TIA Appoints New Independent Chair

Tourism Industry Aotearoa’s Board of Directors has appointed a new independent chair, Gráinne Troute.

Troute is a professional director with many years’ experience of operating customer- focused businesses in highly competitive sectors including tourism, hospitality and retail.

She is a director of Tourism Holdings Ltd, Summerset Holdings Ltd and Investore Property.

In her executive career she was most recently General Manager, Corporate Services for SkyCity Entertainment Group. Prior to that she was Managing Director of McDonald’s Restaurants (NZ) Ltd and has also held executive roles with consultancy firm Right Management and with Coopers & Lybrand (now PWC).

She has also spent many years as a trustee and chair in the not-for-profit sector, including having been the Chair of Ronald McDonald House Charities (NZ) for five years. She is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors.

TIA Acting Chair Grant Webster said TIA is fortunate to have attracted a new chair of Troute’s calibre, especially at this incredibly challenging time for New Zealand’s entire tourism industry.

“The Board is confident that her leadership experience of tourism and other industries will add value as we navigate these unprecedented times," said Webster.

Troute is looking forward to tackling her new role.

“Tourism is enormously important to New Zealand. TIA has displayed strong leadership through the COVID-19 pandemic and we will continue to look for every opportunity to support the interests of our members and the wider industry," said Troute.