Gowan Pickering was appointed in May 2005 for a period of three years. In 2008, Commerce Minister Lianne Dalziel announced Gowan’s reappointment as an Associate Commissioner for a further four year term.

For over three decades Gowan operated in the information technology industry for IBM.  This culminated in his seven year appointment as the New Zealand IBM Chief Executive Officer and Chairman from 1991 – 1998.  In this period he oversaw the integration of IBM New Zealand into a worldwide management system.  He was Chief Executive for the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology for four years from 2000.  He is the Chair of Wellington Free Ambulance, a Director of Fishserve Innovations NZ Limited and a Council member of Victoria University of Wellington.