He aituā, he aituā. Kua hinga te rangatira, a Nigel Bickle. Ka nui te aroha ki tōna whānau me ōna hoa e tangi ana. Haere, haere, haere atu rā. Moe mai rā.
Taituarā is deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Heretaunga Hastings District Council Chief Executive To’osavili Nigel Bickle.
Nigel has been a valued member of the Taituarā community for the past five years and was a respected leader whose career spanned both central and local government. Since joining Hastings District Council as Chief Executive in 2019, he brought a wealth of experience, a collaborative approach to leadership, and a deep commitment to public service.
Before moving into local government, Nigel held a number of senior leadership roles across central government, including Deputy Chief Executive of Immigration New Zealand, Acting Chief Executive of the Department of Labour, Deputy Chief Executive of the Department of Building and Housing, and Head of Regional Economic Development. He brought that breadth of experience into local government, where he was committed to strengthening both his organisation and the wider sector.
Nigel gave his time and expertise as a contributor to the Taituarā leadership programmes. He was an inspiring speaker and was generous with his time and knowledge. He shared his experiences of leading through complexity, navigating the political environment, serving diverse communities, and building high-performing organisations. On more than one occasion when presenting he stepped in to help when other speakers couldn’t make it. He was approachable, energetic and fun and was always willing to make time to support the next generation of leaders.
Taituarā Chief Executive Suzanne Boyd said Nigel embodied the qualities of a true public sector leader.
“Nigel was a role model for other CEs, he was a genuine community leader with both the vision and the ability to implement and effect real change. He did remarkable work in the Heretaunga community, particularly in the way he built trusted, enduring partnerships with mana whenua. His contribution to Taituarā and to the development of local government leaders has been significant, and he will be greatly missed by all who had the privilege of knowing and working alongside him.”
Under Nigel’s strong leadership, Hastings District Council received recognition at the Taituarā Excellence Awards for five consecutive years, including the Supreme Award in 2024, reflecting the culture of excellence and innovation he helped foster within the organisation.
Taituarā Board President Jo Miller said Nigel’s influence reached far beyond his own council.
“We will all miss Nigel, a truly outstanding leader and a wonderful human being. His passing is a tremendous loss for the local government community. On behalf of the Taituarā Board, I extend our heartfelt condolences to Nigel’s wife, whānau and loved ones, his colleagues and elected members at Heretaunga Hastings District Council, and to the many people across New Zealand who had the privilege of working with him.
Nigel will be remembered not only for his leadership and professional achievements, but also for his generosity, warmth, passion and his unwavering commitment to serving communities. He was the best of us and we will all have personal memories of Nigel that raise a smile.”
Our thoughts are with everyone mourning his loss, particularly his family, friends and colleagues.
