CRAIG PURDY - Director

Craig has 24 years of diverse experience behind him in the corporate world,
is a specialist in the field of business travel procurement and provides general business advisory services to a portfolio of private companies in the lower
North Island.

During the past 10 years, Craig has completed projects for the following
leading organisations:

AgResearch
Airways New Zealand
ANZ National Bank
AUT
Capital & Coast District Health Board
Department of Corrections
Fisher & Paykel Healthcare
Fletcher Building
FMG
Fonterra
Government Syndicated Procurement Initiative
HortResearch
Housing New Zealand
Massey University
Microsoft New Zealand
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Ministry of Health
NZ Defence Force
Transpower
UCOL
University of Auckland
University of Waikato
Victoria University of Wellington
Vodafone
Wellington City Council
Westpac New Zealand and Australia

Immediately prior to forming Continuim in November 2000, Craig was Managing Director and shareholder of Network Travel Wellington, a corporate travel management company and Harbour City United Travel, a leading retail travel agency at the time in Wellington. During this time, he developed New Zealand’s first online travel agency (Xtra Travel Club) in a joint venture with Telecom Xtra.

Craig spent six years at Passport United Holidays, New Zealand’s largest travel wholesaler. He was General Manager of the airfare division that supplied over 300 travel agents with advice, pricing, technical information and training on international airfares, including the annual issuance of over $80 million of international air tickets on behalf of these agents.

As a member of Passport United's senior management team, Craig was actively involved in the annual negotiation of commission structures from airlines, rental car firms and hotel chains for wholesale travel product and various travel agency chains within New Zealand.

Craig spent his first five years in the travel industry at Air New Zealand working in the many facets of the organisation from Cargo, Domestic Check-In, Flight Dispatch, Reservations, Business Travel Consultant and in his final two years as a Commercial Account Manager based in Wellington. In this final role, Craig's portfolio included key New Zealand companies such as Shell Oil, AMP, NZ Post, and ECNZ.

He holds a Diploma in Management from Auckland University with a focus on Service Systems, TQM and Managing Contemporary Organisations. Craig is currently studying extramurally at Massey University towards a Bachelor of Accountancy on the pathway towards becoming a Chartered Accountant.

He currently serves as Ombudsman for Athletics New Zealand, is former director of Sport Manawatu, and former Director and Chairman of Athletics New Zealand and Paralympics New Zealand.