Graeme Drake is a senior executive with a track record in transforming culture and organisations that has resulted in revenue growth, diversification of product and service offerings, and increased profitability. This has been achieved through improving service delivery, establishing new markets and products, and improving employee satisfaction and retention. He is an experienced negotiator and communicator who has developed diplomatic and commercial multi-lateral agreements and has extensive national and international networks.
Graeme’s employment history:
1991-1992, Director, Drake Planning Solutions, New Zealand
1993-1995, Principal Planner, Works Consultancy Services Ltd, New Zealand
1996-1998, Director, Environmental and Regulatory Services, Whangarei District Council, New Zealand
1999-2000, Divisional Manager, Engineering and Local Government, Standards New Zealand
2000-2002, General Manager, Business Relations and General Manager, International, Standards New Zealand
2002-2005, Head of Conformity Assessment, International Organization for Standardization, Switzerland
2005-2007, Acting General Manager, NCS International Pty Ltd, Australia
2007-2010, General Manager, Corporate Services and Business Development, National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA), Australia
2010-, Principal, GED Advisory, Australia and United Kingdom
Graeme has experience across all aspects of management. He has provided leadership in strategy and policy development, stakeholder engagement, operations, change management, corporate services and finance, business development and marketing.
His background includes commercial consulting and auditing, federal and local government policy and regulation, and providing services for membership based organisations and international bodies. He has worked in Australia, New Zealand and Switzerland and completed assignments in many countries that have required an ability to work with different cultures.
He is passionate about helping organisations perceive and respond to change, and to provide optimal value to customers and stakeholders on a sustainable basis.
Graeme Drake is also a world recognized expert in technical regulations, standardisation and conformity assessment. He has worked for over 15 years in the areas of good regulatory practice, technical barriers to trade, trade facilitation and capacity building for technical infrastructures.
He has represented the governments of Australian and New Zealand and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in various trade related and technical fora such as the WTO, European Commission, APEC and ASEAN-CER. He has an extensive international network and regularly undertakes assignments for various governments, companies and other organisations around the world.
Graeme holds a Bachelor of Regional Planning with a focus in environmental economics, a Postgraduate Diploma in Business and Administration specialising in strategic planning for government and membership base organisations, and a Master of Business Studies that focused on management systems and corporate governance. He has completed Harvard University Law School’s short course on conflict resolution and negotiation, and holds the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ Diploma.
He is a member of the Australian Accreditation Board for Standards Development Organisations (ABSDO) that accredits organisations in Australia to develop national Australian Standards, and is a full member of the New Zealand Planning Institute (MNZPI), Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and Australian Institute of Management Consultants (MIMC).