Peter Mersi, currently Secretary for Transport and Chief Executive of the Ministry of Transport, will succeed Naomi Ferguson as Commissioner and Chief Executive of the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) from July.
Announcing Mersi's appointment, Deputy Public Service Commissioner Helene Quilter says he's a highly respected leader with extensive public service experience.
"He has breadth and depth of policy and delivery leadership experience, including as a chief executive for the last 11 years,” Quilter says.
Mersi's now Secretary for Transport and Chief Executive of the Ministry of Transport, a role he has been in since July 2016. Prior to that he was Chief Executive of Land Information New Zealand, and Acting Secretary for Internal Affairs at the Department of Internal Affairs. He has also previously worked as a Deputy Commissioner at Inland Revenue and was a Deputy Secretary at the Treasury for seven years.
"Mersi has a proven record of enhancing organisational performance and has provided critical system leadership as a member of the Economic Chief Executives Group, the Strategic Planning Reform Board, the COVID-19 Chief Executives Board, the Border Executive Board and the Climate Change Chief Executives Board," says Quilter.
She says the Commissioner of Inland Revenue holds important roles as the principal steward of the New Zealand tax system and leader of a large organisation.
"The Commissioner has duties of care and management of taxes under the Tax Administration Act 1994 and has statutory independence from ministers to ensure Inland Revenue can levy and carry out its duties independently. With the Treasury, Inland Revenue provides advice to the Government on tax policy and the social policies it administers."
He has been appointed for five years from July 1. Ferguson has been in the role since July 2012.
Mersi holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration (Economics) from Victoria University.
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