Tourism New Zealand is a crown entity governed by Board members who are appointed by the Minister of Tourism. Tourism New Zealand's leadership team is responsible for the organisation's business operations.
For contact details, please visit the Contact Us page.
Tourism New Zealand Board
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Jamie Tuuta - Chair
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Roger Sharp - Deputy Chair
Roger built and sold his first tech company in the 80’s. He became an aviation banker in the 90's, advising on flagship transactions including the privatisations of Air New Zealand and Qantas.
After working for one of the world’s largest financial institutions, he founded a technology investment banking firm in 2003. Since then he has invested in and chaired several stock exchange listed companies including ASX-listed online travel agent travel.com.au Limited, which was sold to Wotif.com in 2008.
Roger was officially appointed to the board on 1 December 2018 and was appointed Deputy Chair on 1 May 2019 for a term ending 30 April 2022. |
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Colleen Neville Colleen is currently the CEO of Te Arawa Group Holdings Limited, the commercial arm of Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa Trust. Colleen has held this position for approximately four years and, prior to this appointment, was the CFO for four years. Colleen (Ngati Maniapoto, Waikato-Tainui) has 16 years experience as a Chartered Accountant in diverse sectors including tourism, forestry, agribusiness and health services. She also has extensive expertise in Māori post-settlement governance entities (PSGEs), Māori incorporations and Māori land trusts. Colleen’s previous roles have included Finance Manager for NZMACI (Te Puia) and Business Advisory Services for professional accountancy and management firms. Colleen has governance experience as a director of Scion (NZ Forest Research Institute Limited), Poutama Trust (business development services to Māori), Te Ohu Kaimoana (independent Audit and Risk member and Director of Portfolio Management Services), Te Kakano Whakatipu Ltd (Forestry), Te Arawa Agribusiness Ltd and Te Matai Pacific Iwi Collective (Kiwifruti). |
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Kauahi Ngapora Kauahi is General Manager of Whale Watch Kaikoura Ltd and has 25 years of experience in the Māori tourism sector. His governance experience includes directorships at Tourism Industry Aotearoa and Whale Watch Australia. Mr Ngapora has also been Chair of Destination Kaikoura and is a member of the Tourism Infrastructure Fund panel. Kauahi was awarded the Outstanding Māori Business Leader Award at the 2018 University of Auckland’s Aotearoa Māori Business Leaders Awards. |
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Mike O'Donnell |
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Jan Hunt
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John Thorburn |
Leah McDonald |
Executive Team
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René de Monchy, Chief Executive René de Monchy joined Tourism New Zealand in August 2015 bringing 20 years' global experience in consumer-led businesses including local and international marketing roles for Fonterra and Heineken and Asia Pacific Breweries in Singapore. René was appointed Chief Executive of Tourism New Zealand in April 2021, prior to this he was Tourism New Zealand's Interim Chief Executive for four months. Before this, René was Tourism New Zealand's Director Commercial. In this role René led a team across 15 offices in 14 countries responsible for identifying key markets and audiences to target for travel to New Zealand. René also led the development of Tourism New Zealand's Aviation Strategy to guide partnerships with international airlines including establishing Memorandum of Understandings with major airlines including Air New Zealand. René is passionate about the tourism sector and active in tourism industry engagement, undertaking regular speaking engagements and panel discussions. René is a member of the following boards and panels:
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Bjoern Spreitzer, General Manager Domestic and Business Events Bjoern Spreitzer has been with Tourism New Zealand for the past 14 years, most recently as General Manager Domestic. Prior to this he was Global Manager Planning and Partnerships and General Manager Americas & Western Europe. The General Manager Domestic and Business Events leads the Domestic team to coordinate the delivery of the organisation strategy through consumer and trade activities for New Zealand. This involves overseeing the insights-led development and implementation of targeted campaigns for the New Zealand domestic market and leveraging stakeholder relationships to ensure effective delivery of the organisation strategy to the New Zealand domestic market. They also lead the development and implementation of the organisation approach to Business Events to support the organisation’s strategic direction. |
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Gregg Wafelbakker, General Manager International Gregg Wafelbakker joined Tourism New Zealand in July 2017 as General Manager Asia. Gregg brings 20 years’ of international experience in Business to Business (B2B) and Business to Consumer (B2C) from the food and beverage sector, with roles based in New Zealand, USA, Singapore, Thailand, Germany and China. Prior to joining Tourism New Zealand, Gregg was General Manager China for Westland Milk Products. The General Manager International leads Tourism New Zealand’s offshore in-market teams to coordinate the delivery of the organisation strategy through consumer and trade activities. This involves overseeing the insights-led development and implementation of targeted campaigns and leveraging global and local stakeholder relationships to ensure effective delivery of the organisation strategy in-market. |
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Sue Parcell, Chief Financial Officer Sue has had considerable experience in the tourism industry and this includes senior finance and general management roles. Prior to this she worked in finance roles in business services in New Zealand and overseas. |
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Rebecca (Bex) Ingram, General Manager NZ Government Relations As the General Manager NZ and Government Relations Bex oversees Tourism New Zealand’s relationships with key New Zealand stakeholders, including industry and government agencies; and internal and external communications. Previously, Rebecca was responsible for Tourism New Zealand's global PR activity, including the international media programme, and work to leverage major events. She led Tourism New Zealand’s film tourism work, building on the highly successful Middle-earth legacy and positioning New Zealand as the best place in the world for visitors to experience a living film set.Rebecca has more than fifteen years of experience in marketing and communications. |
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Brendan Downey-Parish, General Manager CX, Technology & Data Brendan joined Tourism New Zealand in January 2016 and in 2018 was appointed to the role of General Manager Customer Experience (CX), Technology, & Data. Brendan has more than 15 years marketing & innovation expertise gained across the beverage, food, and consumer goods sectors in New Zealand and internationally, including 7 years with Fonterra in the Middle East. |
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Natalie Haines, General Manager, People and Culture Natalie is responsible for leading Tourism New Zealand’s people, organisational culture, safety and wellness work streams. Natalie brings more than 16 years of people and culture experience, and joins Tourism New Zealand from senior HR roles at Oranga Tamariki - Ministry for Children and Contact Energy. She brings a strong background in organisational change and capability and culture development. |
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Hemi Sundgren, Pou Ārahi - Māori Hemi joins Tourism New Zealand as Pou Arahi - Maori, after more than 10 years' experience working with iwi in the post settlement development space, including 6-years as CEO for Te Atiawa in Taranaki. Hemi's role is primarily to support the Chief Executive in raising the cultural confidence across the organisation in respect to kaupapa Māori. The position is accountable for incorporating Te Ao Māori into Tourism New Zealand’s strategy, establishing and maintaining effective and enduring partnerships and meaningful networks with Iwi, government agencies, corporations, industry and the tourism sector, so that Tourism New Zealand’s position and endeavours are well understood and recognised. |
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Leah McDonald, Executive Assistant to Chief Executive
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New Zealand media team
If you are a New Zealand based journalist and have a media query please contact one of the communications team below.
Candice Johanson, Communications Manager 021 220 8031 or email candice.johanson@tnz.govt.nz
Jess Harkins, 021 631 845 or email jess.harkins@tnz.govt.nz
Renee Carter, 09 218 4408 or email renee.carter@tnz.govt.nz
Lauren Harrigan, 021 221 4627 or email lauren.harrigan@tnz.govt.nz
If you have an OIA request please email: oia@tnz.govt.nz