Network Tasman
Board of Directors

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 World of Wearable Arts. Sarah is also a trustee of The Lion Foundation and for several charitable organisations. She is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors.

John McCliskie

Dip Horticulture, CFInstD

John was appointed to the Board in February 2008, serving as Chair from August 2013 to November 2023. He has a background in international fruit marketing and is a director of a number of local and national companies involved in primary production. John is an experienced company director with past involvement in a range of SMEs, corporates, co-operatives and government entities. He is a director of Nelson Electricity and a number of private companies.

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.

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 two Crown Entities 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.

Lee Babe

MinstD, 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 a trustee of RISE, a specialist family violence charitable NGO in Te Tau Ihu (Top of the South).

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.

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.