Board of directors
Managing an outstanding company
Auckland Airport’s board of directors and executive team focus on ensuring the company is managed at the highest strategic level. They work to realise the company’s long-term corporate objectives, as it continuously strives to become the world’s most outstanding and welcoming airport.
As New Zealand’s busiest airport, we are one of our country’s largest infrastructure assets and one of the biggest employers in the Greater Auckland region.
Meet our board of directors
Anthony Frankham FCA, FAMINZ, AFInstDirNZ
Tony was appointed a director of the company in 1994, and chairman in November 2007. A former partner in the New Zealand firm of Deloitte, he established his own specialist financial consulting practice in 1992. Tony is chairman of New Zealand Experience Limited and a director of ProCare Health Limited. He is a former director of 14 listed companies, he was chairman of four of these. His previous directorships include Capital Properties New Zealand Limited, Direct Capital Partners Limited, New Zealand Oil & Gas Limited, Otter Gold Mines Limited, Vertex Group Holdings Limited and Wilson & Horton Limited. Tony is a life member and past president of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants, and a former member of the Takeovers Panel, the Securities Commission and the Council of the International Federation of Accountants.
Keith Turner BE (Hons), ME, PhD, FIEE, FIPENZ, FNZM
Keith Turner was appointed a Director of the Company in 2004. He has 39 years’ experience in the New Zealand electricity industry, the last 21 years of which have been spent in senior executive positions. He has undertaken widespread participation in reform of the industry, both in industry review teams and acting for the Government on a range of industry boards. In 1999 he took up the position of Chief Executive of Meridian Energy following the breakup of ECNZ, a role he retired from on 31 March 2008. He now holds a number of small and large board positions, and undertakes executive coaching and international consulting activities.
John Brabazon BCom (Auck)
John Brabazon was appointed a director of the company in 2007, and is a member of the Audit & Risk Committee, and Takeovers Committee. He is an executive director of boutique Merchant Bankers DBB Capital Limited and has over 25 years experience in the capital markets, including eight years with Brierley Investments Limited. His other directorships include Kern River Oil Corporation in the United States and The New Zealand Wine Fund Limited. His former directorships include 13 years in aggregate spent on the board of six companies with total assets exceeding NZ$1.6 billion. He is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants, an Accredited Director of the Institute of Directors in NZ Inc, and a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia.
Richard Didsbury BE (Auck)
Richard was appointed a director of the company in November 2007. He graduated in Engineering from The University of Auckland. He was a co-founder of the Kiwi Income Property Trust in 1992 which is now the largest property vehicle listed on the NZX, and he remains a director of that company. Within KIPT, he led the Sylvia Park project team which successfully completed New Zealand's biggest retail development. Richard offers complementary skills to the board of Auckland Airport, particularly his extensive property development expertise which, together with his experience of transportation issues gained during his time on the board of Infrastructure Auckland, will be of value to the company as it deals with the future issues of land access to and from Mangere.
Lloyd Morrison LLB (Hons)
Lloyd was appointed a director of the company in November 2007. He is one of New Zealand's most experienced infrastructure investors and managers. He founded NZX-listed Infratil in 1994 to invest in infrastructure companies in New Zealand and internationally. Infratil has been one of the NZX’s top-performing companies since its formation, and today owns businesses in the airport, renewable generation, energy retailing, waste to energy and public transport sectors. Lloyd is managing director of Infratil, chairman of HRL Morrison & Co which, in addition to Infratil, manages infrastructure investments for the New Zealand Superannuation Fund, chairman of Infratil Airports Europe and a director of TrustPower. In respect of airport companies, he has board experience with airport companies in New Zealand, Australia, USA, UK and Continental Europe.
Joan Withers MBA, AFinstD
Joan was appointed a director of the company in 1997. She has spent over 25 years working in the media industry, holding CEO positions in both newspapers and radio, and has been a professional director for 11 years. In July 2005, Joan became chief executive officer of Fairfax New Zealand Limited, New Zealands largest media company, a role from which she retired on 30 June 2009.
Sir Henry van der Heyden KNZM, BE (Hons)
Sir Henry van der Heyden was appointed a director of Auckland Airport in September 2009. He has been Chairman of Fonterra Co-operative Group since September 2002. As a founding Director of the Co-operative he has contributed to industry governance for nearly 20 years, both as a Director and Chairman. This included leading New Zealand Dairy Group through the process which ultimately saw Fonterra formed in 2001 and subsequent innovations in governance such as the formation of a Shareholders Council. Awarded New Zealand Herald Business Person of the Year in 2007, Sir Henry was honoured with a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2009 in recognition of his extensive services to agriculture. In addition to directing family interests in dairy farming in the Waikato and Chile, Sir Henry is a Director of King St Advertising, Independent Egg Producers, Northern Feedmills, Elevation Capital and Manuka SA. He is a member of Rabobank’s Food Agribusiness Advisory Board of Australia.
James Miller BCom, FCA
James Miller was appointed to the Auckland Airport board in September 2009. Mr Miller has spent 14 years working in the share broking industry. During this time he has specialized in the strategy and valuation of airport and utility companies. Specifically, Mr Miller had a leading role in the valuation and global pre marketing of the Auckland International Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport, Contact Energy, and Vector initial public offers. Mr Miller is a qualified chartered accountant and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of New Zealand, a Certified Securities Analyst Professional, a Member of the New Zealand Stock Exchange, a Member of the Institute of Directors and is a graduate of The Advanced Management Program, Harvard Business School (USA). Mr Miller is a director of Vector and Craig’s Investment Partners. He was previously on the ABN AMRO Securities Board, INFINZ Board, and Financial Reporting Standards Board.