Collaboration across sectors is complex and demanding, but rewarding beyond imagination when it works well.
The place-based housing initiative in Hastings involved a deep collaboration between Central and Local Government and Iwi. We have invited two Chief Executives, Nigel Bickle, Chief Executive, Hastings District Council, and Andrew Crisp, Chief Executive, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to tell us what it took to make it happen. They will talk of mindset changes, thinking and acting differently, overcoming risk averseness; they will talk of the essential drivers of success, ways of overcoming the hurdles and making a difference. You will go away from this session with inspiration, and practical steps on how to create an effective collaborative venture.
ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS
To’osavili Nigel Bickle – Chief Executive of Hastings District Council
Nigel describes himself as a “boy from Porirua” and is certainly proud of his roots. He started his working life as a 20-year-old, processing benefit applications in the local welfare office.
He worked in the public sector for 30 years including eight as Deputy Chief Executive of Immigration. Other previous roles include Acting Chief Executive of the Department of Labour and Acting Chief Executive of the Department of Building and Housing. Nigel was the head of the Government’s Provincial Development Unit, which managed the Provincial Growth Fund. Nigel took up the role as Chief Executive of the Hastings District Council in February 2019.
Andrew Crisp has been Chief Executive of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) since December 2018.
Andrew joined HUD as Acting Chief Executive in October 2018, on secondment from his substantive role as Chief Executive at Land Information New Zealand (LINZ). At LINZ he was responsible for overseeing a diverse range of functions, with the aim of ensuring New Zealand has accurate information about where people and places are, people have confidence in their property rights and Crown property is well managed for future generations.
Prior to LINZ, Andrew held a number of leadership roles across the public sector, including at The Treasury, the Department of Labour, the Ministry for the Environment and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). Andrew was part of the leadership team that established MBIE in 2012 and held the role of Deputy Chief Executive, Building, Resources and Markets.
Andrew holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration degree from Victoria University of Wellington, and is a Chartered Accountant.