Our Team
For the first few years, Rotorua X events were organised by a core team. While it worked very well, there was no real structure and no certainty for the future.
To ensure our sustainability Rotorua X was formalised as a Trust in 2013. A Trust Deed was developed and a Board of Trustees appointed.
The Board meet on a regular basis to provide oversight and governance for the strategic direction of Rotorua X.
Chair - Darren McGarvie
Darren is owner and director of Firestation, Rotorua’s only Business Growth Centre. He has had a long and successful career helping businesses by working in a number of corporate positions, primarily in the financial services sector. These roles allowed him to work with a broad range of business people from farmers to entrepreneurs to large corporate entities and local government.
He has also started businesses in IT, construction and entertainment industries, allowing him to understand from a personal perspective the challenges of entrepreneurship and sustaining successful businesses.
Deputy Chair - Anna Grayling
Anna Grayling is the principal behind Grayling Consultants, helping residential and commercial property owners, business owners, farm owners and Maori Trusts realise their property or land potential.
After completing a Bachelor of Law and a Bachelor of Sciences at the University of Waikato, Anna’s career has evolved from ecological consultant, senior roles in local government and now running her own business. Anna’s business acumen and leadership was recognised with winning the 2013 Emerging Business Leader of the Year Award at the Rotorua Business Excellence Awards.
Trustee - Rachael McGarvie
Rachael McGarvie is the owner and director of Firestation. After many years working in a range of organiations as a senior marketer, Rachael established her own marketing consultancy in 2012.
Her marketing acumen has been gleaned from more than 25 years’ experience in strategic corporate communications working with small businesses, large corporates, local government and non-profit organisations.
Trustee - Andrew Wilson
Andrew has extensive experience across local government and commercial businesses across a wide range of industries.
He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Rotorua NZ.
Trustee - Johnelle Hosking
Since 2013 Johnelle has honed her craft of supporting people to grow in themselves and their companies/roles. She’s an avid learner with a diverse range of practical business skills that started from her career in radio before transitioning into supporting business development. In 2016 she trained as a life coach and uses all of her skills combined to help others succeed through her Johnelle Hosking coaching business.