Barry Vryenhoek

Brigodier Barry Vryenhoek is a Leadership Specialist

A lifetime devoted to the NZ Army, has seen Brigadier Barry Vryenhoek hold many senior roles including Deputy Chief of Army, Army General Staff Wellington and General Manager Corporate Services, Army’s most senior civilian role. Brigadier Vryenhoek holds a MBA, MA (Hons) in Strategic Studies and has completed a senior executive course at the Harvard Business School. He talks extensively on leadership in particular: Leadership underpinned by a clear ethos and core values and on a leadership culture that builds teams and seeks to influence others.

Brigadier Barry Vryenhoek was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, completed his secondary education at St Andrew's College and also attended Canterbury University. He enlisted into the Territorial Force of the New Zealand Army on 6 May 1976, and transferred to the Regular Force on 4 January 1977 when he was accepted for officer training. In December 1977, he graduated from Officer Cadet School, Portsea, Australia into the Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery in the rank of Second Lieutenant.

Barry completed young officer training at the Recruit Training Depot, Waiouru, and the School of Artillery, Australia, prior to being posted as a Section Commander with 16th Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery in November 1978. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in February 1979. In August 1979, Brigadier Vryenhoek was posted to Waiouru, and in March 1981 was promoted to the rank of Captain and employed as the Troop Commander. He was posted to Headquarters Land Force Command, Takapuna in February 1982 and appointed as the Staff Officer Grade 3 Plans. In January 1983, he was posted to the Officer Cadet Training Company in Waiouru and employed as an Instructor.

In April 1985, Brigadier Vryenhoek assumed the appointment of Adjutant at 3 Field Regiment in Burnham Camp. He was promoted to the rank of Major in May 1987 and appointed second - in - command. For a period of several months he was acting Commanding Officer. He attended the United States Marine Staff College, Quantico in August 1989. On the successful completion of that course in June 1991, he was posted to the Tactical School in Waiouru. He was initially employed as an Instructor, and in April 1992, was appointed the Chief Instructor.

Brigadier Vryenhoek was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and attended the Joint Services Staff College in Australia from July 1993. On his return to New Zealand in December 1993, he was appointed to the position of Staff Officer Grade 1 Development, Army General Staff, Wellington. In March 1995, he was posted to the appointment as New Zealand’s Senior National Officer with the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR), based in Bosnia. He returned to New Zealand in September 1995 and assumed the appointment of Acting Assistant Chief of General Staff Resources, Army General Staff, Wellington.

In December 1997 Brigadier Vryenhoek was promoted to Colonel and assumed the appointment of Chief of Staff, Land Command, Upper Hutt. In November 1999 he was posted to the appointment as Commander, 2nd Land Force Group, Linton Camp. During this appointment he deployed with the New Zealand United Nations Transitional Authority East Timor (UNTAET) as the Deputy Chief of Staff (Operations), from November 2000 to May 2001. In 2002 he completed study at the Royal College of Defence Studies and in December 2002 he assumed the appointment as the Director Capability Requirements, Headquarters New Zealand Defence Force, Wellington.

In December 2004, on promotion to Brigadier, Brigadier Vryenhoek was appointed as Deputy Chief of Army, Army General Staff Wellington. Barry has recently been appointed General Manager Corporate Services, Army’s most senior civilian role. Brigadier Vryenhoek holds a MBA, MA (Hons) in Strategic Studies and has completed a senior executive course at the Harvard Business School.

Presentations:

LEADERSHIP IN A COMPLEX WORLD

• Leadership underpinned by a clear ethos & core values
• A leadership culture that builds teams and seeks to influence others
• Army's emerging leadership development framework