Our Board

NIWA's Board of Directors is responsible to our shareholders (the New Zealand Government) for the strategic direction and operational performance of the company. 

Mr Chris Mace
Chairman

Chris Mace is an Auckland-based businessman. He chaired the Crown Research Institute ESR in the 1990s and later Antarctica New Zealand. He was a founding trustee of the Sir Peter Blake Trust and continues as a trustee of the Antarctic Heritage Trust. Chris was awarded a CNZM for services to Antarctica and the community and was appointed Chairman of NIWA in July 2009. 

Mr Craig Ellison
Deputy Chairman and Chairman of the Audit & Risk sub-committee

Craig Ellison is a director on several boards, including New Zealand Trade & Enterprise, as well as chairing the New Zealand Seafood Standards Council. Dunedin born and bred, Craig now lives in Wellington but also has commercial interests in Australia. He was deeply involved in the settlement of Māori commercial fisheries claims and maintains an interest in Māori governance structures and resource management. 

Dr Helen Anderson

Helen Anderson is a board member of DairyNZ and FulbrightNZ. She was Chief Executive of the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology for six years, preceded by six years as Chief Scientific Adviser. Most recently she has reviewed the Defence Technology Agency and been a member of the Ministerial inquiry into collapse of Christchurch CBD buildings. She is a seismologist by training and regularly speaks to lay audiences about recent earthquakes. 

Mr Ed Johnson

Ed Johnson, FInstD, is Chair of Fulton Hogan Ltd, Goldpine Industries Ltd, Indevin Ltd and Port Marlborough New Zealand Ltd, and a director of several entities. He retired as Chairman and CFO of Shell New Zealand in 2002. In 2001, Ed became the inaugural Honorary Fellow of Massey University's Centre for Business and Sustainable Development and was made a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Directors in 2003. 

Dr Wendy Lawson

Dr Wendy Lawson is a glaciologist with a particular interest in the impacts of climate change and earth systems. She has more than 25 years of remote field science experience in Arctic, Antarctic, and alpine regions. She is Head of the Department of Geography and Professor at the University of Canterbury, and serves on the Board of the Antarctic Research Centre at Victoria University. 

Ms Helen Robinson

Helen was the founding CEO of TZ1 Registry acquired by London based Markit Group Ltd June 2009. Helen continued to act as Global Managing Director, Environmental Markets until April 2010. Helen has led many technology companies over the past 20 years, including as CEO of Microsoft, NZ and as Vice President of APAC, Pivotal Corporation. Her directorships include NZ Business Excellence Foundation. 

Mr Jason Shoebridge

Jason Shoebridge is the Managing Director of TNS New Zealand. Jason has led consulting assignments across a range of industries and disciplines in New Zealand and overseas. Prior to his consulting career, Jason held number of senior commercial and financial management roles internationally and in New Zealand in large corporates, as well as with an international chartered accounting firm.