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
Joan Withers (Chair) MBA, AFInstD
Joan Withers was appointed a director of the company in 1997 and became chair on 28 October 2010. She has spent over 25 years working in the media industry holding CEO positions in both newspaper and radio, and has been a professional director for 14 years. In July 2005, Joan became chief executive officer of Fairfax New Zealand Limited, New Zealand’s largest media company, a role from which she retired on 30 June 2009. She is also chair of Mighty River Power Limited, deputy chair of TVNZ Limited, a member of the Treasury Advisory Board and a trustee of the Tindall Foundation and the Louise Perkins Foundation.
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 chair of Fonterra Co-operative Group since September 2002. As a founding director of the Co-operative, Sir Henry 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, he 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 Independent Egg Producers, Elevation Capital, Manuka SA and Pascaro. He is a member of Rabobank’s Food Agribusiness Advisory Board of Australia, director Remuneration Committee, ZESPRI International and New Zealand International Business Forum.
Keith Turner BE (Hons), ME, PhD, FIEE, FIPENZ, FNZIM
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. Keith has participated in widespread 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 has an extensive track record in creating value from infrastructure with a particular focus on identifying market opportunities, strategic analysis, large capital project development and execution, organisation culture and large scale operations. Keith now holds a number of small and large board positions, and undertakes executive coaching and international consulting activities.
Richard Didsbury BE (Auck)
Richard Didsbury was appointed a director of the company in November 2007. He graduated in Engineering from The University of Auckland. In 1992, Richard was a co-founder of the Kiwi Income Property Trust (KIPT), which is now the largest property vehicle listed on the NZX, and he remains a director of that company. Within KIPT, Richard led the Sylvia Park project team which successfully completed New Zealand’s biggest retail development. He is a director of the Hobsonville Land Company, which is developing a major new waterfront community in north-west Auckland. 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.
James Miller BCom, FCA
James Miller was appointed to the Auckland Airport board in September 2009. He has spent 14 years working in the share broking industry. During this time, James has specialised in the strategy and valuation of airport and utility companies. Specifically, he had a leading role in the valuation and global pre-marketing of Auckland International Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport, Contact Energy and Vector initial public offers. James 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 Institute of Directors and is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program, Harvard Business School (USA). He was previously on the ABN AMRO Securities Board, INFINZ Board and the Financial Reporting Standards Board. James is a member of the Financial Markets Authority and a director of Vector and the New Zealand Stock Exchange. He is also chair of listed investment companies Barramundi Limited, Kingfish Limited and Marlin Global Limited.
Lloyd Morrison LLB (Hons)
Lloyd Morrison was appointed a director of the company in November 2007. He is one of New Zealand’s most experienced infrastructure investors and managers. Lloyd founded NZXlisted 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. He is managing director of Infratil, chair of HRL Morrison & Co which, in addition to Infratil, manages infrastructure investments for the New Zealand Superannuation Fund, chair of Infratil Airports Europe and a director of TrustPower. In respect of airport companies, Lloyd has board experience with airport companies in New Zealand, Australia, the USA, UK and Continental Europe.
Brett Godfrey BCom, ACA
Brett Godfrey has had a 20 year career in aviation, initially holding finance positions in small airlines, then moving to flag carriers and culminating in establishing and leading the Virgin Blue Airlines Group. He conceptualised, established and led Virgin Blue, Australia’s second largest airline, as chief executive for its first 10 years. Under Brett’s leadership, Virgin Blue successfully navigated through such hazards as 9/11, the Bali bombings and, more recently, the global financial crisis. Now the Group employs 6,000 people, operates four airlines, including new long-haul premium carrier V Australia, all up carrying 20 million ‘guests’ per annum. Brett and his team have changed the face of aviation in Virgin Blue’s region and in so doing made air travel accessible to a great many more people. He has been awarded the Australian Centenary Medal for his service to tourism and aviation, was recognised as the Australian Chief Executive of the Year by the Customer Service Institute of Australia, and the Outstanding Chartered Accountant in Business, by the Australian Institute of Chartered Accountants.
John Brabazon BCom (Auck) ACA, AFInstD, F FIN
John Brabazon was appointed a director of the company in 2007, and is a member of the audit and risk committee. He is an executive director of merchant bankers Clavell Capital Limited and has over 26 years’ experience in the capital markets. John is also the president of Kern River Oil Corporation in the USA. His former directorships include 13 years in aggregate spent on the board of seven companies with total assets exceeding NZ$1.7 billion. He is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants, an Accredited Fellow of the Institute of Directors in New Zealand (Inc), and a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia.