Andrea Dickens has taken the role of managing director at AJ Park, effective June 1, 2020. Dickens has been with AJ Park for most of the past 21 years and most recently was the firm’s chief operating officer. Over the past year, she was seconded to the integration management office of AJ Park’s parent company, IPH Limited.

Dickens joined AJ Park as marketing manager in 1999, and has since held numerous management roles, including strategic projects manager, service development manager, and head of business operations. She has also worked in the New Zealand public sector, in practice management and business development roles.

Dickens has a BCA in marketing and an MBA, both from Victoria University of Wellington. In 2019, she completed her PhD in strategic management, focusing on how professional services firms develop the capabilities to adapt to their constantly changing environments.

“Andrea has already been involved in many of the key responsibilities of the role—strategic planning, marketing, organizational model understanding, service design, finance, HR, IT, operations, and a strong empathy with the people working in the IP sector,” said Andrew Blattman, managing director and CEO of IPH Limited.

Damian Broadley stepped down as managing director on June 1 to return to a trademark principal role, servicing his New Zealand and international client base.