Simon Watts was elected as the Member of Parliament for North Shore in the 2020 election. He is the Minister of Climate Change, Minister of Local Government, Minister of Revenue and Minister for Auckland.

Simon grew up in the Waikato, where his family were farmers and orchardists. He is married, has two sons, and lives on the North Shore with his family.

He studied Accounting and Finance at Waikato University and worked in investment banking in Asia, Europe and the United Kingdom. He has worked for one of the world's largest investment banks, the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), where he held several management roles during and in the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis.

Simon has also completed a Health Sciences degree at Auckland University of Technology. He continues to volunteer with St John as an ambulance officer and is a registered Paramedic alongside his duties as a Member of Parliament.

Desley Simpson is currently the Deputy Mayor of Auckland and an Auckland Councillor representing the Orakei Ward around the Town Hall table.

In the 2022 elections Desley received the highest personal vote of any councillor in Auckland (and in New Zealand) .

On top of chairing the Domain Committee and being Deputy Chair of the Governing Body, she is also a member of the Transport & Infrastructure Committee, the Planning, Environment & Parks Committee and sits along with the mayor ex officio on all other committees.

Desley is known for always delivering for the Ōrākei Ward. Her track record speaks volumes about her effectiveness, with major wins including: infrastructure to improve water quality; safe shared paths linking communities (especially the recently opened Glen Innes to Tamaki Drive section); upgrading the Mission Bay fountain; raising the flood-prone section of Tamaki Drive; maintaining vehicle lanes while building safe cycle paths; securing environmental investment into Kohimarama Forest, Waiatarua Wetland and Tahuna Torea.

Desley works collaboratively, always votes based on majority feedback from her Ward and led a record-breaking $447million plus worth of financial efficiencies and savings last term. Prior to that Desley was instrumental in keeping Colin Maiden Park as open space instead of intensive housing. She also led the development of an old landfill site into professional sportsfields at Ngahue Reserve along with a global facility that has wider community benefit across the region at no cost to ratepayers

Jamie Sinclair was appointed chief executive of Watercare in June 2025, following an extensive career in both the public and private sectors across New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Prior to stepping into his current role, Jamie served as deputy chief executive and chief corporate services officer at Watercare, where he led finance, people and culture, legal, and health and safety functions.

A qualified accountant with a degree in management studies from the University of Waikato and a postgraduate diploma in environmental management, Jamie brings a unique blend of financial expertise and environmental insight to the role. His career has spanned audit, change management, and executive leadership, including seven transformative years with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, where his positions included chief executive of the Trust.

Jamie is passionate about people, partnerships, and performance. He is leading Watercare through a period of significant change as it becomes a financially independent and fully regulated utility. With a multi-billion dollar investment plan over the next decade, Jamie is focused on delivering for Aucklanders while strengthening relationships across the sector, with mana whenua partners and key stakeholders.

Mark Crowle is an experienced infrastructure delivery leader with extensive executive experience across Australia and New Zealand. He holds a master’s degree in project management from the University of Technology, Sydney, is a Fellow of Engineering New Zealand and a Member of Institute of Directors. Mark is also on the Infrastructure New Zealand Advisory Council.

Mark has spent the last 25 years managing large infrastructure projects and has experience in water and wastewater, power generation and transmission, tunnelling, roading, LNG, etc. Most recently, he was General Manager of LEAD Alliance, where he led the delivery of a major Kāinga Ora programme of work.

Graham is an independent director and advisor to the construction industry. He has extensive experience in the planning, consenting, design and construction of major infrastructure projects. His project governance experience includes the Waterview Tunnel, Te Papa Tongarewa, Māngere Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade, Hobson Tunnel, Downtown Infrastructure Programme and many of New Zealand’s water, wastewater, transport, energy and marine projects. Previously Graham was Chief Executive of Fletcher Construction, President of Engineering New Zealand, and Safeguard Safety Leader of the Year in 2016. He is a Distinguished Fellow of Engineering New Zealand, Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, and a Member of the Institute of Directors.

General Disclosure of Interests: Director, Holmes GP ANZ Ltd; Director, Hick Group Ltd; Business Executive, Acciona Infrastructure NZ Limited; Director and Shareholder, Brockway Consulting Limited; Director and Chair, Frequency NZ Limited; Director, Hick Bros. Civil Construction Limited; Director, Hick Bros. Heavy Haulage Limited; Director, Hick Bros. Holdings Limited; Director, Holmes Group Limited; Director, Pac Tranz Limited; Chair, The LEAD Project Alliance Board; Project Governance Group, Sludge Minimisation Project; Major Transport Group, Wellington City Council; and Advisor, Wellington Metro Water Services Delivery Plan.