Verna Niao appointed Chief Executive of MITO Limited
Verna Niao has been appointed as Chief Executive of MITO Limited, effective 1 January 2026, when MITO, currently a business division of the New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology, transitions to industry ownership.
Verna Niao has been MITO’s Executive Director since 2022, following the RoVE reforms that brought MITO under the umbrella of Te Pūkenga.
This new appointment follows the Tertiary Education Commission’s approval of MITO’s transition to MITO Limited, an industry-owned entity.
MITO facilitates and supports the training and education of apprentices and learners across the automotive, commercial road transport, mining, quarrying, drilling, gas, and logistics sectors. As MITO Limited, the organisation will continue its activities with no changes for its employers and learners, maintaining its full national coverage and current range of qualifications and micro-credentials.
Niao says she’s excited to continue her leadership of MITO in its new form: “Industry ownership will enable MITO Limited to respond to industry’s workforce development needs with speed and agility. The strength of industry training is based in the investment our employers make in growing new talent and our priority will be to ensure they are supported appropriately to meet future demand.”
Sturrock Saunders, Chairperson of the new MITO Board, says, “Verna brings a wealth of expertise and experience in supporting industry to meet its goals. Her commitment to delivering value for our industries’ employers and learners has driven MITO’s success ever since she began at MITO in 2002. Verna heads up a very capable leadership team and I have no doubt that MITO Limited is in excellent hands as this new era begins. I look forward to working with Verna as we build on MITO’s successes and pursue new opportunities.”