The Post understands that Viv Beck has been stood down as chief executive of Heart of the City after more than 10 years in the job.
The Post has clarified that Beck has not been dismissed, but has been stood down.
It’s come as a shock to the Auckland business and political community with many - including members of the organisation’s own executive committee - learning about it after being called by a reporter.
But several Auckland political sources said her absence had been noted for some weeks at key events like the signing of the Auckland City Deal.
The Post explicitly asked Heart of the City about the nature of Beck’s current position, but had not received a response by deadline.
However, the organisation has brought on a specialist PR consultant who is based in Sydney following the inquiry.
On Saturday a spokesperson for the HOTC executive committee clarified that Beck remained chief executive. Independently, The Post has clarified that Beck has been stood down.
In the background, there have been several recent media reports about ructions between Beck and the organisation’s executive committee.
The Post previously reported there had been concerns that Beck had been too publicly “negative” about the city centre in lobbying for action on homelessness and vagrants.
For instance, it’s understood there were dissenting views within the executive committee about the release of a scathing survey which showed 81% of businesses believed the CBD was “not in a good state” for investment.
“Of course we want to be more positive,” Beck previously told The Post. “Some say we are relentlessly positive, and 90% of the time we are. But, we are realists who also believe if there are issues, they need to be addressed.”
The Post has made numerous attempts to contact Beck, but has not received a response, with Beck’s phone having been seemingly turned off for some days.
Her husband Paul Quinn would not comment when approached.
City centre community in shock
It appears that Heart of the City has failed to notify a number of its key stakeholders - including its own staff.
When approached on Friday, a communications staffer said they “hadn’t heard”. They said Beck had been “away”.
Waitemata Local Board member Peter Elliott, who is a liaison to the business association, said it was “news to me” when called by a reporter.
“I know nothing about it, so you’re the first person to mention it to me,” he said.
Asked if he ought to have been informed, Elliott said: “I’m sure it’ll come to me in the fullness of time, and I expect that to be in a relatively short fashion.”
Heart of the City is a Business Improvement District (BID) that receives funds from the council and levies business members.
Greg Moyle, who is a local board member as well as a rate-paying business owner within the BID, said he was “in the dark”.
“I asked the question on Tuesday - ‘what’s been happening there?’ - and I really didn’t get an answer.
“But, you know, I think there’s a whole lot of politics going around.”
Moyle was previously on the executive committee of Heart of the City.
“If I’d been smarter and seen the winds of change, I would have put my name up [again],” he said.
Auckland mayor Wayne Brown said it “had been a while” since he had heard from Beck.
“I understand there’s some rumblings about her, but she doesn’t work for me,” he said.
“It’s an employment matter.”
Correction: This story has been updated to reflect that Beck remains CEO. It has also been amended to remove a sentence referencing Beck’s absence at a recent City Centre Advisory Panel meeting. Malcolm McCracken was formally appointed by Mayor Wayne Brown as the HOTC representative to the City Centre Advisory Panel. (Story updated April 25, 2.55pm.)
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