The South’s new business advocacy group could be operational within the next three months.
Last year, Otago Chamber of Commerce (OCC) and Otago Southland Employers Association (OSEA) voted to merge into one group with the working name Business South.
Inaugural chief executive Mike Collins will start on July 19.
His initial job will be working with the Business South board to set a strategic direction for the new organisation.
He will also be responsible for transitioning the staff from OSEA and OCC into Business South.
The name of the new organisation still had not been confirmed, she said.
There were still some complexities to be worked through.
"Some aspects of what we will do, will cover Queenstown, Wanaka and Invercargill so we are just working through that, because obviously there are chambers in those areas.
"So what we are going to do is try to deliver what OSEA has done in the past and work in partnership with those organisations,’’ she said.
Business South would deliver health and safety training, Business New Zealand representation and other training events in those areas, Ms Aldridge-Masters said.
"What we are trying to do is build a really strong business support organisation for Otago and Southland,’’ she said.
