Our board of directors is delighted that chief executive Jon Lamonte has been appointed by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) to lead the country’s largest water company, Entity A, which will cover Northland and Auckland from July 2024.
Chair Margaret Devlin says her fellow board members were not surprised by the DIA’s decision.
“Since joining Watercare in April 2021, Jon has proven himself as a decisive leader with the ability to rally a strong team. I’m pleased by his appointment to Entity A and believe his skills will stand the people of Auckland and Northland in good stead.”
Devlin says that while Jon’s appointment is a loss to Watercare, the company will be in safe hands under the leadership of Dave Chambers.
“The Board has appointed Dave Chambers as Watercare’s interim chief executive, on a contract that runs until Entity A is stood up. Dave has been a director of Watercare since late 2019 so he has a firm grasp on the business. In taking up this role, Dave will step down from the board.
“Before becoming a professional director, Dave was the managing director of Woolworths New Zealand (formerly Progressive Enterprises) – a company he dedicated most of his career to. Responsible for 18,000 staff across 183 Countdown stores, this was where Dave developed a strong customer-led leadership style.
The Board is confident he will be asset by ensuring the company remains focused on delivering reliable services to customers while Three Waters Reform gathers pace. Dave will be welcomed into his new role on Tuesday 7 February.”
This financial year, we expect to deliver an $800 million capital investment programme to keep Auckland’s water flowing and waterways healthy. The largest projects currently underway include: