Steve Armitage, Independent Chair of Business Events Industry Aotearoa, has been appointed CEO of Hospitality New Zealand.
Following his appointment Armitage will be stepping down from his role at BEIA in August.
Hospitality NZ President Nick Keene has thanked Steve’s predecessor, Julie White, for her significant contributions to Hospitality New Zealand over the past five years.“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Julie for her dedication and achievements during her tenure.”
BEIA Chief Executive, Lisa Hopkins says the board and members of BEIA wanted to thank Steve Armitage for his outstanding leadership and support during the past two years and congratulate him on his new appointment heading one of New Zealand’s largest industry associations.
“Under Steve’s guidance, BEIA is heading in a strong direction which will secure the future for the association and the industry. He will be an important part of our flagship event, MEETINGS in Wellington this month, and he will attend our conference in September in his new role representing the hospitality industry,” she says.
“We are thrilled to know we will continue working closely with Steve in his new role. BEIA and HospitalityNZ developed a strong relationship during the COVID pandemic, and the two organisations are closely aligned within the wider visitor economy. I am looking forward to our working relationship continuing and the collaboration opportunities that will bring for both organisations.”
BEIA will begin the process of seeking a new Chair after the MEETINGS conference, with a view to having the Chair in place by the annual conference in Marlborough in September.
Armitage’s career has spanned the public and private sectors, most recently specialising in tourism, major events, business attraction, communications and public affairs. He was GM, Destination, at ATEED for eight years, until 2021, and since then has Chaired the Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) and consulted to the events and tourism industry.
Steve Armitage said: “I feel very privileged to step into this role at such an important time and I am determined to build on the tireless work that Julie and the team have performed in recent years.
“Hospitality has always been close to my heart, providing a strong foundation for my career. I look forward to combining my experience and passion with that of the wider membership to advance the interests of the sector.”
To ensure a smooth transition within Hospitality New Zealand, Steve will gradually assume his new responsibilities over the next two months, before taking on the role full-time starting from August 14. This transitional period will allow Steve to familiarise himself with the organisation and its operations, ensuring a seamless continuation of Hospitality NZ’s strategic objectives.
