New QLDC finance boss hired from controversial government agency

The Queenstown Lakes District Council has appointed Katherine Harbrow to the position of assurance, finance and risk general manager.

Ms Harbrow joins the QLDC from Te Pūkenga - the national network for all the country’s 25 polytechnics and industry training organisations.

Te Pūkenga is in line to be disestablished by the current government, which has accused the organisation of being a failure after recording a $37.7 million deficit at the end of 2023.

Ms Harbrow, who officially starts her new role on Monday, August 12, succeeds council finance manager Stewart Burns, who is retiring after nearly 28 years’ service.

“I was born in Invercargill, had holidays in Frankton and Arrowtown, and met, got engaged and married my husband in Queenstown," Ms Harbrow says in a written statement from the council.

"I have 28 years’ experience of leading teams and 11 years in local government. This has included leading or supporting four Long Term Plans, enhancing financial data accessibility, and working with the same core IT system used at QLDC.

“Outside work I enjoy skiing, hiking and being a taxi driver to my two active children. I love rugby and have travelled many times to watch the All Blacks and our other national teams play.

"I’m looking forward to getting stuck in at QLDC and learning as much as I can from Stew and the rest of the team.”

QLDC chief executive Mike Theelen says there will be a handover period of two to three months to aid the transition.

“Congratulations and a warm welcome to Katherine," he says in the statement.

"She’s an exceptional leader with proven local government experience who’ll be a great addition to our executive leadership team and council as a whole."

Ms Harbrow is a chartered accountant and holds an MBA from the University of Canterbury.

At Te Pūkenga, she was the financial reporting and operations director.

Other previous roles for Ms Harbrow include the chief financial officer as well as the director of operations at Environment Canterbury, and the finance business partner at the Christchurch City Council.

Mr Theelen has also worked for the Christchurch City Council, where he was the general manager for strategy and planning.

Mr Theelen says Ms Harbrow’s appointment follows a rigorous recruitment process during which executive search specialists Sheffield South Island supported the council's people and capability team.