AUCKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Chief Infrastructure Officer
André leads Auckland Airport's infrastructure development and delivery team, focusing on the implementation of our 30-year vision to build a world-class airport. André brings 19 years' experience of delivering major infrastructure projects across Asia Pacific.
Before joining us in March 2018, André was chair of Regenerate Christchurch, the organisation tasked with the redevelopment of the ‘red zone', and chief executive of the Arts Centre of Christchurch. André also has experience including four years as a director of Christchurch Airport, and the delivery of numerous significant infrastructure projects in Singapore, including the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort and the Singapore Sports Hub.
Carrie Hurihanganui has been Chief Executive of Auckland Airport since February 2022. Prior to joining Auckland Airport, Carrie was Chief Operating Officer at Air New Zealand, overseeing a global workforce of >9,000 across 16 countries at its peak.
Carrie has over 22 years of operational and strategic experience in the aviation industry, having held several senior roles at Air New Zealand, leading customer experience transformation, maximising business growth and building high performing and engaged teams.
She left the airline in 2017 to join National Australia Bank (NAB) based in Melbourne as Executive General Manager Customer Experience before returning in 2018 to the Chief Ground Operations Officer role, before transitioning into the Chief Operating Officer role in 2020.
Carrie is passionate about building a better future grounded in purpose and people. She has a Bachelor of Business Studies from Massey University and has completed a number of advanced programmes of study, including INSEAD and Harvard.
Chloe is responsible for the operational performance of the airport system for millions of travellers that use the international and domestic terminals every year, including safety and security measures, efficient processes, and enhanced customer experience in close partnership with airport agencies and airlines.
Previously, Chloe was Air New Zealand's Group General Manager Airports, a role overseeing 50 airports globally with a workforce of 2000. Other roles also include General Manager Supply Chain for Air New Zealand, CEO of Invercargill Airport and Hotel Director for Carnival Cruise Lines in the United States.
With over 20 years experience in senior leadership roles in the aviation and cruise industries, Chloe brings expertise in operational effectiveness and risk management, people leadership, customer service, stakeholder collaboration and workforce health, safety and wellbeing.
Job Titles:
- Civil Engineer
- Director
- Director of Western Sydney Airport Limited
- Director, BE
Christine Spring was appointed a director of the company in 2014.
Christine is a civil engineer and business executive with over 25 years' experience in aviation infrastructure development and strategic planning roles in New Zealand, Australia, United Arab Emirates, Asia and the Pacific Islands.
During her career to date, Christine's experience has been focused in strategy, stakeholder management and the planning of significant capital development projects in the aviation industry. Also, she was an executive of Auckland Airport before heading overseas to broaden her experience in 2002.
Christine's experience in aviation infrastructure and executive management is serving Auckland Airport well as the company focuses on its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and its future infrastructure development plans.
Christine is also a director of Western Sydney Airport Limited and NZ Windfarms; and the Chair of Isthmus Group Limited.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Chairman of Fulton Hogan
Dean Hamilton was appointed a director of the company in 2018.
Dean has significant CEO and financial markets experience. Most recently he was CEO of Silver Fern Farms Limited where he successfully led the business through a period of significant change and improvement in financial performance, health & safety, staff and supplier engagement, sustainability and consumer trust in the brand.
Dean's career includes 12 years at global investment bank Deutsche Bank, working in both Australia and New Zealand, where he advised a wide range of companies on M&A, capital management, corporate restructuring and capital raising.
Prior to Deutsche Bank, Dean held CEO roles in manufacturing and general management in retail.
Dean brings experience at running a large organisation with a wide range of stakeholders as well as a deep understanding in finance and capital markets.
Dean is currently the chair of Fulton Hogan and Ryman Healthcare and a director of The Warehouse Group and Tappenden Holdings.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Chairman, BE, PhD, Dist FIPENZ
- Director of Mercury NZ Limited
Patrick Strange was appointed a director of the company in 2015 and became chair of the company in 2018.
He has spent 35 years working principally in the New Zealand and international electricity and infrastructure sectors.
Patrick completed a doctorate in civil engineering at the University of Auckland, and then spent 13 years in Europe and North America. He was appointed Chief Executive of Mercury Energy in 1998 and went on to build the network unit into a successful standalone business as Vector.
Patrick retired in 2014 as Chief Executive of Transpower, New Zealand's transmission owner and operator. During his tenure, Transpower successfully completed a major, multi-billion dollar reinvestment in the grid.
Patrick is currently a director of Mercury NZ Limited and Transgrid.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Chairman of Port of Tauranga Limited
- Director, BCom, FCA, CMInstD
Julia Hoare was appointed a director of the company in 2017.
Prior to her governance career, Julia had extensive chartered accounting experience in Australia, the United Kingdom and New Zealand and was a partner with PwC New Zealand for 20 years until 2012. Her expertise spans finance, commercial, tax, regulatory, sustainability and climate change.
Through both her professional experience and board roles, Julia is knowledgeable across a diverse range of sectors including transport and logistics, infrastructure, energy, and international FMCG.
Julia is the Chair of Port of Tauranga Limited, Deputy Chair of The a2 Milk Company Limited, and a Director of Meridian Energy Limited. Julia is also a member of the Chapter Zero New Zealand Steering Committee, and the President and inaugural Chair of the New Zealand Institute of Directors.
Elizabeth (Liz) was appointed a director of the company in 2019.
Liz has extensive experience in the airline, travel & tourism sectors and brings a deep understanding of the airline business to the Board.
Her 20-year career in senior leadership roles in Australia and Europe, includes being Chief Commercial Officer of Virgin Australia during the successful early stage transformation of the airline and Business Development Director of easyJet during the airline's first ten years of rapid growth.
Liz is currently a director of Intrepid Travel Group, North Queensland Airports, PeopleIn Limited and Tiger HoldCo Pty Limited, and has previously Chaired the Queensland Government Tourism Recovery Action Plan Industry Panel.
Previous directorships include Mantra Group, Swissport ANZ, Brisbane Marketing and Triathlon Australia. Through her roles, Liz brings particular focus on customer strategy, marketing and sustainable growth.
Liz qualified as an Aeronautical Engineer, with a master's degree in Air Transport Management.
Mark Binns was appointed a director of the company in 2018.
His successful career has seen him closely involved in many of New Zealand's largest infrastructure projects, including the Wiri Prison public-private partnership, Waterview Connection, Eden Park, SKYCITY, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and the Manapōuri tunnel. For 22 years, Mark worked at Fletcher Building and its predecessor, Fletcher Challenge Limited. During that period he was responsible for operations in Australia, South East Asia, India, South America, the United States and the South Pacific, as well as in New Zealand.
Mark also brings to this governance role the experience of being a Chief Executive. He was Chief Executive of Meridian from 2012 to 2017, during which he prepared the company for New Zealand's largest IPO and delivered strong shareholder returns. He is also a former Chief Executive of the Infrastructure Division of Fletcher Building Limited, the company's largest division.
Mark is currently Chair of Crown Infrastructure Partners Limited and Hynds Ltd, a director of Hynds Holdings Ltd and Te Puia Tapapa Ltd.
By training, Mark is a qualified lawyer. He is a former partner of Simpson Grierson in Auckland.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director, BE ( Hons ), BBS, MMGT, FEngNZ, CFInstD
Mark Cairns was appointed a director of the company in 2022.
Mark retired in 2021 as Chief Executive of Port of Tauranga following 16 years in the role. He has a first class honours degree in Civil Engineering from University of Auckland, a degree in Business Studies and a Master of Management from Massey University. He is a Fellow of Engineering New Zealand and a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors.
Mark has worked in large infrastructure (build/operate), logistic operations and complex supply chains for most of his career and brings extensive Chief Executive experience in business operations at scale, including significant exposure to capital markets.
Mark is currently the chair of Freightways Limited, and a director of Meridian Energy Limited.
Mark Thomson - Chief Commercial Officer
Mark Thomson is responsible for Auckland Airport's investment property, hotels, and retailing businesses including duty free, specialty retail, valet and car parking. He is also responsible for Auckland Airport's hotel joint venture with Tainui Group Holdings and he is a Director of Queenstown Airport Corporation. Mark is currently a member of Property Council New Zealand's National Board.
Mark has more than 25 years' experience in real estate management and development, and he brings a wealth of experience in the transport and logistics sectors. Before joining Auckland Airport in April 2014, he was Director, Strategy Execution and Property (Asia) for Toll Global Logistics, responsible for a real estate portfolio spread across 12 countries including China, Singapore and India. Mark has a Bachelor of Commerce from Lincoln University and he has completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.
Chief Sustainability & Master Planning Officer, LLB (Hons), BCom
Mary-Liz has leadership responsibility for master planning, strategic capital planning, sustainability and transformation at Auckland Airport. Mary-Liz also is a trustee for the airport marae Te Manukanuka o Hoturoa, and on the advisory board for Ara, the job and skills hub for the Auckland Airport precinct, connecting South Auckland communities with jobs at and around Auckland Airport.
Mary-Liz joined Auckland Airport in February 2019 from Fisher and Paykel Appliances, where she held numerous leadership roles across business excellence, product quality, customer experience, operations and legal.
Prior to this Mary-Liz was a practicing commercial lawyer specialising in mergers and acquisitions, holding various senior roles in New Zealand law firms and at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in the United Kingdom.
Mary-Liz holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Auckland.
Job Titles:
- Chief Corporate Services Officer
Melanie has leadership responsibility for health, safety and wellbeing, legal, people and capability, people services, public relations and government relations at Auckland Airport.
A proven people-leader, Melanie brings 20 years of experience in senior human resources and finance roles in New Zealand and internationally. Working across the manufacturing, IT and financial service sectors, she has previously been responsible for health & safety, employee experience, employment and industrial relations, organisational development, culture and communications.
Most recently she was Chief People Officer for Te Whatu Ora, Auckland District, where she led her team through the challenges of the pandemic and built the corporate head office People & Culture function for the newly created Te Whatu Ora.
Melanie holds a Master of Business Administration degree and a Master of Science in Biochemistry degree, both from the University of Otago.
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer, BSC ( Hons ), MBA ( Distn )
Phil is responsible for managing our corporate strategy, financial affairs, procurement, legal, aeronautical pricing, risk management and insurance matters. He joined us in 2010 as our business intelligence manager and was appointed Chief Financial Officer in December 2015. Phil has a background in science, investment banking, corporate finance and treasury. He is a Certified Practicing Accountant.
Job Titles:
- Chief Digital Officer - Pou Āpiha Matahiko
Richard is respon sible for the strategy, delivery and execution of world class digital technology programmes at Auckland Airport.
With more than twenty years' experience in large, complex, and high-profile digital environments across a range of industries, Richard joined the airport from Farmlands - a farming services co-operative, where he was Pou Āpiha Matahiko, Chief Innovation & Digital Officer.
Richard has also held senior technology leadership roles in organisations that have ma de a significant contribution to Aotearoa, including New Zealand Rugby, Fairfax Media/Stuff and Tourism New Zealand.
He has proven leadership skills in managing change both within the digital environment and across organisational cultures. Richard also brings a strong connection to Te Ao Māori, to his role at Auckland Airport.
Scott leads Auckland Airport's customer and aeronautical commercial teams, focusing on customer experience and sustainably growing our airline capacity and network connectivity. He has more than 20 years' experience in the travel industry, both in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and has held a number of roles in airline sales, marketing and management with Emirates and Lufthansa.
Prior to joining Auckland Airport in February 2015 as a business development manager, Scott held leadership positions in the travel insurance industry with Cover-More Travel Insurance and the Healix Assistance Group. He was appointed our general manager aeronautical commercial in July 2017.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director of Tainui Group Holdings Ltd
- Director, BA, MMM, CFinstD
- Governance Group Member of the Deep South Challenge
Tania Simpson was appointed a director of the company in 2018.
Tania is currently a director of Tainui Group Holdings Ltd, Waikato-Tainui Fisheries Ltd, Meridian Energy Ltd and Ukaipo Ltd.
Tania is also a Governance Group member of the Deep South Challenge and a member of the Waitangi Tribunal.
She is Deputy Chair of the Waitangi National Trust and Chair of the Sustainable Seas Challenge.
Tania was appointed to the Board of Waste Management NZ effective as of 25 September 2023.
Tania's background includes 14 years as a director of Mighty River Power from its beginnings as a State Owned Enterprise through to its successful listing in 2013.
Tania is known for her work within Maori communities. Her experience includes time spent as a Maori Advisory Officer for the Housing Corporation of NZ before moving into central government as a Senior Policy Analyst on housing policies. She has also helped negotiate agreements for Maori communities and has worked on a number of Treaty claims and settlements.