ChristchurchNZ has appointed two new independent directors to help steer the city’s economic development agency through its next phase of growth.
Prominent business leader Mary Devine and Christchurch investment executive Hamish Blackman will join the board from the agency’s Annual General Meeting on 27 November 2025. Their appointments follow the departure of non-executive director Toby Selman.
ChristchurchNZ Board Chair Lauren Quaintance said the new appointments would strengthen the agency’s governance and strategic direction.
“We are thrilled to have secured two experienced and commercially minded new directors to join our board, and I am looking forward to working with both Mary and Hamish over the coming years to ensure ChristchurchNZ continues to deliver the best possible value for the ratepayer,” Quaintance said.
Devine is Chief Executive of Foodstuffs South Island, overseeing $4 billion in revenue and 14,000 staff across the co-operative. She has also held senior leadership roles at EziBuy, Ballantynes and Hallenstein Glassons, and currently serves on boards including Meridian Energy, Christchurch City Holdings, IAG New Zealand and Briscoes Group. In 2013 she was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to business.
“Christchurch and Canterbury have already achieved so much, showing real resilience and creativity along the way. Joining ChristchurchNZ is a chance to build on that legacy. I am excited to help guide the agency through the opportunities and challenges ahead – with a focus on delivering long-term benefits for our region and communities,” Devine said.
Blackman brings more than 20 years of experience in global financial markets and investment management. He previously served as Chief Investment Officer at GreenMount Capital, where he led initiatives backed by Ngāi Tahu Holdings, and has also worked at Murray & Co and the New Zealand Super Fund, where he held a range of governance roles across its investment portfolio.
“Christchurch is entering an exciting new chapter and I look forward to supporting ChristchurchNZ in driving strategic investment in the city’s growth sectors, accelerating commercial attraction and unleashing the economic potential of the region,” Blackman said.
The appointments come as ChristchurchNZ prepares to deliver a packed major events calendar in 2026 while continuing to focus on sector productivity, commercial investment and visitor attraction.
