Auckland-based retailer, The Warehouse Group, has appointed TVNZ’s Joan Withers as its new director and next chair effective September 23.

The company has also appointed Julia Raue as another director who will start her term along with Withers.

The announcement came after company chair Ted van Arkel, who has been with the company for five years, advised the board that he intends to step down later this year.

“The Board understands Ted’s desire to reduce his responsibilities now and wishes him all the very best for his future,” said Sir Stephen Tindall, company founder.

Tindall said Van Arkel’s replacement, Withers, has had a long association with the company.

“She was a director of the company during the years 1998 to 2005 and since 2009 has been a Trustee of the Tindall Foundation, a 21 per cent shareholder in the company,” Tindall said.

“Joan, who was awarded the Deloitte’s Chairperson of the Year for 2015, is well qualified to take over from Ted later this year,” he added.

Withers is a former director and chair of Auckland Airport, the current chair of Television New Zealand and Mighty River Power and a director of ANZ NZ. She has previously held positions as CEO at Fairfax NZ and The Radio Network and is a former director of Fairfax in Australia.

Withers, whose term at TVNZ ends in early 2017, has indicated she will not be seeking reappointment.

Tindall said Withers will also be retiring from the Advisory Board of The Treasury in September this year and added she will resign as a trustee of the Tindall Foundation in the near future.

Raue was the former CIO of Air New Zealand from 2007 to 2015 and has, since retiring from that role, been appointed as director of Z Energy, Jade Technology, Southern Cross Healthcare, Television New Zealand and a Member of the Risk Committee of The Treasury.

“We are excited to have the services of Julia as the Company continues to develop its Digital capability due to her vast experience in this field,” Tindall said.

The company board has determined that Withers and Raue will be independent directors.