FOTHERINGHAM, Brett Ivan

Brett Fotheringham joined the Royal New Zealand Navy in 1982. He trained in the Executive (Seaman) branch and had early sea experience was in HMNZ Ships Tui, Otago, and Canterbury. In 1987 he served as Watchkeeping Officer to the hydrographic research ship HMNZS Monowai before posting to the Naval Staff as the Deputy Director Operations (Navy). During this time he was attached to the Argentine Navy Sail Training Ship ARA Libertad, and as Watchkeeping Officer to the RNZN fleet tanker HMNZS Endeavour. In 1989 he posted to the frigate HMNZS Southland, then to HMNZS Tui as Executive Officer. In 1990 he posted to Directorate of Defence Intelligence, HQNZDF. From mid-1991 to 1992 he was loaned to the Antarctic Division, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) to undertake the role of Base Manager, Scott Base.

In June 1992, Fotheringham was posted as a Military Observer to the first rotation of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC). He served in the UNTAC Naval Headquarters as the Operations Officer, responsible for naval operations within internal waterways and later as Team Leader, Kep, responsible for coastal operations up to the Vietnamese border, until completing his mission in March 1993. He was then posted as Executive Officer of HMNZS Tui until October 1994 when he took leave to pursue university study in the United Kingdom. Upon returning to New Zealand, he was posted as Staff Officer Fleet Plans to the Maritime Commander. From late 1995 to early 1998 he was the New Entry Training Officer, responsible for RNZN recruit training. In January 1998 Fotheringham served as Executive Officer of HMNZS Monowai, and subsequently as Executive Officer of HMNZS Endeavour.

Fotheringham became Executive Officer of HMNZS Philomel in November 1999. Following the restructuring of RNZN shore bases, he served as Base Services Commander, Naval Support Services. In 2003 he was seconded to The Treasury as an Analyst in the International and Defence Section. During this period he worked with central government agencies to help establish the Pacific Security Fund and the Defence Sustainability Initiative (DSI) and undertook the Defence Resource Management Course at the US Navy Postgraduate School. Following his secondment to the Treasury, he was posted as Programme Officer for the DSI and, in July 2006, as Senior Analyst, Strategic and Annual Planning Group.

In November 2006 Fotheringham was posted to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) as the Deputy Senior Military Adviser and Chief of Staff of the Military Advisory Unit (MAU). In June 2007 he was posted as a Deputy Director in the Strategic Commitments Branch with responsibilities for managing the NZDF Mutual Assistance Programme (MAP). The MAP is the NZDF training assistance programme for 14 nations in South East Asia and the South Pacific. In 2008 he assumed responsibility as Defence Adviser, Pacific. In December 2009 he was posted as Defence Attaché Bangkok accredited to Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. Upon returning to New Zealand in 2012, Fotheringham became the Project Manager for the Introduction into Service of the Project Protector vessels. In 2013 he was selected to manage a programme of work for the reorganisation and enhancement of health and safety in the RNZN, later becoming the Programme Manager, Naval Safety System and the Navy lead to the NZDF safety initiatives. In 2019 he posted as the JS01 Current Operations Plans (J35) at HQ Joint Forces New Zealand. He is currently the Director Naval Estate and Infrastructure (Naval Staff) which is focused on the strategic planning for infrastructural regeneration and potential for new basing initiatives.

Commander Fotheringham has been awarded six medals to date though only his UNTAC miniature is held by the Navy Museum. His medals are: The New Zealand Operational Service Medal, The United Nations Medal (UNTAC), The New Zealand General Service Medal 2002 (Afghanistan), The United Nations Special Service Medal, The New Zealand Armed Forces Award, and The New Zealand Defence Service Medal.