TAB NZ appoints Mike Tod as next CEO

New Zealand's racing and sports betting agency TAB NZ has appointed Mike Tod as its next chief executive.

Tod will begin his new role on 21 March, with the appointment completing the New Zealand Racing Board and the Racing Industry Transition Agency's transition to TAB NZ.

Tod brings a wealth of experience to the role having held senior roles with TVNZ, Fonterra, Air New Zealand and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. He is a former member of MasterCard’s Asia Pacific Advisory Board, a director of Queenstown Airport, and an advisor to Live Ocean Racing.

“The board and I are thrilled to welcome someone of Mike’s international experience to lead TAB NZ,” said TAB NZ board chair Mark Stewart. “He is a deeply customer-centric leader with extensive experience in key areas of focus for our organisation, including product and service innovation, marketing, brand and consumer engagement. His appointment and those areas of focus will allow us to drive further revenue growth for our racing and sporting stakeholders.

"Mike’s global experience with Air New Zealand - in particular as chief marketing and customer officer where he led the resurgence of the brand and delivery of proactive and service innovations internationally - places TAB NZ in a strong position to meet its financial potential and to deliver upon the expectations of its stakeholders.

“His experience in highly regulated industries and with organisations with significant stakeholder complexity, will be invaluable to TAB NZ," added Stewart.

Commenting on his appointment Tod said: “TAB NZ is an iconic organisation that is inextricably linked to New Zealand’s way of life. Now that the racing industry reforms are well advanced, this allows TAB NZ, as a commercial wagering operator, to focus on its objectives of maximising profits for the long-term benefit of racing in New Zealand, to maximise returns to New Zealand sporting organisations, and to support our communities.”