About Peter
I am a 47 year old, living in Linwood, born and bred in Christchurch. I grew up in North New Brighton, went to Shirley Boys High and the University of Canterbury. My 18 year old daughter is at Otago University.
Two of the big reasons I love Christchurch are the Port Hills and the Southern Alps. Skiing, climbing, tramping and hill running are the activities that spin my wheels. Movies, music on vinyl records and watching the All Blacks beat the Springboks are major passions.
My values are centred on community and neighbourhoods. All my adult life I have been involved in organisations and activities that build community. I have worked hard to develop the business skills and expertise to make me an effective and practical contributor.
Qualifications
MBA – Master of Business Administration
MA (Hons) in New Zealand history.
Current Roles
Chair of the Board at NZCU South. A credit union (basically a bank, owned by its customers). $100m of assets and 22,000 members. 14 branches from Nelson to Invercargill. Our Christchurch branch can be found at The Palms shopping centre.
Chair of the Southern Region of the Sustainable Business Network. A nationwide forum for businesses focussed on environmental sustainability.
Marketing Strategist consultant at Claude & Associates. Christchurch’s longest-established marketing and advertising agency.
Convenor Green Drinks. A monthly networking event for folk working or interested in environmental sustainability.
Past Roles
Chair of the Board at Shirley Intermediate School. A great team of parents banded together to stop the decline of this school. We are so proud of the kids-centred vibrant school that came out of our hard work.
Founding manager at Just Dollars Trust. In the early 1990s I joined a fantastic group of community-minded folk who had the idea of forming a people’s bank. We had no idea! But we very quickly worked out a practical goal of seeking investments from the community to support loans to low income people setting up in self-employment. We made it work and it is still running today. This organisation has been responsible for the creation of hundreds of jobs in Christchurch and Canterbury.
General Manager at Credit Union Canterbury.
Director at Christchurch Small Business Enterprise Centre. Community-owned company that provides business training, accounting services, employment placement, migrant business support. These people do good work!
Strategic Development Manager at CallSouth. The South Island’s own telecommunications company during the early 2000s. Community owned. Residential phone and Internet customers throughout New Zealand.
