A west Aucklander has been given one of the most daunting jobs in the country.  Former Kelston High School student Doug McKay is the interim chief executive of the Auckland supercity.

The new council opens for business on November 1 and will be the largest local authority in New Zealand.

With a population topping 1.4 million people, and stretching from Wellsford in the north to the Bombay Hills in the south - it's huge.

And Mr McKay admits he's still learning the ropes.  "I started on August 1 so I'm still getting myself up to speed," he says.

Mr McKay's been appointed for 18 months until the Auckland Council chooses a new chief executive.  The 54-year-old father of three grew up in west Auckland.  It's something he's proud of -  despite the fact he resides in Epsom these days.

"I'm still a west Auckland boy, that's where my roots are."  He went on to study at Auckland University after leaving secondary school and graduated with a batchelor of arts in English.

He has held a long list of high profile jobs in the corporate world, including senior positions with Lion Nathan, Goodman Fielder, Sealord and Cater Holt Harvey.

Mr McKay's counting down the days until he starts and says his schedule for the council's first week makes for daunting reading.

"It's massive from the get go," Mr McKay says.  "We've never had anything on this scale before in New Zealand."

Mr McKay expects some teething troubles along the way as well.  "They are inevitable with a job on this scale,'' he says.

"Some nights I wake up at three in the morning thinking about it.  "But I feel like I'm the guy who can do this job."  And he hopes to see the Auckland supercity succeed.

"I'm excited by the potential we have here," he says.

"This could dramatically change the futures of Auckland and New Zealand.

"We're dealing with 34 per cent of the country's gross domestic product and $18 billion a year in government funding.

"At the end of the day, the idea is to make it work for the people of Auckland."

Auckland Transition Agency executive chairman Mark Ford says Mr McKay was the perfect candidate for the job.

"His background in customer service, driving results-focused organisations, managing performance and leading staff through periods of change will be invaluable as the new council begins and develops."

And what plans does he have after his interim tenure comes to an end?

"I'll take a breather,'' he says.

Hear Doug Mckay speak about the about implications of the new council and how this will work for West Auckland businesses at the Waitakere Business Club Breakfast on Wednesday 15 September.  Book now  >>

Article Source: www.westernleader.co.nz
Article By: Stephen Forbes