton
James Patrick Anderton, usually known as Jim Anderton , is the leader of the Progressive Party, a New Zealand political party. He has served in Parliament since 1984. He served as Deputy Prime Minister from 1999 to 2002 and is currently also the sitting Father of the House, the longest...
in early March 2011.
Awards
- 2011 Energy Excellence Awards: Editor's award for outstanding contribution to the sector
Family
Sutton is married to the former journalist Jo Malcolm with three young boys. Actress Robyn MalcolmRobyn Malcolm
Robyn Malcolm is a New Zealand television and theatre actress. She has appeared in numerous New Zealand TV shows and has toured New Zealand with a number of theatre productions.-Early life:...
is his sister in law.