BOP Regional Council has first female CEO

Bay of Plenty Regional Council has its first female chief executive, 22 years after the organisation was born out of the reforms of the late 1980s.

Mary-Anne Macleod, currently the acting chief executive, will officially take over the helm of the council on August 8.

She replaces Bill Bayfield, who resigned after five years in the job to take over as chief executive of Environment Canterbury, an organisation now closely involved with the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquakes.

Ms Macleod previously worked as the council's strategic development group manager.

Chairman John Cronin said Ms Macleod was the right person to continue the organisation's focus on efficiency and the region's key natural icons which included the Rotorua lakes, Ohiwa Harbour and Tauranga Harbour.

"In addition to already knowing a lot about our council and the Bay of Plenty, Mary-Anne brings a wealth of experience through her roles with international companies and the Ministry for the Environment."

Ms Macleod, a Master of Science, held a general manager's role in the ministry and worked in the UK with Mobil Oil and Acer Environmental.

She said the council was in a really good place and she was "eager" to continue delivering on its strategic direction.

Ms Macleod said her government and commercial background, and the relationships she had built up, would ensure that the council continued to build on its great work.

Ms Macleod is married with two sons.