Port Taranaki's new Commercial Manager Allan Melhuish brings a unique set of skills to the role.

A self employed management consultant based in Auckland for the last three years, Allan is an experienced project manager who worked for a variety of clients. “Before that I was with Genesis Energy and, in fact, most of my career has been in the energy sector,’’ Allan says.

“I was looking for opportunities to get back into corporate life and wanted to join a collaborative environment. I’ve always been attracted to organisations that are doing things, with plenty on the go and plenty of challenges.’’ Allan was in no doubt that Port Taranak fitted those criteria perfectly.

“I have had a past association with the port, when I was at Genesis Energy and we had a joint venture with Contact Energy looking at importing LNG.’’ Allan was impressed by what he saw at Port Taranaki at that time.

“Clearly this was a port that was doing things, and I’d noticed they were doing a few different things and facing a few challenges. Purchasing the New Plymouth power station site was one example, so it appealed to me as an organisation.

“I bring quite a unique background to this role. I have a degree in electronic and electrical engineering from Canterbury University, and started life as an engineer but decided I wanted to get more commercial, so studied part time for an honours degree in economics. “It’s an eclectic mix, but it holds me in good stead for problem solving and dealing with issues and tackling them from different angles.’’

It was a skill set that Port CEO Guy Roper clearly values.

“He’s worked with the port previously, he’s familiar with our operations and has a good grasp of the Taranaki economy. With us being the energy province the experience Allan brings is going to be very valuable.

“He brings a good degree of commercialism to the business and for our customers.’’ Allan is a keen family man and he and his wife have two children, aged 13 and 10. He currently commutes from Auckland but at the end of the year the Melhuish family will shift to New Plymouth.

“We both grew up in provincial New Zealand, Allan from Whanganui, and his wife Sandra in Hamilton.

“So we’re not Aucklanders born and bred. We’ve been there about 12 years but won’t be sorry to leave the traffic congestion behind.’’

Allan’s a keen runner, something he and the children often do together and he enjoys cycling as well.

He started with the port on July 6.