Fleur D’Souza’s own Tour de France
Fleur D’Souza, from New Zealand Government Procurement and Property (NZGPP), is three months into a year-long secondment in Paris and making the most of every minute.
Fleur is the recipient of a New Zealand Government Procurement secondment opportunity to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris. The OECD works to improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world.
The role, which involves a lot of travel, will give Fleur an international perspective on public procurement as she looks at the performance of member countries and advises on how to improve their procurement to deliver better economic outcomes.
“It looks like my first mission will be to Malta, to visit the contracts department, within their Ministry of Finance. I am looking forward to insights from a regulated procurement regime and in the context of European Union directives,” she says.
The secondment is part of an ongoing staff development programme with NZGPP where staff have an opportunity to take up this senior role within the public procurement function of the OECD. Fleur replaces Andy Cochrane who returns to NZGPP this month after spending 12 months in the role.
General Manager of NZGPP, John Ivil, says the relationship we have with the OECD procurement function is important to us and having our people working alongside procurement leaders is extremely valuable. “It is great that NZGPP can recognise Fleur’s hard work and experience and also further New Zealand’s influence and reputation in the OECD,” says John.
Fleur has worked at NZGPP for five years and in procurement roles for more than 15 years and led the development of the all-of-government banking contract and other complex procurements. She holds an MBA and a law degree.