Mark Weldon (New Zealand)

Mark Rhys Weldon, QSO (born 19 September 1967 in Auckland in New Zealand) has achieved prominence as a business leader and a sportsman.

Career

Weldon has served as the CEO of NZX Limited (NZX).^[1] NZX runs the national stock exchange located in Wellington, New Zealand. NZX also runs the national energy markets, derivative markets, and has a growing commodities focus in both the markets (grain, dairy) and information areas. NZX also runs New Zealand's only clearing and settlement infrastructure - clearing, settling and managing risk in exchange-traded products. When Weldon took over NZX, it was a mutual organization that had nearly been sold to the ASX for a peppercorn. He led the exchange through a demutualization and a listing. In the 8 years following its listing in 2003, shareholders in NZX received average annual returns of 24%. Since 2002, new business lines in clearing, settlement, information, commodities, and derivatives have been established in New Zealand and Australia.

Weldon previously worked at Skadden, Arps in New York, and also at McKinsey & Company, also in New York.

Weldon has given a significant amount of time to public policy and to "NZ Inc". Some of the things in this area he has done include:

leading the Prime Minister's Appeal for Christchurch, after the devastating 22 February 2011 earthquake
chairing the Prime Minister's Job Summit in 2009
participating on the Capital Markets Development Taskforce in 2009/10; the Tax Working Group in 2009; and the Climate Change Leadership Forum in 2007

From 2012-12 Weldon served on the board of High Performance Sport New Zealand, appointed by the government along with Hamish Carter as independent members to drive an enhanced focus on high performance sport. He was previously on the Board of the New Zealand Olympic Committee (2004-2006).

Since leaving NZX Weldon have invested in the wine industry, buying vineyards on Felton Road, Bannockburn, and launching the Terra Sancta label.

Background

Weldon represented New Zealand as a swimmer at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain in the Men's 50m freestyle and in the 4 x 100m freestyle relay. He also swam for New Zealand at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, and won numerous national titles, with national records.

Weldon has BCom, BA, and MCom (First Class Hons) degrees from the University of Auckland, and a Juris Doctor degree and a diploma in International Law (Hons) from Columbia Law School in New York.

Recognition

Weldon received a Queen's Service Order (QSO) in the 2012 Queen's Birthday Honours List; Weldon received a Distinguished Alumni Award in 2006 from the University of Auckland.,^[2] and was also an annaugral Blake Leader Emerging Leader in 2006.

Notes

↑ Mark Weldon, former CEO of NZX, Joins Diligent's Board of Directors to Help Guide Company during Period of Record Growth, The Sacramento Bee. By Diligent Board Member Services, Inc. Published: 17 May 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
↑ "Distinguished Alumni Profiles - Mark Weldon". University of Auckland. Retrieved 2011-11-11.

References