Aurora Energy Names New CEO

Richard is currently a General Manager at Powerco and leads that company’s commercial and regulatory functions. His skill set covers strategy, investment planning, engineering, project delivery and customer relations. Before joining Powerco, Richard was a senior manager at Transpower NZ Limited.

Richard starts his new Dunedin-based role in January 2018. Aurora Energy chair, Steve Thompson, says the company is delighted to secure the services of a highly-experienced executive such as Richard. “He has an impressive track record of delivering results across a range of sectors,” he says. “We are confident he is a leader who will build on Aurora Energy’s strong safety, people and customer focus”.

Richard holds a Bachelor of Environmental Science and a Doctorate in Chemical Engineering from Cardiff University (Wales). He has extensive international experience in engineering and management consulting. He has advised on energy regulation, asset management, due diligence studies for mergers and acquisitions, as well as engineering investment plans. From 2000 to 2005, Richard was Head of Economic Regulation at Welsh Water PLC.

The interim Aurora Energy chief executive Grady Cameron will continue in that role until the end of the year to provide a smooth transition. Dunedin City Council-owned Delta and Aurora Energy separated to two companies on 1 July 2017, each with its own Chief Executive. The then Delta chief executive, Grady Cameron, chose not take up either of the new Delta and Aurora Energy roles after his position was made redundant.

The Board is grateful for Grady’s leadership during the company transition and as he oversees the completion of the Fast Track pole programme and preparation for a customised price-quality path application to the Commerce Commission, before taking up another role. Aurora Energy is New Zealand’s seventh largest electricity network by customer connections, supplying electricity to more than 88,000 homes, farms and businesses in Dunedin, Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes. Aurora Energy Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dunedin City Holdings Limited, owned by the Dunedin City Council.

ENDS