Don Elder

Dr. Donald McGillivray Elder is a New Zealand engineer and businessman. He is the CEO of the New Zealand energy company Solid Energy.

Biography

Don Elder was born in Christchurch, New Zealand. He attended high school at Christ's College and graduated from the University of Canterbury with a degree in engineering. He then gained a Rhodes Scholarship,^[1] which funded him to go to Wolfson College, Oxford in the United Kingdom, where he gained a PhD in civil engineering. After getting married, he moved to Canada. Later, he moved back to New Zealand to become CEO of the New Zealand state-owned enterprise Solid Energy, an energy company focusing on coal mining.^[2] Being CEO of Solid Energy is what Don Elder is most known for, having taken the firm from being a relatively small and unsuccessful business to being New Zealand's largest energy producer.^{[citation needed]}

Elder currently lives in Christchurch, New Zealand, with his wife and children, Jamee, Evan and David.^{[citation needed]}

Career

Don Elder is largely attributed with turning Solid Energy from a business on the brink of closing down to a powerful firm. The productivity at Solid Energy rose 538% in his first year, and they are now one of the largest coal companies in Oceania.^{[citation needed]}

Don Elder was recently a target of a media stunt. Two Save Happy Valley Coalition protesters, dressed as Mr and Mrs Claus, attempted to throw a custard pie in his face before dumping a bag of coal at him at an open Solid Energy conference. However, Elder managed to deflect the pie and grab the bag of coal before either could get him. The two protesters were forcefully removed from the event.^[3]

References

1. ^ New Zealand Rhodes Scholars (PDF)
2. ^ "Solid Energy establishes a record year for coal". Crown Minerals. January 24, 2004. http://www.crownminerals.govt.nz/cms/news/2004/news_item.2007-05-08.9645285542/. Retrieved 2008-01-23. 
3. ^ "Pie in the eye". The Dominion Post. November 24, 2008. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4771425a6479.html. Retrieved September 29, 2011. 

External links

• Solid Energy - Don Elder, Chief Executive Officer

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