Matamata-born businessman Christopher Liddell heads to the White House this week to lead a think tank tasked with bringing Donald Trump's big picture changes to fruition. Fran O'Sullivan gives five reasons why the former Microsoft and General Motors CFO was picked for the president-elect's administration.
Read more about Liddell: Who is Trump's Kiwi assistant?
• He puts himself in the "fastest flowing rivers" and is clever about being in the right place at the right time. While other businessmen bad-mouthed Trump he put a successful bet on his victory.
• He has bold aspirations and is the kind of guy who is unreasonable about the level of ambition he sets for teams - a necessary attribute given the scope of disruptive change Trump has signalled.
• He is extremely focused - takes complex problems, breaks them into parts and makes people responsible for delivering;
• He has boundless energy and intellectual curiosity - reads widely and looks for big ideas.
• He is comfortable in uncomfortable situations - never the fastest runner in first five minutes but there when the burn comes on - another useful attribute when Trump's abrasive personality causes friction.
