Media boss, Tim Pankhurst, goes fishing

Former newspaper editor Tim Pankhurst will take up the role of chief executive of Seafood New Zealand from April.

The former editor of The Press, Waikato Times, The Evening Post and The Dominion Post has often written about his love of fishing and he will now lead the organisation promoting seafood and lobbying on the industry’s behalf.

“Tim brings significant advocacy experience to this leadership role representing one of New Zealand’s major primary industries,” Eric Barratt, the chairman of Seafood New Zealand, said.

Mr Barratt is managing director of fishing company Sanford.

Pankhurst was previously chief executive of the Newspaper Publishers’ Association and is currently general manager of the Communications and Media Industry Training Organisation and Print NZ.

Seafood is the country’s fifth-biggest export earner.

Reflecting major changes in the print media industry, Pankhurst’s NPA role recently shrank to part-time when the organisation rebranded as Newsworks NZ.