Spark names new CEO for Spark Ventures

This is a supplied media release.

Spark New Zealand announced today the appointment of Ed Hyde as the new CEO for Spark Ventures and a member of the Spark Leadership Team.

Hyde will be replacing Rod Snodgrass who, as announced in April, is leaving Spark later in the year to concentrate on driving corporate innovation and growth across a select range of New Zealand businesses.

Spark Managing Director Simon Moutter said, “I’m very pleased to have Ed join my Leadership Team. Ed has been instrumental in the success of Spark Ventures to date, helping Rod build the Venture portfolio via a number of key roles, most recently as CEO of Qrious, our fast-growing data analytics business.”

“Spark Ventures has played an important innovation role in our transformation to date and, as we shift to “Ventures 2.0”, it will continue to be influential in setting the company’s forward-looking agenda. I’m confident Ed will take Ventures to the next level of its evolution. His move into the CEO Spark Ventures role will understandably have an impact on leadership in Qrious, which we will finalise and announce shortly.

“I am also especially proud that this is yet another appointment from within, reflecting both a commitment to building capabilities for future growth, recognition of our rising talent and sound succession planning.”

Hyde joined Spark in 2006 and is currently CEO of Qrious, a Big Data and Analytics business which launched in March 2014 tasked with delivering value to customers through the better use of data. Prior to this he has been responsible for the development of a number of start-ups in the data and mobile domain in both the UK and NZ and spent a number of years as GM of Mobile for Spark. He has a passion for digital, transformational technologies and disruptive business models. He is a keen runner and cyclist with his most notable sporting achievement being 10th place in the 2010 Xterra World Trail running championships in Hawaii.

Hyde will take up his appointment effective 1 October 2016.