Chief Resilience Officer

The Chief Resilience Officer

The Chief Resilience Officer is an innovative feature of 100 Resilient Cities’ resilience building program.

The role is specifically designed to break down existing barriers at the local level, account for pre-existing resilience plans, and create partnerships, alliances and financing mechanisms that will address the resilience vulnerabilities of all city residents, with a particular focus on low-income and vulnerable populations.

Wellington's CRO

Mike Mendonça is Wellington’s first Chief Resilience Officer. With an MBA and Diploma in Humanities from Massey University and a background in the New Zealand Army, and local and national government, Mike brings a broad range of experience to the role.

“Resilience is more than simply having a civil defence kit and strong buildings - those things should be a given. A modern city like ours needs to survive, adapt and grow, no matter what shocks and stresses we might experience”, says Mike.

“Apart from the obvious things like earthquakes and pandemics, we need to be resilient to stresses like high unemployment, the effects of climate change, water shortages or a major economic downturn.

“Resilience to these things can’t always be bought off the shelf or designed by an engineer. But resilience can be a state of mind and an attitude that embraces adaptability and positivity. We kiwis pride ourselves on these things.”