An update about the Interim CEO position at the Water Company

The community has been asking, and so have we, about what is happening with the Interim CEO position at the Water Company.

We’ve attached a copy of the implementation plan for the Water Company which shows the Interim Position was due to be replaced in July 2026. Take note of the pink shading showing the interim position was to be “completed” by 30^th June 2026.

Recent enquiries we have made tell us Neil Holdom, as the current Interim CEO, has a contract until early November 2026. This totally contradicts what is showing as the timeframe in the pink shaded area in the implementation diagram attached.

We have been advised it is up to the Wai Hononga Board, if they get a successful permanent CEO through the current open application process, as to how long the Interim CEO contract will last. So, it is possible for the Interim CEO position to end before November 2026

As has become quite common with the new Water Company, what was in the implementation plan is not quite what it appeared to be when it was signed off by all the elected officials.

• In this latest example, the implementation plan shows the interim CEO position ending by 30^th June 2026, yet an employment contract has been signed out to early November 2026 for the incumbent Interim CEO.
• The implementation plan shows this interim position will have a 7 month contract, the reality is a 12 month contract has been signed, 5 months longer than NPDC elected officials signed off with the implementation plan.
• Bear in mind as well, a redundancy clause of 3 months is included in the incumbent Interim CEO’s contract, if the interim position is made redundant.
• With applications for a permanent CEO position closing on 10^th May 2026, does this sort of stack the odds for the Interim CEO to collect a 3 month redundancy payment for the interim role if he is not appointed to the permanent position ?

We sincerely hope the surprises and deviations from the implementation plan do not continue with the new Chairman who is now in place.

Just as a recap about the Water Company appointments, so far we know:

• An Interim Board for the Water Company was appointed until July 2027.
• The initial Chairman has resigned and left the Water Company.
• A new Chairman of the Board has been appointed in recent weeks.
• The permanent CEO position was advertised with applications closing on 10^th May 2026.
• A recruitment company in Christchurch has been appointed for the interview process.

The Community would really like some clarity about what is happening with the ‘interim” CEO situation at the Water Company. 90% of people who voted in our Strawpoll about the interim position do not support the current incumbent and are looking for certainty with the appointment of a permanent CEO. (We have attached a copy of the Poll).

We have been told from our contact person at the NPDC, with a new Board Chair now in place, an announcement MAY be possible in a few weeks.

As soon as we know any more we will update again.