Our Board
Austen Banks, Chairman
Involvement at Chair and Board level with a number of business and charitable organisations has given Austen strong and applied interests in governance. Austen is a member of the Industry Training Federation (ITF) Board, Advantage Business Limited’s Otago Business Advisor, and mentors small businesses through Business Mentors New Zealand. He is a director of two private companies, and a trustee of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award.
Peter Herbert
Peter is Technical and Design Consultant for Specialised Components, a company he established and owned for 26 years. A qualified toolmaker, he was previously a director and shareholder of Rosebank Plastics Limited and LinkPlas Limited. Peter is an Executive member of NZMEA, a Board member of HERA (Heavy Engineering Research Association) and has been involved in developing qualifications for Competenz since its inception. He is Chair of the Competenz Strategic Advisory Group for precision engineering.
Diana Hudson
Diana provides important expertise in the area of employment law. She is Managing Solicitor at the Otago Southland Employers Association (OSEA) and is a past member of the Association’s Board. Prior to this, she was employed as the Human Resources and Compliance Manager for the Mainland Poultry Group of Companies, based in Dunedin. Diana is also a past Board member of the Otago Polytechnic Council.
Kevin Kennedy
Kevin is President of the Fire Protection Association and has direct responsibility for developing fire protection industry training. He is also Managing Director of the fire industry training company, Firetech Training Ltd, and a Director of FPIS Group. Kevin also has experience in the insurance industry and was Manager of Loss Prevention for Asia for an American insurance broker. Kevin spent 15 years as Managing Director of a fire protection inspection company before retiring recently.
Bill Newson
Bill has extensive experience in the field of employee representation, and is Assistant National Secretary for the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU). Bill has a trade background with an involvement in ITOs and trade training since the introduction of the Industry Training Act. He has played a significant part in the development of engineering apprenticeship training trusts. Bill is a trustee for the Ivan Fisk Scholarship, which promotes advanced engineering training.
John Blakey
John, Chief Executive and Executive Director, has had a pivotal role in the evolving dynamics of industry training over the past 20 years. Prior to joining Competenz he was the CEO of FITEC, the forestry industry training organisation, for nine years. He was a two-term Tertiary Education Commission commissioner and Board member, and past Chair of the Industry Training Federation. John also established and was head of the School of Communication Studies at the Auckland Institute of Technology (now AUT University) for nine years.