TVNZ executive Cate Calver has joined Auckland-based production company Great Southern Television as CEO, replacing founder Phillip Smith.
A lawyer by trade, Calver has worked at TVNZ for the past decade, starting off as legal counsel for content rights before spending six years as director of content, a role she held until earlier this year when she took on the position of chief transformation officer. Prior to joining TVNZ, she spent seven years at sports and entertainment giant IMG in London and Auckland.
Calver said she was “absolutely thrilled” to lead the company, also paying tribute to Smith, who has been CEO since launching the company with the late Sir David Levene in 2002 and will remain in the position of chief creative officer.
“Philip is an incredibly talented creative executive and has built a strong independent production company with a fantastic reputation both locally and globally,” she said.
“I can’t wait to help steer it through its next chapter.”
Smith said the appointment was an exciting step forward for the company, known for programs such as One Lane Bridge, The Casketeers, and Tracked, as well as the award-winning current affairs series The Hui.
“With the industry in a state of change, we have secured New Zealand’s smartest head to guide us through this exciting phase,” he said.
“Cate is a strong leader and blue-sky thinker, and we are absolutely delighted that she has chosen to join the Great Southern whānau. As a creatively-led company with a strong cultural foundation and history of innovative thinking, Cate aligns perfectly with Great Southern Television’s values.”
Great Southern Television’s currently has three dramas in production — Friends Like Her, Spinal Destination, and Noob 3— for which it is working with international partners Fifth Season, Hattrick and Oble, respectively.