Barrie Saunders

Tel: +64 4 914 1753
Cell: +64 21 449 469
Email: barrie@sul.co.nz

Barrie created the company with Mark in 1994.  With a career spanning 40 years, he has been involved in some way with many of the major policy issues of this period.  He specialises in managing public policy issues for organisations or groups with common goals. 

He chairs the 14 member port company CEO group and is their advocate with officials and Ministers.   This is a very efficient virtual organisation, and the model has been substantially adopted by his clients The Metro Group comprising  CEOs of six large institues of technology and polytechnic.  In July 2011 he was appointed to the TVNZ Board for a term of three years.     

He was President of the Wellington Regional Chamber of Commerce  2000-2002, is now a life member of the Chamber.  He was a trustee of the Wellington City Mission for seven years until 2006 and was a member of the Housing NZ Board 1994-97.  

Prior to establishing his business in 1990, Barrie worked as a journalist and in public relations.  This included radio and television current affairs in New Zealand, Australia and the UK. He was the first editor of the National Business Review when it commenced publishing in 1970. 

Previous public relations experience includes: Parliamentary Press Secretary for W E (Bill) Rowling (1976-78), then leader of the opposition; Assistant Director (Public Relations) New Zealand Manufacturers Federation (1979-1983); and, Group Manager (Public Relations) for the New Zealand Meat Producers Board (1983-85).  Between 1986-90 he was the New York based North American Director of the New Zealand Meat Producers Board.   This position included the management of relationships with key groups in the US and Canada and dealing at the highest levels on trade access issues.

Barrie and his wife Linda have one adult son.  He plays golf, likes jazz and classical music and travel both in New Zealand and overseas, particularly Australia and South America.

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