Board of Directors

Joan Withers, Chair
Joan Withers was appointed a director of Mighty River Power in August 2009 and Chair of the board in October 2009.  She is Chair of Auckland International Airport, Deputy Chair of Television New Zealand, a director of The Treasury Advisory Board, a trustee of Pure Advantage, the Sweet Louise and the Tindall Foundations and was previously a director of Meridian Energy.  Joan has been appointed as an independent director of ANZ Bank New Zealand, effective from 1 July 2013.  Joan has more than 20 years’ experience at a senior executive level in the New Zealand media industry, including serving as Chief Executive Officer of Fairfax New Zealand and the Radio Network of New Zealand.  Joan is author of the book “A Girl’s Guide to Business”.  Joan is a former director of Feltex Carpets and is one of several defendants to a civil class action suit brought by investors in relation to the initial public offering of that company.  Joan is defending that claim.  
 

Trevor Janes, Deputy Chair

Trevor Janes joined the Mighty River Power board in June 2005.  He is Chair of Public Trust, Chair of Abano Healthcare, Deputy Chair of the Accident Compensation Corporation and a director of ProCare Health.  Trevor is also a member of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade International Development Advisory and Selection Panel, a member of the New Zealand Post Network Access Committee and an issuers’ representative on the New Zealand Markets Disciplinary Tribunal.  He was a director of finance company Capital + Merchant Finance Limited from 30 March 2005 to 31 October 2006.  That company was placed in receivership on 23 November 2007 and in liquidation on 15 December 2009.  Trevor is a Chartered Accountant and Fellow of the Institute of Directors and the Institute of Financial Professionals NZ Inc.  He is a member of the CFA Institute (US) and the UK Society of Investment Professionals.

Michael Allen, Director

Michael Allen was appointed a director of Mighty River Power in November 2009 and is also a director of Mid Century Design.  With a background in engineering, he has 25 years’ experience in the management, promotion and marketing of international geothermal engineering consulting.  He has been involved in more than 20 geothermal developments in 12 countries and has undertaken project consultancy in South East Asia, Africa, Japan, and Central and South America.  More recently he has been active in brokering finance from banking and private equity sources for clean energy projects internationally.  Michael is also Executive Chairman of ReEx Capital Asia Pte (Singapore) and an executive director of Geothermal New Zealand.

Prue Flacks, Director

Prue Flacks joined the Mighty River Power board in May 2010.  She is a barrister and solicitor with extensive specialist experience in commercial law and, in particular, banking and finance and securities law.  Prue is a consultant to Russell McVeagh, where she was a partner for 20 years.  She is a director of Chorus and Bank of New Zealand, Chair of Bank of New Zealand Life Insurance and BNZ Insurance Services, and a trustee of the Victoria University of Wellington Foundation.

James Miller, Director

James Miller was appointed a director of Mighty River Power in May 2012.  He is a director of NZX, New Zealand Clearing and Depository Corporation (a subsidiary of NZX), the Accident Compensation Corporation and Auckland International Airport and is a member of the Financial Markets Authority.  He was previously Chair of listed investment companies Barramundi, Kingfish and Marlin Global and a director of Vector.  James was also a member of the board of the Institute of Finance Professionals and the Financial Reporting Standards board of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants.  He has 15 years’ experience in the capital markets, having recently retired as a director and Head of NZ Wholesale Equities with Craigs Investment Partners in Auckland.  James’ relevant prior roles were Head of Equities and Head of Research at ABN AMRO in New Zealand and a Research Analyst focusing on the energy and infrastructure sectors with Barclays de Zoete Wedde in New Zealand.  James is a fellow of the Institute of Finance Professionals New Zealand Inc.  He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of New Zealand.  James has completed the Advanced Management Program (AMP) at Harvard University.

Tania Simpson, Director

Tania Simpson became a director of Mighty River Power in November 2001, making her the longest serving member of the current board, and is Chair of its Human Resources Committee.  Tania is the founding director of Māori policy adviser, Kōwhai Consulting.  She has previously held management positions in the Housing Corporation of New Zealand, Ministry of Māori Development and Office of Treaty Settlements and has worked on social policy, environment, economic development and Treaty-related matters.  She is of Tainui, Ngāi Tahu and Ngā Puhi descent.  Tania is Deputy Chair of Landcare Research, a member of the Waitangi Tribunal, a director of Oceania Group, AgResearch and a trustee of Te Reo Irirangi o Maniapoto Trust, Waikato Endowed Colleges Trust, Kōwhai Trust and Tui Trust.

Keith Smith, Director

Keith Smith was appointed a director of Mighty River Power in May 2009 and is Chair of its Risk Assurance and Audit Committee.  He is Chair of a number of companies including Tourism Holdings and Goodman (NZ), and is Deputy Chair of The Warehouse Group and various private companies covering a range of industry sectors.  Keith was previously a director of PGG Wrightson and NZ Farming Systems Uruguay and was Deputy Chair of Genesis Energy.  He is a past President of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants.