Our board

Appointed Board chair 11 March 2024.

Hon. Simon Bridges was the National MP for Tauranga and is a former New Zealand Leader of the Opposition and senior Cabinet Minister. 

As a member of Cabinet in the last National-led Government, he held several ministerial portfolios including Transport, Energy, Communications, Economic Development and Leader of the House.

During his tenure as a Minister, Simon helped roll-out nation-building infrastructure like Ultra­ Fast Broadband and opened major new roads like the Waterview Tunnel as Transport Minister. He also implemented policies during this period to grow the electric vehicle market, as well as investments in KiwiRail to improve public transport options in New Zealand.

Prior to standing for Parliament, Simon was a litigation lawyer including at law firm Kensington Swan and as senior Crown Prosecutor in Tauranga.

Simon is currently also CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber, a non-executive chair and director on a number of company boards and works in a range of sectors.

Board member since 23 September 2019.

Cassandra is a chartered accountant (Fellow), barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand and a member of the Institute of Directors.

In addition to her commercial advisory work, she holds non-executive directorships across several sectors of the New Zealand economy including on listed companies and one of New Zealand’s largest exporters. She chairs several audit, finance and risk committees and committees overseeing digital
transformation. She is a past president of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and has been recognised through a number of awards for her leadership and governance contributions.

Cassandra chairs our Risk and Assurance Committee and is a member of our Investment and Delivery Committee.

Board member since 1 February 2019.

David has over 35 years’ experience in New Zealand and the United Kingdom in both the public and private sectors. He has worked in the energy sector in both countries, including as director of an Oxford-based energy consulting firm with clients in the United Kingdom and Europe, large energy utilities and transmission companies, renewable energy generators, regulatory bodies and government departments.

In 2008, David was appointed Chief Executive of the Ministry of Economic Development. From 2012 to 2017, he was the inaugural Chief Executive of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, where he was responsible for the stewardship of multiple regulatory systems.

David is currently chair of the GNS Science Board, and Wellington UniVentures (the commercialisation subsidiary of Victoria University of Wellington).  He is also a director of Contact Energy and the Cooperative Bank. David was made a Companion of the Queen’s Service Order in 2018.

David is a member of our Regulatory Committee.

Board member since 23 September 2019.

Catherine is a chartered accountant and has held senior management positions in the public and private sectors, including five years as Director and Chief Executive of Maritime New Zealand.

Catherine has more than 25 years experience working with transport safety regulation with a focus on how to use regulatory tools to improve safety outcomes.

Catherine holds governance positions in the public, private and not-for -profit sector. Current roles include chair of Diabetes New Zealand, director of Dunedin International Airport Limited, trustee of Diabetes New Zealand Research Foundation and trustee of the New Zealand Law Foundation.  She also acts as Independent Chair on a number of local committees in the area where she resides.

Catherine chairs our Regulatory Committee and is a member of our People, Culture and Safety Committee.

Board member since 9 August 2024.

Pat is an experienced former local government chief executive, as well as a civil engineer with experience across rail, water, roading and other local government services.

Pat was the Chief Executive of the Nelson City Council for five years and the Kāpiti Coast District Council for ten years. During his time at the Kāpiti Coast District Council, he was also Chair of the Wellington Region Civil Defence Emergency Management Executive Group and served on the Board of the McKays to Pekapeka Expressway Alliance.

Pat is the Chief Executive of Wellington Water and a member of the Expert Advisory Panel reviewing the Public Works Act 1981. He is a Member of the Institute of Directors and a Chartered Member of Engineering NZ.

Board member since 9 August 2024.

Rob is a Civil Engineer with more than 40 years’ experience in road transport.

Rob has held executive roles at GHD Ltd and Downer for over 20 years. At GHD Rob was Global Business Leader Roads and Highways and lead teams and delivered projects in New Zealand, Australia, the Pacific, the Middle East, the USA, UK and Ireland. At Downer, Rob was Executive General Manager for clients and strategy, growing the organisation’s capability across New Zealand. Since leaving Downer, Rob has continued to provide strategic and technical advice to clients within the transport sector in New Zealand and Australia.

Board member since 9 August 2024.

Warwick is an experienced infrastructure Chief Executive, with a strong local government and public delivery background.

Formerly Chief Executive of a national group home building franchise, he has also been Deputy Chief Executive – Implementation and Director of the Christchurch Central Development Unit at the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA); Chief Executive of Timaru District Council, and Chief Executive of Buller District Council. Warwick originally trained as a Chartered Accountant.