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Board of directors

As a State Owned Enterprise, Transpower’s Board is appointed by its shareholders – the Government.

Wayne Brown

Chairman
 
BE FIPENZ FIDNZ. A registered engineer, Wayne is an experienced company director, in both the private and public sector, who joined the Transpower Board as Deputy Chair in September 2006. Wayne is Mayor of the Far North. Previous Chairman roles have included the Auckland District Health Board, Kordia Ltd, Vector Ltd, LTSA, Northland Health and Tairawhiti Health. Wayne is the owner of a range of businesses in construction, development, apparel and media.

Ian Donald

Deputy Chair

B.Com, Dip.V.F.M., ACA. ANZIV. Ian Donald retired in 1997 after 25 years with the Fletcher Challenge Limited Group. His executive career included involvement in the property, rural servicing, manufacturing , motors and pulp and paper industries in Australia, New Zealand and Canada including directorships of Challenge Corporation Ltd, Fletcher Challenge Limited from its formation in 1981, and Fletcher Challenge Canada Ltd. Since retirement he has been an independent director with appointments at various times as chairman of Pacific Retail Group Ltd, Land Care Research New Zealand Ltd, deputy chair of Solid Energy New Zealand Limited, director of Frucor Ltd, Ausdoc Ltd and its New Zealand subsidiary Freightways Ltd, and as a council member of Lincoln University. He is currently a director of Ontario Teachers Pension Plan New Zealand Forest Investments Limited.

John Irving

BE (Hons), ME, MIPENZ, FIEE (UK). A Director of Transpower since November 2003, John Irving’s professional experience includes 8 years with major power utilities in British Columbia and Ontario, Canada; 16 years with a major NZ consultancy group (as Executive Director for 5 years) largely involved in transmission and distribution development in Australasia and South East Asia; and 13 years with the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, overseeing major power sector restructuring and investment projects in Asia, Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. As Energy Portfolio Manager in the EBRD he was responsible for assessing technological developments in the energy sector; and for establishing a renewable energy database for the region. Since returning to NZ in 2003 he has undertaken various short term assignments in South East Asia and Africa primarily as a staff consultant with the World Bank. He is also involved with various NGOs on NZ power sector issues and is a Trustee of RedR NZ (Engineers for Disaster Relief).

Elena Trout

B.Tech (Biotechnology), M.Eng (Civil). Elena was appointed to the Transpower Board in January 2005. A graduate of Massey and Canterbury Universities, Elena has significant experience in the development and management of large engineering and technical projects in the infrastructure and energy sectors. This includes working with the New Zealand Synthetic Fuels Corporation in Taranaki. Elena also held the position of General Manager Rail in the Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA) which is a subsidiary of the Auckland Regional Council. Elena was General Manager of the consultancy arm of SerCo NZ Ltd. During this period she was involved in a number of high profile projects including the overhead project which augmented the power supply to the Auckland CBD, initiatives promoted by Mercury Energy to generate electricity, and leading the team building the Albany to Puhoi highway for Transit NZ. Elena is aslo member of CPEC (Chartered Professional Engineers Council).

Ian Fraser

BE (Hons) Dist FIPENZ. Ian Fraser was appointed to the Transpower Board in May 2007. After graduating in Engineering at Canterbury University, Ian has worked as a consulting engineer and in the construction industry. He has been a Director of Beca Carter Hollings and Ferner Ltd since 1985 and has served on a number of industry Boards including the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering, the Association of Consulting Engineers (President 2000 to 2002) and was a Director of Mighty River Power from 1999 to 2006 (Deputy Chair 2005 to 2006).

Dr Don Brash

Dr Brash served as Leader of the National Party and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament from 2003 to 2006.  Before entering politics in 2002, Dr Brash was Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand for 14 years.  He has also been the Chief Executive of Broadbank Corporation, the New Zealand Kiwifruit Authority, and of Trust Bank.  Dr Brash has also spent five years at the World Bank in Washington.

Abby Foote

Abby has an extensive legal background and experience in the areas of finance, mergers and acquisitions, and telecommunications, both in New Zealand and in the United Kingdom.    Abby has previously served as a director and chair of Mike Pero Mortgages and as Chief Executive of internet-based financial services company, Fundit Limited.  She has also held senior positions at Telecom New Zealand, Cable and Wireless Plc and the Pharmaceutical Management Agency.

Mike Pohio

Mike Pohio has been Chief Executive of Tainui Group Holdings since 2006.  Prior to that he was Container Terminal Manager at the Port of Tauranga. Mike has also worked for Fonterra and its Hamilton based predecessor, the New Zealand Dairy Group.  Mikes roles for Fonterra and its antecedents have included Group Financial Controller, General Manager of Glencoal Energy, Regional General Manager for Anchor Products, and Manager of Merger Benefits.   He has tribal linkages to Te Arawa (Ngati Pikiao) and Ngai Tahu.