New role for SFO Chief Executive

New role for SFO Chief Executive

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has today confirmed that Chief Executive, Adam Feeley has accepted the position of Queenstown Lakes District Council Chief Executive.

An exact date for Mr Feeley's departure has not been set, but it is expected to be within the next three months.

Mr Feeley has been with the SFO since 2009 and in that time has lead a significant change within the Office.

"The focus of the past few years has been to give the public increased confidence that fraudsters will be held to account, and rebuild the capacity of the SFO. While there is still work to be done, I think that a very talented team within the SFO has achieved an enormous amount.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with the SFO and I'm confident the team will continue to prove that the SFO are as good as any agency in the world for tackling serious financial crime" he said.

Mr Feeley will be moving his family to Queenstown and is looking forward to engaging with his new community.

"I have a long affinity with the District and I am excited about the new and very different challenges there." 

For further information

Andrea Linton
Serious Fraud Office
027 705 4550

Note to editors

Background information

Adam Feeley is a qualified solicitor and has had a wide variety of management roles in the public and private sector including General Manager, Baycorp and Group Manager, Crown Minerals, Ministry of Economic Development. Immediately prior to this role he was Chief Executive of the Eden Park Redevelopment Board.

Role of the SFO

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) was established in 1990 under the Serious Fraud Office Act in response to the collapse of financial markets in New Zealand at that time.

The SFO operates three investigative teams:

• Fraud Detection & Intelligence;
• Financial Markets & Corporate Fraud; and
• Fraud & Corruption.

The SFO operates under two sets of investigative powers.

Part I of the SFO Act provides that it may act where the Director "has reason to suspect that an investigation into the affairs of any person may disclose serious or complex fraud."

Part II of the SFO Act provides the SFO with more extensive powers where: "...the Director has reasonable grounds to believe that an offence involving serious or complex fraud may have been committed..."

The SFO's Annual Report 2011 sets out its achievements for the past year, while the Statement of Intent 2012-2015 sets out the SFO's three year strategic goals and performance standards. Both are available online at: www.sfo.govt.nz(external link)