Environment Southland chief executive Rob Phillips will retire in May but will continue with his governance roles.
Environment Southland chief executive Rob Phillips is retiring after 10 years in the role.
Council chair Nicol Horrell says Phillips’ passion for Southland, his ability to develop relationships and work with the community “have been unwavering”.
“He has been instrumental in strengthening community partnerships, building relationships with industry organisations, Te Ao Marama, government ministers and departments and this has been an important factor in successfully progressing our work programmes,” Horrell said in a statement.
His quick action to divert staff with the 2016 discovery of velvetleaf and his encouragement and support for other councils and businesses to participate in the MPI-led response was a major reason there has not been a re-emergence in Southland.
Phillips will retire in May but will continue with his governance roles, including as co-chair of the BioHeritage Challenge and as Environment Southland’s appointed representative on the board of Predator Free Rakiura.
