Board of directors Board of directors
Auckland Transport has been established as a council controlled organisation (CCO) with eight board members. A CCO is a company or organisation in which a local authority controls 50% or more of the votes, or has the right to appoint 50% or more of the directors or trustees.
Board of directors
- Dr Lester Levy, Chair
- Wayne Donnelly, Deputy Chair
- Kylie Clegg
- Sir Michael Cullen
- Mary-Jane Daly
- Mark Gilbert
- Dame Paula Rebstock
- Raewyn Bleakley
Role and appointment process
Auckland Transport’s activities are directed and guided at a strategic level by the board of directors:
- Between 6 and 8 voting directors are appointed by Auckland Council and will generally serve a term of 1 to 3 years and then may be re-appointed by Auckland Council for a further 3 years.
- Two of those directors may be members of Auckland Council.
- In addition, 1 non-voting member is nominated by the New Zealand Transport Agency.
The board has overall responsibility for delivering transport in Auckland; this includes managing and controlling public transport and local roads, as well as preparing the Auckland Regional Land Transport Programme.
All decisions relating to the operation of Auckland Transport are made by, or under, the authority of the board in accordance with the Local Government (Tamaki Makaurau Reorganisation) Amendment Act 2009, the Local Government (Auckland Council) Act 2009, and the Local Government (Auckland Transitional Provisions) Act 2010.
Auckland Transport board members
Dr Lester Levy - Chairperson
Lester Levy has over two decades’ experience in a range of roles as a chairman, chief executive and
entrepreneur. Lester’s governance experience includes chairing private healthcare, film and television production, research, biotechnology and engineering enterprises.
His previous roles include Chief Executive of South Auckland Health, the New Zealand Blood Service and MercyAscot Private Hospital Group (where he was a founder).
Current roles and general disclosure of interests:
- Chairman, Health Research Council.
- Member, Ministerial Advisory Group on Health.
- Independent Chairman, Eye Institute.
- Independent Chairman, New Zealand Radiology Group.
- Independent Director, Skin Institute.
- Independent Chairman, Tonkin + Taylor.
- Adjunct Professor of Leadership, University of Auckland Business School.
- Lead Reviewer, State Services Commission Performance Improvement Framework.
- Strategic Advisor, Ngāti Whātua.
Wayne Donnelly - Deputy Chair
Wayne Donnelly is a former Chief Executive of Land Transport New Zealand (now the NZ Transport Agency) and Rodney District Council, where he was responsible for managing the council’s operations. He has held senior management positions in the construction sector and at the former Auckland City Council, and worked in the transport and oil industries in Britain and Hong Kong.
Current roles and general disclosure of interests:
- Managing Director, Donnelly Consulting Ltd.
Kylie Clegg
Kylie Clegg has a corporate legal background, having specialised in mergers and acquisitions and
corporate governance advice across a range of industries for private and publicly listed companies and government organisations. Kylie’s previous governance experience has been as a board member of the New Zealand Olympic Committee and the Halberg Disability Sports Foundation, and as an AT Board
observer.
Current roles and general disclosure of interests:
- Deputy Chair, Waitemata District Health Board.
- Board member, Sport NZ.
- Trustee, Well Foundation.
- Trustee and beneficiary, Mickyla Trust and M&K Investments Trust.
Sir Michael Cullen
Michael Cullen was an Otago University lecturer until he entered Parliament in 1981. Michael was
Finance Minister from 1999 to 2008, and Deputy Prime Minister from 2002 to 2008. His achievements
include the establishment of the New Zealand Superannuation Fund and the creation of KiwiSaver.
Current roles and general disclosure of interests:
- Chair, Bay of Plenty Tertiary Intentions Strategy Implementation Group.
- Chair, Government Tax Review Working Group.
- Director, Lifetime Asset Management Limited.
- Director, Lifetime Income Limited.
- Director, Retirement Income Group Limited.
- Lead Treaty Claims Negotiator, Te Kotahitanga o Ngāti Tūwharetoa.
- Chair, Environment Bay of Plenty.
Mary-Jane Daly
Mary-Jane Daly is a former Executive General Manager and Chief Financial Officer at IAG New Zealand. Before joining IAG, she spent four years with Fonterra as Group Treasurer and Risk Manager. She has also held positions at the Bank of New Zealand, National Australia Bank and Toronto-Dominion Bank in London.
Current roles and general disclosure of interests:
- Director, Cigna Life Insurance New Zealand Limited.
- Director, Kiwi Property Group Limited.
- Deputy Chair, Airways Corporation of New Zealand Limited.
Mark Gilbert
Mark Gilbert has three decades’ experience in a range of senior management and directorships in
the automotive industry. He was previously Managing Director of BMW Group, both in New Zealand
and the Philippines, and has been an Executive Member of the NZ Business Council for Sustainable
Development (now the Sustainable Business Council) and President, Motor Industry Association of New
Zealand Inc.
Current roles and general disclosure of interests:
- Chair, Motorcycle Safety Advisory Council.
- Chair, Drive Electric Inc.
- Chair, New Zealand Winegrowers Research Centre.
- Owner/Director, Insight Perspective Limited.
- Independent Director, Partmaster Limited.
- Deputy Chair, Appliance Connexion Limited, Appliance Connexion Group Services Limited and Score Limited.
- Director, DEKRA New Zealand Limited.
- Chair and shareholder, Chargemaster Limited.
- Member, Ministry of Transport Electric Vehicle Programme Leadership Group.
- Member, Institute of Directors NZ Inc.
- Deputy Chair, Earthquake Commission.
Dame Paula Rebstock, DNZM
Paula Rebstock was Chair of the Commerce Commission 2003-2009, and a Director of the Foundation for
Research, Science and Technology 1999-2004. Before that she was General Manager, Labour Market
Policy Group, Department of Labour and worked in The Treasury and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Paula has also chaired significant government reviews and panels.
Current roles and general disclosure of interests:
- Chair, ACC.
- Chair, New Zealand Police Women’s Advisory Network.
- Member, University of Auckland Business School Advisory Board.
- Member, Synergia Limited Advisory Board.
- Chair, New Zealand Defence Force Advisory Board.
- Chair, Vulnerable Children’s Board.
- Chair, Finance, Risk and Assurance Committee, Auckland District Health Board.
- Chair, Audit and Risk Committee Tonkin + Taylor.
- Senior consultant, Strategis; Director/shareholder, On Being Bold.
- Consultant, Vodafone.
Raewyn Bleakley
Raewyn Bleakley has been with the NZ Transport Agency since 2014. As General Manager, Governance, Stakeholders and Communications, Raewyn represents the agency on the AT Board as a non-voting member.
Raewyn was Chief Executive of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce and Business Central 2012-2014
and Chief Executive of the Bus and Coach Association and Rental Vehicle Association 2008-2012. Her
previous governance roles include Board member, New Zealand Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Tranzqual ITO and MITO.
Current roles and general disclosure of interests:
- General Manager, Governance, Stakeholders and Communications, NZ Transport Agency.
- Deputy Chair, Wellington Zoo Trust Board.
- Member, Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority (electric vehicle contestable fund panel).
You may also be interested in:
Board meeting calendar and board reports