Christchurch's Enable chief exec to step down

Enable chief executive officer Steve Fuller has announced he is retiring.

Fuller has led the fibre network provider since its inception in 2007. He will step down between July and September in 2021.

"I am immensely proud of the Enable business, my team, and what we have all achieved over the last 14 years," Fuller says.

"We have grown from a start-up to the largest network provider of broadband access in greater Christchurch. The business is in good shape and next year will be the right time for me to retire from the business," he says.

Enable was formed after its shareholder, Christchurch City Holdings Limited, saw the opportunity for Christchurch City to own its own fibre infrastructure.

Fuller has led the business connecting initial customers as a start-up, through winning the local Ultra-Fast Broadband contract, and as it delivered the greater Christchurch fibre network two years ahead of schedule and on budget.

Enable has 125,000 homes and businesses connected to its fibre broadband network.

"The contribution Steve has made to the Christchurch community in his role as Enable CEO is immeasurable," says Enable Chair, Mark Bowman.

"He's led a mass infrastructure roll-out the likes of which Christchurch has not seen before and grown a business that will serve future generations," he says.

"Enable is a $600 million strategic asset owned by the people of Christchurch, generating over $75 million in annual revenue and preparing to pay its first dividend to the City," Bowman adds.

"Christchurch is benefiting from Enable's world-class fibre broadband services – in homes, businesses and schools.

The Enable Board has begun the process to recruit a new CEO.

In August, Enable said the growing number of customers highlights the growing local community awareness of the importance of having quality fibre broadband that can be relied on, particularly when faced the uncertainty caused by COVID-19.

"The Christchurch community continues to embrace fibre broadband in large numbers - with more and more people connecting," Fuller said at the time.

"We're seeing over 2,000 orders per month - made up of new customers realising the difference fibre can make for them and existing customers who have moved house or their business, who know they cannot do without fibre broadband," he said.

"Almost 7 out of 10 homes and businesses connected to fixed broadband are on Enable fibre, and almost half have connected or moved to speeds of 200Mbps or greater as they use more and more data.