Chorus appointments and resignation

Chorus has announced the resignation of Scott Newton, general manager, strategy and business operations after just four months in the job.

It has also confirmed the appointment of Joanna Crawford as general manager customer care and named Vanessa Oakley as general manager strategy and business operations, from March 2018.

Newton joined Chorus from Fletcher Building in August 2017. Prior to that he was the turnaround lead at Spark. Chorus CEO Kate McKenzie said at the time of his appointment that his team would run the Chorus programme of work, “helping drive our programme disciplines, the prioritisation of initiatives and continuous improvement end-to-end across Chorus.”

Announcing his resignation, she said: “Scott’s work in setting up our internal transformation and Vanessa’s work in shaping our external regulatory policy environment now presents Chorus the opportunity to move these forward together.”

McKenzie described Oakley as “a seasoned senior executive who’s played a large role right across the company since Chorus was demerged.” She said Oakley would continue her current role leading Chorus’ regulatory strategy along with her new role.

Chorus will also commence a recruitment process in the New Year to fill the general counsel and company secretary role.