[asia-apec 1621] NZ ABAC appointees announced

[APEC Monitoring Group]

APEC Business Advisory Council Appointees
Wednesday, 18 October 2000, 9:36 am
Press Release: New Zealand Government

17 October 2000
APEC Business Advisory Council Appointees Announced


Sir Dryden Spring has been appointed as the incoming Chair of the New
Zealand delegation to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), Prime
Minister Helen Clark announced today.

The other two New Zealand representatives to have been appointed to ABAC are
Peter Masfen, Chairman of the Montana Group, and Wendy Pye of Wendy Pye Ltd.

APEC Leaders agreed in 1995 to establish a permanent independent source of
business advice for APEC. Philip Burdon has been New Zealand’s chair since
1995. Sir Dryden’s two-year term will commence when Mr Burdon steps down
immediately after this year’s APEC Leaders’ Meeting in Brunei in November.
Mr Masfen and Ms Pye will also commence two-year terms of appointment at the
same time, replacing outgoing ABAC members Douglas Myers and Fran Wilde.

"ABAC plays an important role in providing a direct business input to APEC,"
Helen Clark said.

ABAC representatives from all twenty-one APEC economies meet several times a
year to discuss the APEC work programme and make suggestions. They produce
an annual report, and have an opportunity to discuss this with the Leaders
of APEC economies at the annual APEC Leaders’ Meeting.

Sir Dryden Spring, a former Chairman of the NZ Dairy Board, is Chairman of
Goodman Fielder New Zealand, Ericsson Communications (NZ) Ltd and WEL Energy
Group Ltd. He is also Deputy Chairman of the Goodman Fielder group, and has
a range of senior directorships.

Peter Masfen is Chairman of the Montana Group, New Zealand’s largest wine
producing and exporting company, while Wendy Pye is the founder of a highly
successful company producing and exporting reading and other educational
materials.

“We are fortunate to have been able to engage the services of these three
outstanding business people to boost New Zealand’s profile at APEC,” Helen
Clark said.

Ends