Board of directors

Margaret Devlin, BA Hons Business Studies, Finance and Economics, CFInstD

Chair

Margaret Devlin is a professional director with extensive experience in governance and executive management primarily in the water and infrastructure sectors in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. She has served as a director for a range of entities with a particular focus on audit and risk. She is currently chairman of Harrison Grierson and WEL Network and a director of Meteorological Services of NZ. 

Margaret is also a member of the National Infrastructure Advisory Board. She is a Chartered Fellow of the NZ Institute of Directors. 

General disclosure of interests: Chairman, Harrison Grierson Limited; Director, Meteorological Services of NZ Limited; Director, Waikato Regional Airport; Chairman, Titanium Park (wholly-owned subsidiary of Waikato Regional Airport); Director, IT Partners Group; Director, Aurora Energy; Independent Chair, Audit and Risk Committee, Waikato District Council; Chairman, Women in Infrastructure Network; Member, Waikato branch of Institute of Directors; Councillor, WINTEC; Councillor and Member of the Audit and Risk Committee of Waikato University; Chairman Waikato Spatial Plan Joint Committee.

Julia Hoare, BCom, FCA, MInstD

Deputy Chair; Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee

Julia brings a comprehensive range of commercial, financial, tax, regulatory and sustainability expertise to Watercare which she developed over the course of 20 years as a partner with PwC. She retired from the PwC partnership on 31 December 2012 to pursue a full-time corporate governance career. 

Julia is a fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants and a member of the Institute of Directors.

General disclosure of interests: Director, AWF Madison Group Limited; Director, New Zealand Post Limited; Deputy Chair, The a2 Milk Company Limited; Director, The a2 Milk Company (New Zealand) Limited; Director, Port of Tauranga Limited; Member, Auckland Committee, Institute of Directors; Member, Advisory Panel to External Reporting Board; Member, Institute of Directors National Council; Director, Auckland International Airport Limited.

Catherine Harland, BA, PGDipBus, MBA, MInstD, JP

Chair of the Remuneration and Appointments Committee

Catherine Harland is a consultant with a background in research and public policy in local and central government. She has worked for MartinJenkins, The New Zealand Institute and Auckland University of Technology’s Institute of Public Policy. Catherine was an elected local government member for 15 years and involved in various community groups including five years as Chair of the Auckland Observatory and Planetarium Trust Board.

General disclosure of interests: Director, McHar Investments Limited; Director, Interface Partners Limited; Trustee, One Tree Hill Jubilee Educational Trust; Member, Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Board; Member, Water Allocation Technical Advisory Group.

Hon. Dame Annette King, BA 

Former MP, Dame Annette King brings 30 years of governance, community and public health experience to Watercare. During her time in parliament, Annette held several key ministerial portfolios – Health, Transport, Justice, Police and State Services – and was a member of the Finance and Expenditure, Health, and Local Government and Environment Select Committees. Annette continues as patron for a number of community organisations.

General disclosure of interests: Chair, Life Flight Trust Wellington; Interim Chair, Earthquake Commission (EQC).

Nicola Crauford BSc (Hons), PhD, FEngNZ, CPEng, FAICD, CFInstD

Dr Nicki Crauford is a professional company director with extensive experience in infrastructure including executive roles in oil and gas and the electricity sectors in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. She is currently Chairman GNS Science, Deputy Chair of Fire and Emergency New Zealand and a director of Wellington Water, Orion New Zealand and the Environmental Protection Authority. She is a former director of Genesis Energy. 

Nicki is Chartered Professional Engineer, a Fellow of the Institution of Professional Engineers in New Zealand and the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors.

General disclosure of interests: Chairman, GNS Science Limited; Deputy Chairman, Fire and Emergency New Zealand; Director, Orion New Zealand Limited; Director, Wellington Water Limited; Director, Environmental Protection Authority; Member of Electoral Authority – Cooperative Bank Limited; Specialist Advisor, WorleyParsons New Zealand Limited; Director and Shareholder, Riposte Consulting Limited.

Brendon Green, BE Chem and Process (Hons), Post Grad Diploma in Dairy Science and Technology

Brendon brings extensive experience from NZ and offshore primarily in resource development for power stations (gas, geothermal, landfill and wind), forestry, minerals, oil and gas exploration, water and dairy sectors. Brendon’s career includes technical, commercial roles with the NZ Dairy Board, Contact Energy, General Electric (Mexico and the US) and Mercury in developing its renewable energy portfolio under Mighty River Power.

Brendon is the founder of Kaitiaki Advisory Limited and holds board and executive board positions with Tainui Kawhia Incorporation, Te Runanganui o Ngati Hikairo, Bay Dairy Limited and Advanced Biotech NZ. He has served as chairman for Tainui Kawhia Incorporation and Tirohia Landfill Generation Joint Venture. Brendon is of Ngati Hikairo and Ngapuhi descent. 

General disclosure of interests: Director, Kaitiaki Advisory Limited; Director, Tainui Kawhia Incorporation; Director, Peak2Peak; Executive Director, Bay Dairy Limited; Executive Director, Advanced Biotech NZ; Executive, Te Runanganui o Ngati Hikairo; Management contract, Tainui Kawhia Minerals, Representative of Waipapa Marae, Kawhia, Te Whakakitenga o Waikato Tainui. 

David Thomas, BCA (Hons)

David Thomas has over 35 years’ experience in the building industry, and has led key business units within Fletcher Building for the last 25 years. He is currently the General Manager of Winstone Wallboards Ltd. David was on the founding Board of the South Auckland Crown Health Enterprise and represented Fletcher Challenge Ltd on the Board of Maori Development Corporation.

General disclosure of interests: Chair, Ngati Whakaue Tribal Lands Incorporated; Chair, Gypsum Board Manufacturers of Australasia; Shareholder / Employee – Fletcher Building Limited; Director, New Zealand Ceiling & Drywall Supplies Limited; Chair, Altus NZ Limited, Director, Delcon Holdings (No.8) Ltd; Director, Fletcher Building Products Ltd; Director, Fletcher Concrete and Infrastructure Ltd; Director, Home&Dry Ltd; Director, Iplex Pipelines NZ Ltd; Director, Pinkfit Ltd; Director, Selwyn Quarries Ltd; Director, Tasman Insulation New Zealand Ltd; Director, Winstone Wallboards Ltd.