PETER BIGGS has been appointed acting chief executive of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, which is based in Wellington. He succeeds Christopher Blake, who retired from the role at the end of the 2019. Biggs fills the position on an interim basis; the orchestra’s search for a permanent chief executive is currently underway. Biggs has been a member of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra board since August 2014 and will relinquish this role during his time as interim chief executive. Biggs has held leadership positions at advertising agencies in New Zealand and Australia over the past 25 years. He served as chair of the Arts Council of New Zealand from 1999 to 2006, was on the board of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and chaired the panel advising the New Zealand government on the country’s orchestral sector. He was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2013 for services to the arts, governance, and philanthropy. He has a first-class honors degree in English Literature and Latin from Victoria University of Wellington.
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