KiwiRail Chief Executive Peter Reidy today announced three new appointments to KiwiRail’s executive leadership team to strengthen the company’s commercial focus and support its future growth.
KiwiRail is part-way through a massive transformation programme, backed by just over $9 billion of government investment. Mr Reidy was appointed as Chief Executive in late 2022 to lead this change, and has put in place a new organisational structure to support the company’s transformation, customer-focus and growth aspirations.
Adele Wilson has been appointed to the new role of Chief Customer and Growth Officer. Ms Wilson is an experienced senior leader who for the past six years has been head of the export business unit for Fonterra Brands New Zealand. Prior to that, she was global General Counsel for Fonterra’s consumer and foodservice business and has held roles in top tier law firms in New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Vanessa Oakley joins as Chief General Counsel, Company Secretary and Property Officer. Ms Oakley brings extensive executive leadership experience in roles at Chorus NZ, the Accident Compensation Corporation and with global wealth management company FNZ, along with 11 years in various public sector and regulatory organisations in New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Jason Dale has been appointed as Chief Financial Officer. Mr Dale is a senior finance executive with almost 30 years’ experience as a CFO and Senior Finance/Commercial leader. Most recently CFO at New Zealand Steel, Mr Dale has significant operational, commercial and financial leadership exposure in strategic change programmes at Sealord, PGG Wrightson and Auckland International Airport. He also held senior roles at Fonterra during its formative years, including the inaugural Director Global Supply Chain role.
These appointments follow a Board refresh announced by Chair David McLean earlier in the year which saw Ed Sims, Rob Jager and Liz Ward join KiwiRail’s Board, bringing new strategic, commercial and operational experience to complement existing directors.
“KiwiRail is at an exciting time in its history,” says Mr Reidy. “KiwiRail is making a generational transformation, on the back of significant funding from the Government. We have a bold ‘connect, build, grow’ strategy that will deliver benefits for our people, our customers and our country. We are building network resilience and improving capacity for freight and passenger services, and we’re investing in our people and our assets. It’s part of a cultural refresh as we pursue opportunities for improvement in operational execution and customer service. Our aim is to support customer growth, improve services for customers and decarbonise the land transport system.
“Adele, Vanessa and Jason strengthen what is already an experienced and high-performing leadership team. They bring additional skills, insight and connections in terms of domestic and international supply chains, customer focus, commercial acumen and strategic thinking.
“It speaks for itself that we can attract leaders of this calibre to our team, and I look forward to working with them to help KiwiRail deliver for our customers and for New Zealand.”
Ms Wilson and Ms Oakley joined KiwiRail on 7 August, while Mr Dale will start on 2 October.
ENDS