Network Tasman is governed by a Board of Directors appointed by the Trustees of Network Tasman Trust.
Chair
Sarah Smith
BCom, CFInstD
Sarah was appointed to the Board in August 2017 and elected as Chair in December 2023. She has extensive business and governance experience in both the private and public sectors. As an independent director, Sarah has more than 20 years of experience and is currently chair of Nelson Electricity. Sarah is also a trustee of The Lion Foundation and for several charitable organisations. She is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors.
Director
Tony Reilly
B.Agr.Com, CFInstD
Tony was appointed a Director in July 2008. He has been involved in agricultural governance since 1995 at a local and national level, particularly in the dairy sector. Tony is also a director of a number of private companies.
Director
Lindsay R McKenzie
BSc, IOD
Lindsay was appointed a Director in July 2019. He has enjoyed a successful public sector career as General Manager of Southland Regional Council and latterly, Chief Executive of Gisborne District Council. From 2012 to 2018 he served as Chief Executive of Tasman District Council. More recently he has been contracted as an external adviser to a Crown Entity and is currently a director of Taylors Contracting Limited. Lindsay is the President of the Nelson YMCA Inc, a Justice of the Peace and active in the voluntary sector.
Director
Lee Babe
CMinstD, Mt Eliza AMP
Lee was appointed a Director in August 2022. He has extensive leadership experience in national infrastructure, specifically within the local and central government asset management and environmental sectors. Lee was Chief Executive of Nelson City Council environmental asset management services trading organisation Nelmac from 2011 to 2018. He was involved in establishing and Chairing Mahitahi Colab, which partnered with the Chamber of Commerce, Nelson Regional Development Agency and Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, who together, focus on driving innovation through collaboration in the Nelson/Tasman region. Lee is currently a director and shareholder of a number of private companies and is the Chair of RISE, a specialist family violence charitable NGO in Te Tau Ihu (Top of the South).
Director
Michael Playford
MEc, FIAA, FNZSA, IOD
Michael was appointed to the Board of Directors in August 2023. He was a partner and held various leadership roles for 15 years in a major professional services firm. Michael is currently a director of Nelmac and is a member of the Institute of Directors.
Director
Ross Pickworth
MBA, BE(hons), MInstD
Ross was appointed a Director in September 2023. He has held a number of executive general management roles in the infrastructure and construction sectors within public, private and publicly-listed companies, including the electricity industry, civil and electrical contracting, and the cement and steel industries. Ross has been a full-time independent professional Director for several years and is a director of a number of public and private companies.
