Bruce Cotterill - Board Chair

Board member – Bruce Cotterill

Bruce is passionate about swimming and has been an active swimmer all of his life. He was a competitive swimmer in his teens before becoming active in Surf Life Saving and subsequently Triathlon and Ocean Swimming which has enabled him to remain involved in the sport to this day. In addition to swimming, Bruce plays golf and tennis.

Bruce has built a career as a leader in the business, both as a CEO and Professional Director. His business experience ranges across a number of industries including media, property, retail, apparel, travel, telecommunications and private equity. As many of these roles have involved taking on business transformation challenges, Bruce can offer a skill set to support the current change-orientated goals of Swimming New Zealand. Added to that, he brings sponsorship management experience from his former role as CEO with Canterbury International.

Bruce’s motivation for being on the Swimming New Zealand board is to contribute his business experience, skills and abilities to a sport he has been involved with all his life. As a self-described sports-mad New Zealander, he is committed to helping one of our cornerstone sports to adapt to the new world.


Governance Background
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Noel Leeming Group Ltd (2005 – current)
Director, Yellow Pages Group Limited (2007 – 2011)
Member, Advisory Board, Gresham Private Equity (Australia) (2005 – 2010)
Director, Woosh Wireless Limited (2005 – 2007)
Board Member and Chairman, Pinehurst School Board of Governors (5 years)

Business Background
CEO, Yellow Pages Group Limited (2009 – 2011)
CEO, Canterbury International Limited (2003 – 2005)
Managing Director, ACP Media Limited (1998 – 2003)
Regional Managing Director – Australasia, Colliers Jardine (1992 – 1997)

Swimming Background/Knowledge
During the 1980s and 1990s Bruce was actively involved in the leadership and administration of Surf Life Saving at both Bay of Plenty and National level. In 1985 he was appointed the first Chairman of World Life Saving’s Youth Leader Programme. He has been a member of the Omanu Beach Surf Lifesaving Club since 1975, and was made a life member in the 1990s.