Profiles

Leading the way

From 1 October 2009, the leadership structure of the Ministry of Fisheries consists of the Chief Executive, five Deputy Chief Executive (DCE) roles and the Manager of the Chief Executive’s Office.

Chief Executive

Wayne McNee



Wayne has been the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Fisheries since January 2008. Prior to his appointment, Wayne was the Chief Executive of the Pharmaceutical Management Agency (PHARMAC), a position he had held since 2001. Wayne was also seconded to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet for 18 months ending in December 2007, where he was a policy advisor primarily on transport, local government, and land policy.

After completing a Bachelors degree in Pharmacy at Otago University in 1985, Wayne undertook a series of pharmacy roles both in New Zealand and England before taking up the Therapeutic Group Manager role at PHARMAC in July 1995. He then followed a career pathway within PHARMAC, where he was appointed General Manager in 1998 and then Chief Executive. In 1998 Wayne was awarded a post graduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy at Otago University. He has also undertaken leadership, management and strategic leadership programmes at Oxford University and Stanford Business School.

DCE Fisheries Management

Gavin Lockwood



Gavin Lockwood was previously at The Treasury where he was Assistant Secretary, Macroeconomic Group. Gavin led a team of 45 staff there responsible for running the Government’s budget process, producing the Government’s economic and fiscal forecasts, Crown accounts, and providing macroeconomic policy advice. He also headed the Treasury team that implemented the Kiwisaver Policy. He spent his earlier career in Australia. Gavin holds a Bachelor of Commerce with Honours in Economics and a Master of Arts in Political Science, both from the University of Melbourne.

DCE Strategy

Cathy Scott



Prior to joining the Ministry Cathy was a State Sector Performance Specialist within the State Services Commission. She was General Manager Strategic Services for Housing New Zealand from 2006-2007 managing a team of 70 and for five years was General Manager Strategy and Policy for ACC leading a team of 150 staff. She also spent time as a public sector consultant and worked as a Policy Advisor in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Cathy holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Economics and Sociology and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, both from Victoria University. She is nearing completion of a Master in Public Policy.

DCE Treaty Partnership and Obligations to Mäori

Ben Dalton



Ben’s iwi affiliation is Ngapuhi me Ngati Porou. Prior to joining the Ministry Ben was Chief Executive of the Crown Forest Rental Trust. Ben has extensive experience in working with iwi groupings and key leaders across community, economic development, Treaty negotiations, and related public and Crown sectors. His earlier career included senior positions such as Executive Trustee, Far North Development Trust, Commissioner, Mäori Economic Development Commission, and Executive Trustee, Te Runanga a Iwi o Ngapuhi. Ben also spent seven years as a Community Employment Advisor. Ben holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Auckland.

DCE Field Operations

Andrew Coleman



Andrew joined the Ministry of Fisheries as National Manager Compliance in July 2008. Prior to joining the Ministry, Andrew spent 10 years working in the New Zealand Customs Service where he was most recently Group Manager – Intelligence, Planning and Coordination. Prior to this he spent nearly 20 years in the New Zealand Police in positions including Detective Sergeant and Inspector. Andrew holds a Bachelor of Business Studies (Management) from Massey University, and an Executive Masters in Public Administration completed through the Australia New Zealand School of Government.

DCE Organisation Services

Peter Murray



Peter joined the Ministry in 1999 and has since led work on a number of major corporate projects including the outsourcing of registry services, cost recovery, and most recently implementation of the Aquaculture Settlement obligations. Prior to joining the Ministry, Peter held executive responsibility for corporate functions in the Wellington Area Health Board, then Capital Coast Heath limited. Prior to this Peter held numerous roles in IBM New Zealand and IBM Australia, P&O Shipping and Deloitte. Peter graduated from Victoria University of Wellington in the mid 1970’s with a BCA, and is a Chartered Accountant. He has an ANZSoG Executive Masters in Public Administration.

Manager, Chief Executive's Office

John Beaglehole



John comes to the Ministry from being Establishment Director of the Organised and Financial Crime Agency New Zealand (OFCANZ). OFCANZ is tasked with increasing cooperation by government agencies in New Zealand and overseas in the targeting of serious and organised crime, and running cross-agency operations against organised crime. From 2004 to 2007 John was the legal advisor in the Policy Advisory Group in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. There he either led, or was heavily involved in a number of significant policy initiatives, such as the Law Reform (Epidemic Preparedness) Act, and a range of major justice sector initiatives. His earlier career was spent in the legal profession, with private law firms in New Zealand and New York, and as Crown Counsel at the Crown Law Office. He has also lectured in arbitration and international trade law at Victoria University of Wellington. John holds an LLB (Hons) and a BA from Victoria University; and an LLM from the University of Chicago.

Third and Fourth Tier Managers

Fisheries Management

Fisheries Manager Inshore Fisheries, Fisheries Management - Leigh Mitchell

Leigh is accountable for successfully managing the implementation of New Zealand’s fisheries management regime, specifically with regard to inshore fisheries. It assists the SLT and DCE Fisheries Management to determine fisheries management priorities and the services to be delivered from other parts of the organisation and service providers within inshore fisheries. Leigh has spent six years with the Ministry in a number of technical and leadership roles in wild fish stock and aquaculture contexts. Prior to joining the Ministry, Leigh’s career encompassed environmental and transportation engineering, planning, and natural and cultural heritage management.

Fisheries Manager Deep Water, Fisheries Management - Aoife Martin

Aoife is accountable for successfully managing the implementation of New Zealand’s fisheries management regime, specifically with regard to deep water fisheries. It assists the SLT and DCE Fisheries Management to determine fisheries management priorities and the services to be delivered from other parts of the organisation and service providers within deep water fisheries. Aoife has been with the Ministry since 2004, starting out as a Compliance Analyst. She went on to take the role of Senior Analyst in the Socio-economic team, later becoming the group’s Acting Manager. In 2006 she moved to the Deepwater Fisheries team as a Senior Analyst, becoming its Manager in 2008.

Fisheries Manager, High Migratory/Pelagic – Arthur Hore

Arthur has held a variety of regionally based fisheries management positions since the Ministry was established in 1995. His focus was on inshore fisheries until 2002 at which time he assumed national responsibility for highly migratory and pelagic species. Arthur is currently New Zealand Commissioner to the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna and alternate head of delegation for the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission. He holds a Masters of Science degree, majoring in Zoology.

Spatial Allocations Manager – Randall Bess

Randall started at the Ministry in 2001 and is responsible for Mätaitai reserve applications, taiapure-local fishery proposals, proposed temporary measures under section 186A/B, marine reserve concurrence processes, and coordinating implementation of the MPA Policy.

Randall started his fisheries career in the early 1980s as a fisherman in Alaska’s halibut and sablefish longline fisheries, where during the off-season he completed a Bachelors degree in Philosophy and a Masters of Business Administration degree. He immigrated to New Zealand in 1994 and taught strategic management, operations management and finance courses in Nelson Polytechnic’s Bachelors of Business degree programme. He completed a PhD at Massey University in 2003 where his research focused on New Zealand seafood companies’ internal sources of competitive advantage in export markets. In 2010 he completed a Masters of Public Management degree with distinction at Victoria University.

Science Manager Stock Assessments – Kevin Sullivan

Kevin has more than 36 years experience in fisheries management, research and management of fisheries research. He has held a number of roles at the Ministry, including technician, scientist, Fisheries Management Scientist and Principal Scientist. He has been Science Manager Stock Assessment since 2003.

He has a Bachelor of Science Degrees in Zoology, and Geology, both from Victoria University and a PhD in Fisheries Science from the University of East Anglia.

Science Manager Aquatic Environment – Martin Cryer

Martin has been the Ministry's Science Manager for Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity issues since 2005, and maintains an active interest in fish stock assessment (primarily shellfish) and amateur fisheries issues. He has been active in marine ecology and fisheries science since a 12-month stint at the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries & Food (MAFF) Fisheries Research Laboratory in Lowestoft, UK, in 1977/78. He was awarded a B. Tech. in Applied Ecology in 1979 and a PhD in Aquatic Ecology in 1983. He worked, for 10 years between 1995 and 2005, at NIWA, most recently as a Principal Scientist and Science Leader focussing on shellfisheries, amateur fisheries, and effects of fishing. Previously he was a fishery management scientist for MAF Fisheries from 1990–1995, spent four years working for the Wildlife Service (which later became part of the Department of Conservation), as a stock assessment scientist on the Lake Taupo fishery from 1986–1990, and various postdoctoral positions in New Zealand and UK universities.

Team leader, Wellington – Steve Halley

Steve joined the Ministry in 1993 and has worked on a mix of operational and policy roles which have involved everything from developing sustainability advice for key New Zealand fisheries through to amendment of fisheries legislation. Steve’s last role was as Manager of the National Environment Team based in Wellington. Steve has a Bachelors degree in Sociology and Economics and a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from Victoria University. He has also undertaken post graduate study in strategic management at Massey University.

Team Leader, Auckland – John Taunton-Clark

John joined the Ministry in 1996 and has held a number of roles across the Ministry’s fisheries operations and management business. His fisheries management experience includes deep water, pelagic, and inshore fisheries. Before joining the Ministry John worked as a marine scientist in South Africa looking into ocean and atmosphere variability and its effect on fisheries. John holds postgraduate qualifications in Physical Oceanography and Fisheries Management, and is completing an MBA through the University of Tasmania.

Fisheries Strategy

Industry Development Manager, Strategy - Emma Taylor

Emma is accountable for the development of strategy, policy frameworks and legislation primarily related to commercial fishing and aquaculture, cost recovery, economic development and environmental performance that deliver on Ministry outcomes and meet Government priorities. Emma started at the Ministry in 2002 as a Senior Policy Analyst and has been a Policy Manager in the Fisheries Policy Group since 2006.

Manager Regulatory and Standards, Strategy - Tom Chatterton

Tom is accountable for the development of policy relating to regulatory development and review and for ensuring regulation by the Ministry meets quality requirements set by Government. The position is also accountable for the development of national standards, objectives and guidance for undertaking fisheries management and delivering fisheries management services. It ensures processes and standards are in place for the delivery of registry services. Tom started his career as a fisheries researcher at the MAF Fisheries Research Centre in 1990. He became a Fisheries Policy Analyst in 1994 then held a number of roles at the Ministry including Manager, Planning and Coordination, Manager Standards, and Manager, Deepwater and National Issues.

Manager Treaty Settlements - Terry Lynch

Terry is accountable for the development of strategy, policy frameworks, and legislation primarily related to the Ministry’s Treaty Strategy, negotiation of settlements, allocation policy for the fisheries sector, and Mäori policy issues across government. Terry has been with the Ministry or it’s predecessor since 1973 and in that time has held a number of roles. These included Compliance support, aquaculture permitting, foreign fishing permitting and access, regulatory development, human resources, finance, policy advisor, National Coordinator, Mäori Fisheries Policy, and Policy Manager.

Framework Development Manager - Jonathan Rudge

Jonathan is accountable for the development of strategy, policy frameworks and legislation primarily related to legislative reform and developing and advising on Ministry outcomes, the 2030 Strategy and natural resource sector reform. Jonathan has been in the Ministry since 2007 working in the Policy area. He has been Policy Manager, Strategy since the start of 2009 looking at areas such as long term strategy and outcomes, cost recovery and Treaty strategy, to name a few.

Field Operations

National Manager Field Operations Strategy – Fay Holdom

Fay Holdom leads the Field Operations Strategy Team in undertaking analysis of information on the cost-effectiveness of Field Operations activity and in providing advice to and reaching agreement with fisheries managers on service intervention choices. The Field Operations Strategy Team comprises maritime planning and forensics, intelligence and business analysis, planning and reporting.

National Manager Field Operations Programmes, Field Operations - Carl Ross

Carl leads the Field Operations Programmes Team in providing education and liaison services, the undertaking of special operations and the provision of the Observer Programme in direct support to the delivery of Field Operations services.

National Manager, Regional Services, Field Operations – Dean Baigent, ONZM

Dean Baigent is the National Manager Regional Services, Field Operations (Wellington). Previously, he held the role of National Surveillance Manager. Dean is originally from Nelson and prior to joining the Ministry of Fisheries he served for 25 years with the New Zealand Army retiring with the rank of Colonel. Dean enjoys the outdoors and is a passionate freshwater and saltwater fisherman. He has a Post Graduate Diploma in Asian and Strategic Studies form the University of Malaya and a Masters of Philosophy from Massey University. In the 2003 Queens Birthday Honours he was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his leadership of a 1,000 strong Multi-National Battalion on Peacekeeping Operations in Timor Leste.

Regional Manager Central, - Ross Thurston

Ross leads the investigation, intelligence analysis and surveillance teams located in a designated region. It also has a responsibility for the delivery of related administration services. It ensures that Regional Services are effectively integrated and aligned with fisheries management objectives in the designated region and that comprehensive services are delivered. Ross has been with the Ministry since 2000 as a District Compliance Manager. Prior to that Ross was in the New Zealand Police, obtaining the rank of Detective Senior Sergeant.

Regional Manager South, - John Slaughter

John joined the Ministry in 1999 as a Fisheries Investigator based in Dunedin. In 2001 he became the Ministry’s District Compliance Manager in Christchurch. In 2004 he was appointed as Investigations Manager (South). Prior to joining the Ministry John was a Police Officer based in Dunedin from 1987 to 1999.He obtained the rank of Detective before leaving the Force. John has a police diploma and is completing a Bachelor of Business Studies from Massey University.

Regional Manager, North – Ian Bright

Ian started his career as a Senior Fisheries Investigator at the Ministry in 1989 when it was the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. Based in Nelson he was lead investigator on several high profile investigations. In 1995 he was appointed to the position of District Compliance Manager- Auckland.

Prior to joining the Ministry of Fisheries he was a Corporate Security Advisor at Winstone / Fletcher Challenge from 1985 – 1989 and was a Detective with the New Zealand Police before that role. He has a Post Graduate Diploma in Business (Personnel Management and Employee Relations) from Auckland University.

Organisation Services

Chief Legal Advisor - Scott Gallacher

Scott has been Chief Legal Advisor at the Ministry since March 2009. Prior to this, he worked in private practice in both New Zealand and Australia for almost seven years, specialising in environmental, public and international law. His key areas of interest during that time were agribusiness, arbitration, biosecurity, climate change, international trade and regulation.

Scott also worked for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade from 1995 - 2002, finishing with almost four years in Geneva, Switzerland where he was one of New Zealand’s negotiators at the World Trade Organisation (WTO). During his time in Geneva, Scott was the Chair of the WTO’s Working Party on Domestic Regulation during 2001-02. He has also been a panellist (arbitrator) on a range of international disputes under the auspices of the WTO. Scott graduated from Otago University with a BA(Hons)/LLB(Hons).

The role of Chief Legal Advisor provides strategic and operational leadership and management of the Ministry’s Legal and Prosecution Services team, and the fisheries management and legal frameworks more generally. 

Manager Human Resources - Patrick Donnelly

Patrick is responsible for the Human Resources and Internal Communications team. This covers organisation development strategy, human resource strategies, policies, services, systems, processes and advice. The role is also responsible for the Ministry’s internal communications function. Patrick has been in the Ministry’s Human Resources team since 2002 when he started as a Senior Business Advisor, becoming HR Manager in 2005. Prior to joining the Ministry Patrick worked in the private sector in organisational development and strategic planning roles. He holds BA and MBA degrees from Victoria University.

Chief Information Officer – Channa Jayasinha

Channa’s role provides strategic and operational leadership and management of the Ministry’s Information, Technology & Communication services. The Information group delivers information services for front line business units ensuring effective transfer of the information, use of information resources, and development of technology solutions for the organisation. It is also responsible for efficient and effective operation of Technology & Communications infrastructures. Channa has a Bachelor of Technology (Systems Mathematics) from Massey University. He joins us from the Ministry of Economic Development (MED), where he has been Chief Technology Officer for over 5 years. Prior to that he worked as the CIO at the Department of Conservation (DOC). He has also worked at Te Papa as the Manager IT, and at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

Manager Aquaculture Settlement – Nicholas Manukau

Nicholas first joined the Ministry’s Compliance Group in 2000 and became a Fishery Officer Team Leader in 2005. Prior to this he held resource management roles in a number of organisations including the Waikato Regional Council and Electricity Corporation of New Zealand (now Genesis and Mighty River Power). He has a background in ecological sciences and holds a Bachelor of Science degree and Diploma in Management from the University of Waikato. Nicholas is of Tainui lineage.

His role as Aquaculture Settlements Manager is to provide advice to the Crown in order to implement and discharge the Crown’s aquaculture settlement obligations throughout the Country.

Chief Executives Office

Governance and Ministerial Servicing Team Leader - Kim Hughes

Kim is responsible for ensuring SLT governance groups within the organisation function effectively, and manages the ministerial support process and servicing of the Minister’s office. Kim has been with the Ministry since 2005. She has worked as an Analyst, a Senior Ministerial Advisor and from 2008 was the Team Leader of the Corporate Monitoring and Ministerials Unit.

External Communications Team Leader – Tim Ingleton

Tim has been with the Ministry of Fisheries since January 2003 and has worked in the Ministry’s communications team since 2007. Prior to this Tim spent 18 months working in Parliament seconded to the Minister of Fisheries’ office before returning to the Ministry to manage the Ministerial Services Unit. He has also held a role coordinating changes to regulations and the Fisheries Act and managing the delivery of registry services. Tim has completed two degrees at Victoria University, a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration majoring in Public Policy and Industrial Relations and a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Politics. The role of External Communications Team Leader is accountable for providing strategic external communications support, services and crucial information to the CE, SLT and the Ministry.

Programme Manager, Strategic Projects – Cathryn Bridge

Cathryn has been at the Ministry of Fisheries since 2001. Prior to her current role as Programme Manager Strategic Projects, she worked on strategic projects as a Senior Policy Analyst in Fisheries operations. She has also worked in the Legal Team where she was Chief Legal Advisor from 2002-2006. Prior to working at the Ministry Cathryn worked as a senior solicitor and manager at New Zealand Income Support Service and Work and Income New Zealand. She was also seconded for a period to the Social Policy Agency where she worked on housing policy. Cathryn has a Bachelor of Laws and Arts (sociology and criminology) from Victoria University and an Executive Masters in Public Administration from the Australian and New Zealand School of Government. Her role as Programme Manager, Strategic Projects is responsible for managing the team in a way that effectively bolsters capability throughout the organization as required to deliver on priority projects.

Evaluation and Risk Management Team Leader – Josh Masson

Josh is accountable for providing strategic support and information to the CE and SLT in monitoring and evaluating the performance of the Fisheries Sector. In addition the position is required to develop, implement and manage the Ministry’s risk strategies and processes.

Aquaculture Manager – Dan Lees

Dan has worked for the Ministry of Fisheries since 1999 and has held the positions of Aquaculture Manager and Central Inshore Fisheries Manager. During this time, Dan has made over two hundred decisions on new aquaculture sites, worked on the development of international standards for both fishing and aquaculture, and led a government group tasked with assisting the economic development of the aquaculture industry.

After completing a Bachelors degree (honours) in marine biology and a Masters degree in resource management in 1996 at Bangor university in the UK, Dan worked for two years as a guide for a number of international trekking companies, working mostly in the Himalayas. Dan has also worked on contract for the Department of Conservation, Tasman District Council and Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society”