Executive team

Chief Executive Doug McKay heads the executive team, who are:

• Chief Operating Officer: Patricia Reade, who was previously Deputy Chief Executive (responsible for Work and Income) at the Ministry of Social Development.
• Chief Planning Officer: Dr Roger Blakeley. He was previously the Chief Executive at Porirua City Council.
• Chief Financial Officer: Andrew McKenzie, who was previously General Manager of Auckland City Council’s finance division.
• Governance Director: Grant Taylor, who was previously Strategy Director at Manukau City Council and Local Governance Advisor at the Auckland Transition Agency.
• General Counsel: Wendy Brandon, who until recently was Legal Counsel for the Ministry of Health.
• Manager Risk and Assurance: Natalie Verdouw, previously the National Audit Manager for FirstMac Ltd (Australia).
• Manager Communications and Public Affairs: Shelley Watson, who was General Manager of Marketing and Communications at the Auckland Regional Transport Authority.
• Manager Civil Defence and Emergency Management: Clive Manley. He was a consultant specialising in civil defence emergency management and formerly the Northland Group Controller and Chairman of the Northland Co-ordinating Executive Group.