Our People

A former regional affairs manager for Air New Zealand, Ian has had a career of sustained high achievement in senior management positions across several industries, including telecommunications, retail, aviation, tourism and logistics. He has extensive experience in regional development with over 20 years managing key stakeholder relationships across economic development, tourism, and local government and chamber of commerce entities throughout New Zealand. He has worked closely with a number of iwi, including Ngāi Tahu.

Chief Executive for PowerNet Limited, Jason has over 20 years’ experience in long term infrastructure industries. Prior to joining PowerNet in 2012 as Chief Executive, Jason worked in a variety of senior roles for Rio Tinto and the Electricity Corporation of New Zealand (ECNZ) and held a number of industry positions including, board member of the Major Electricity Users Group and a member of the Wholesale Advisory Group for the New Zealand Electricity Authority. Currently he is a Director of SmartCo Limited and Invercargill Airport.

A member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors, Jeff has been in governance roles fulltime for 24 years. This includes holding directorships in two family companies - DNG Holdings and Lakeland Adventures Wanaka - and previously being a Director for SBS Bank, Finance Now, PF2050, Southern Institute of Technology and Chairman of Mt Linton Station, OSPRI Ltd, AgResearch and Milford Sound Tourism. In July 2018 Jeff was seconded to the New Zealand meat industry for two years and was based at NZ House in London to oversee Brexit EU28 and UK Free trade Agreement process on behalf of NZ Red Meat Industry.

A former Southlander now living in the Wairarapa, Lucy Griffiths (nee Cruickshank) has had extensive experience marketing premium New Zealand food and beverages locally and internationally. She has run her own business, Innov8 Aotearoa, for the past 12 years while serving as a Professional Director on various boards, both in the private and local government sectors. Lucy is also a Nuffield NZ Scholar, a member of the Institute of Directors, Ministerially appointed to the Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures Independent Advisory Panel, a Director of Trust House and past Director of Wools of New Zealand, the Central Economic Development Agency and FAME (Food & Agribusiness Market Experience).

Executive Director of Finance for H W Richardson Group Limited, Peter is a Fellow Chartered Accountant and a member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors. With extensive financial management experience, Peter is a director on several HWR Joint Venture Companies, the trustee-treasurer for the Hospice Southland Charitable Trust and previously held positions on the Southland Boys High School Board of Trustees and as a director of Netball Southland and Southern TeamCo Limited.

A Partner at AWS Legal, Rachel is an experienced commercial and corporate lawyer with a background in civil litigation. Having graduated from the Institute of Directors governance development program held in Invercargill, she is now an Associate Member of the NZ Institute of Directors, and serves on the board of directors of Tuatapere Hump Track Limited, is a board member for AWS Legal and is Deputy Convenor of the Southland Standards Committee.

Maria brings more than 30 years’ governance experience at a national, regional and local level – in both Maori and mainstream agencies, including including directorships of Ngāi Tahu Seafood and Te Runanga O Ngāi Tahu, two terms on the Southland District Health Board, membership of the Southland Parole Board and the New Zealand Police Focus Forum, and chair of the Treaty Tribes Coalition. Previous roles have included managing Access Home Health Ltd for the Southland, Otago and Lakes District areas, and Murihiku Iwi Whanau Services, and being senior advisor to government minister Te Ururoa Flavell.