Executive Team

Peter Reidy re-joined KiwiRail as Chief Executive in August 2022. He had previously held the same position from 2014 to 2018, before holding the role of CEO Fletcher Construction from 2018-2022.
Prior to KiwiRail, Peter was CEO of Downer New Zealand, and then held senior leadership roles with Downer Group in Australia and Singapore, including Board roles on the KeolisDowner Joint Venture operating Yarra Trams in Melbourne, and Gold Coast Light Rail. He has also held senior leadership roles with Todd Energy and Freightways New Zealand. More recently, Peter was Co-Chair of the NZ Government Construction Accord. Peter holds a Bachelor of Commerce from University of Auckland and has completed the CEO programme at Wharton University.

Joanne rejoined KiwiRail in 2024 having previously been its Communications Manager in 2020-22 and in 2015-16. She has an extensive background in journalism, including as a reporter in the Parliamentary press gallery. She has also been a political staffer in the Beehive, most recently in the Prime Minister’s Office.

Jason 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, Jason 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.

David is the executive accountable for KiwiRail's strategic capital projects, the operation of the Metro Networks and group asset management. David joined KiwiRail in 2007 when he began working on the Wellington Regional Rail Programme as Project Director. Since that time he has held roles with accountabilities in Network Control, Engineering, Property and Asset Management. Before joining KiwiRail, he worked as a consultant in the transport infrastructure business, was Planning and Development head for Wellington International Airport and a Senior Manager in the strategy consulting team of Ernst and Young.

James joined KiwiRail in 2018 as our Head of Regulatory in the Zero Harm team, providing expertise and leadership in managing rail and maritime regulatory environments across the business.
He then became Regional Freight Operations Manager for the Lower North Island, focussing on driving safety leadership and strengthening operational performance.
Prior to joining KiwiRail James worked for the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) delivering health and safety regulatory functions across the rail industry.
Before immigrating in 2016, James worked in the rail industry in Wales, qualifying as a train driver, leading train-driver depots at a regional level, and working in the Health and Safety team as an Operations Assurance Manager.

Vanessa Oakley joined KiwiRail in August 2023 as Chief General Counsel, Company Secretary and Property Officer. Vanessa 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.

Duncan joined KiwiRail in March 2023. As Interislander Executive General Manager Duncan is responsible for the operational leadership of the Interislander ferries, including marine engineering, shipping operations, customer services, and shore side logistics. Duncan’s focus is ensuring the delivery of an excellent experience for Interislander’s diverse customer base of domestic and international passengers and freight customers (rail and commercial vehicles).
Duncan previously held senior positions in the New Zealand Army and wider New Zealand Defence Force.

Adele Wilson joined KiwiRail in August 2023 in the new role of Chief Customer and Growth Officer. Adele 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.