Chris Liddell
| Chris Liddell | |
|---|---|
| Residence | New York |
| Nationality | New Zealander |
| Alma mater | University of Auckland, Oxford University |
| Title | Chairman of NEXT |
Christopher P. Liddell CNZM (born April 24, 1958) is a New Zealand businessman. He was the Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of General Motors (GM). Liddell joined GM in January 2010, and led the company’s global finance operations until March 2011, including the $23billion GM IPO, at the time the largest ever.
Liddell is currently Chairman of Next Foundation, one of New Zealand's largest philanthropic foundations focused on education and environmental projects, Xero, a cloud software company,and CFO of WME-IMG.[1]
Previously, Liddell was a Senior Vice President and CFO of Microsoft where, from 2005 to 2009, he was responsible for leading their worldwide finance organization. His responsibilities included overseeing corporate strategy, acquisitions, treasury activities, tax planning, accounting and reporting, internal audits and investor relations. Liddell left Microsoft in December 2009.
Prior to Microsoft, from 2003 to 2005, Liddell served as CFO of International Paper. From 1999 to 2002, he was Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Carter Holt Harvey, a forest products firm and then New Zealand’s second largest listed company. He had been CFO of Carter Holt Harvey from 1995 to 1998.
In 2012, Liddell was Executive Director of Transition Planning for the Romney Presidential Campaign. He also was a director and treasurer of the Romney for President fundraising campaign, a joint fundraising vehicle with the Republican National Committee (RNC).
Liddell holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree with honors from the University of Auckland in New Zealand, and a Master of Philosophy degree from Oxford University in England.[2]
A native of New Zealand, Liddell has served as director of the New Zealand Rugby Union and governor of the New Zealand Sports Foundation. Liddell is a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Auckland and a patron of the University’s fundraising campaign. He was chairman of Project Crimson, a conservation group, and is active in a number of environmental projects in New Zealand, such as the restoration of Rotoroa Island and the Abel Tasman National Park through Project Janszoon.
He was also a member of the Securities and Exchange Commission's Advisory Committee on Improvements to Financial Reporting. He is currently a member of the Council on Foreign Relations
Liddell married Renee Harbers in March 2011.
He was awarded the Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit ( CNZM) in the 2015 New Year's Honours for services to business and philanthropy