Major General Dave Gawn has been appointed as the head of the Pike River Recovery Agency.
State Services Commissioner Peter Hughes said the position was "a very important role for New Zealand, the Public Service and in particular the Pike River families who will be front and centre of the new agency’s decisions and actions".
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He said Major General Gawn was "a highly respected and experienced serving military officer who has led international operations with the New Zealand Defence Force and the United Nations".
Prior to his appointment, Major General Gawn was the Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation in Israel.
"He has extensive experience managing and mitigating risk, including while operating in hazardous environments, and he has an engaging leadership style and is a skilled communicator," Mr Hughes said.
He will start his new role on January 31.
Twenty-nine miners died in the 2010 disaster on the West Coast.
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