Board of directors Board of directors

Auckland Transport is a council controlled organisation (CCO). A CCO is an 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. Auckland Transport currently has eight board members and two CCO liaison councillors.

Board of directors

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 Waka Kotahi 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

Wayne Donnelly - Acting Chair

Wayne Donnelly has a specialisation in Civil Engineering with experience across transport, city planning and construction in New Zealand, Britain and Hong Kong.

Wayne shares his passion for good planning and engineering through positions he has held in the former Auckland City Council, as a former Chief Executive of Rodney District Council and Land Transport New Zealand (now Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency) and as Deputy Secretary of Transport for Road and Rail.

Wayne holds a first class honours Bachelor of Civil Engineering from the University of Canterbury.

Current roles and general disclosure of interests:

  • Managing Director of Donnelly Consulting Limited.

Darren Linton

Darren Linton has an extensive background in organisational change, marketing and communications and digital transformation across a number of industries and large international companies. Darren is passionate about customer engagement and building diverse and inclusive cultures.

Having held senior leadership roles in New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK over the past 25 years, he is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Yellow New Zealand, which recently won a Diversity New Zealand award for its work on diversity and inclusion in the workplace. He returned to his home, Auckland, 4 years ago after spending 19 years in the UK.

Darren holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Business Marketing and Management from the University of Auckland.

Current roles and general disclosure of interests:

  • Chief Executive Officer of GoSee (formerly Online Republic).
  • Chair of Hype & Dexter.
  • Director of Search Republic.

Kylie Clegg

Kylie Clegg has a corporate legal background having specialised in mergers, acquisitions and corporate governance advice across a range of industries.

Her previous governance roles include Waitematā District Health Board, Counties Manukau District Health Board, Sport New Zealand and High Performance Sport New Zealand.

Kylie holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Auckland.

Current roles and general disclosure of interests:

  • Trustee and Beneficiary Trustee and Beneficiary of Mickyla Trust
  • Member of the Waitematā Health New Zealand Capital Advisory Group
  • Director of Napier Port

Mark Darrow

Mark Darrow is an experienced Independent Board Chair and Director with extensive knowledge across many sectors.

Mark is currently Chair of Armstrong’s, Leighs Construction, Invivo & Co, MTF Finance, and Stratford Farms. He is also a director of Balle Bros Group where he Chairs the Finance and Audit Committee. He also sits on Inland Revenue’s Risk and Assurance Committee.

Previous Board roles have included Waka Kotahi (NZTA), Counties Manukau DHB, Primary ITO, Sime Darby NZ, Charlies Group, Trustees Executors, MTA and VTNZ and was seconded to Eke Panuku’s Audit and Risk Committee during 2020-21.

Current roles and general disclosure of interests:

  • Chair of the Advisory Board of Armstrong's.
  • Fellow of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.
  • Member of the Risk and Assurance Committee of Inland Revenue Department (Te Tari Taake).
  • Independent Chair of Invivo & Co Limited.
  • Chair of Motor Trade Finance.
  • Chair of the Nominations Committee of Motor Trade Finance.
  • Chair of the Remuneration Committee of Motor Trade Finance.
  • Director and Shareholder of Signum.
  • Independent Chair of Stratford Farms.
  • Chair of TSB Bank Limited.

Dr Jim Mather

He tātai whakapapa a Tākuta Jim Mather nō Ngāti Awa me Tūhoe, Dr Jim Mather is of Ngāti Awa and Tūhoe descent. Dr Mather specialises in Māori economic development with a driving passion for education, media and health. He is a member of the Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand and the New Zealand Institute of Directors.

Dr Mather has held positions as Chief Executive Officer of the Pacific Business Trust, Māori Television and Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, and was awarded the New Zealand Army Sword of Honour in recognition of his distinguished achievement in Officer training.

Dr Jim Mather holds a Bachelor of Business in Accountancy from the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand, a Master of Business Administration from Henley Business School and a PhD in Māori Economic Development from the Auckland University of Technology.

Current roles and general disclosure of interests:

  • Chair of Ako Mātātupu/Teach First
  • Member of Hauora Māori Advisory Committee (Ministerial Advisory committee)
  • Chair of InZone Education Foundation
  • Managing Director of Mather Solutions Limited
  • Member of the Risk and Assurance Committee of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)
  • Director of Ngāti Awa Group Holdings Limited
  • Member of Oranga Tamariki External Advisory Group
  • Chair of Radio New Zealand
  • Director of Southbase Construction Limited
  • Member of Te Puni Kōkiri Audit and Risk Management Committee
  • Director of Tonkin + Taylor

Nicole Rosie

Joining Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency as Chief Executive in February 2020, Nicole Rosie believes transforming New Zealand’s road safety performance is critical to reducing harm to our people and to sustaining and accelerating New Zealand’s economic success.

Nicole has extensive CE and senior executive experience across both public and private sectors, working in transport and commercial sectors, for companies including Toll NZ, KiwiRail, Fonterra and most recently WorkSafe NZ. She has a wealth of knowledge in building systems that are resilient and safe as well as driving change in regulatory environments.

Nicole’s leadership approach has enabled her to successfully lead strategic change, develop high performing cultures and deliver operational excellence. She is a passionate New Zealander who cares deeply for the well-being of people.

Current roles and general disclosure of interests:

  • Chief Executive Officer of Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency Representative.
  • Director and shareholder of Puck Limited.
  • Steering group member of Construction Accord.
  • Previous Chief Executive of WorkSafe NZ.
  • Director of Auckland Light Rail Establishment Board.

Abbie Reynolds

Abbie Reynolds is a nationally respected advocate for climate change response and sustainability in business.

She is chief executive of Predator Free 2050 Ltd and formerly Executive Director of the Sustainable Business Council. During her time, the membership of the Sustainable Business Council doubled to represent 30% of New Zealand businesses. Her other roles have included being part of the New Zealand Government's Electric Vehicle Leadership Group and a member of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor's Rethinking Plastics Reynolds has been a board member of VOYCE Whakarongo Mai since January 2017.

In 2018, she co-founded the New Zealand Leaders' Climate Coalition. New Zealand Climate Change Minister James Shaw praised her work launching the Coalition and reaching a membership of 100 organisations. She attended the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) meeting in Geneva in 2018. Abbie won the Board and Management Award in the 2019 New Zealand Women of Influence Awards. Her outward focus and willingness to help organisations achieve their sustainability goals won praise from the judges.

Abbie's board member role includes a focus on climate action and transport and will also positively contribute to the council's overall climate strategy.

Current roles and general disclosure of interests:

  • Trustee of Sustainable Coastlines Board.
  • Panel member of Westpac Sustainability Panel.
  • Member of Future of Auckland Reference Group.
  • Fellow of NEXT Foundation.

Tommy Parker

Tommy is currently the Programme Director for Auckland Light Rail. He has nearly 30 years of experience in transport, urban planning and engineering in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, working in both the public and private sectors. His previous roles include Australasian Consulting Leader for Arup and 13 years working at Waka Kotahi - New Zealand Transport Agency, including as Group Manager for Highway and Network Operations.

At Waka Kotahi, Tommy led the delivery of the Roads of National Significance - New Zealand’s biggest transport infrastructure programme. He also led the review of Highway Maintenance Practice and the introduction of Transport Operations Centres in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. He initiated and chaired the Northern Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery after the Kaikoura earthquake – the Alliance won the Institute Civil Engineers’ (UK) global award for culture and engineering, established the Road Efficiency Group, working with local authorities to seek efficiencies in road asset management across the country, and implemented the Waka Kotahi ‘Customer First’ initiative which put customer requirements at the heart of Waka Kotahi’s business.

Tommy has tertiary and post graduate qualifications in urban planning, transport planning and engineering.

Current roles and general disclosure of interests:

  • Programme Director of Auckland Light Rail Project.

CCO liaison councillors

To be confirmed.

You may also be interested in:

Board meeting calendar and board reports

Executive team

For more information

Contact Auckland Transport