Meet our executive leadership team
The Executive Leadership Team at Aurora Energy are the people we have entrusted with turning decisions into actions, both collectively and within and learn about the departments they lead.
We welcome feedback - if you have any questions, comments or concerns, please contact us.
Richard Fletcher | Chief Executive
Richard Fletcher (PhD, BEnvSc) joined Aurora Energy as Chief Executive in January 2018. 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.
Before joining Aurora Energy, Richard was General Manager Regulation and Corporate Affairs at Powerco and before that a senior manager at national grid operator, Transpower NZ.
From 2000 to 2005, Richard was Head of Economic Regulation at Welsh Water PLC.
Richard Fletcher
Gary Dixon | Chief Financial Officer and General Manager Finance, Risk Assurance and Commercial
Gary (BCom, CA) joined Aurora Energy in October 2011. He is responsible for the accounting and finance, risk assurance, regulatory and commercial functions.
A Chartered Accountant, Gary has previously held a number of senior management and business service roles in the commercial and financial sectors.
He began his career with Westpac and was Chief Financial Officer of the Mainland Poultry Group for 12 years prior to joining Aurora Energy.
Gary Dixon
Tracey Saunders | General Manager Digital Transformation
Tracey (MBA) joined Aurora Energy in January 2020.
She is responsible for information technology strategy and operations and network technology development.
Before joining Aurora Energy, Tracey was the CIO at Dunedin City Council.
Tracey has over 20 years’ experience in local government, with expertise in business development, ICT and technology delivery.
Tracey Saunders
Mark Pratt | General Manager Customer and Commercial Services
Mark joined Aurora Energy in 2018 and was appointed General Manager of Works Programming and Contracts later that year. In June 2023, he transitioned to the role of General Manager, Business Process Optimisation, where he led productivity improvement initiatives. In 2024 he was appointed General Manager of Customer and Connections, responsible for customer experience, communications and network connections.
In January 2025, Mark was appointed General Manager of Customer and Commercial Services. In this role, he focuses on creating a strategic, integrated approach to commercial solutions, engineering services, and customer engagement. Mark is committed to ensuring the successful delivery of strategic outcomes, delivering a robust commercial offering, and maintaining professional engineering services within a distributed electricity network.
Mark has over 30 years’ experience in the electricity sector. Before joining at Aurora Energy, Mark previously held roles at Powerco, Transpower, and Horizon Energy.
Mark Pratt
Matt Settle | General Manager, Future Network and Operations
Matt (ME, BE Hon) joined Aurora Energy in January 2020 as Operational Performance Manager and was appointed Acting General Manager, Operations and Network Performance in June 2021. He was confirmed in this role permanently in December 2021 and, in January 2025, was appointed General Manager, Future Network and Operations.
In his current role, Matt leads an integrated approach to future network and operations planning, aimed at maturing Aurora Energy’s asset management capabilities. This focus drives informed investment decisions, asset management improvement and establishes a critical foundation for a future-focused, intelligent electricity network that enables real-time operations. It ensures that Aurora Energy has the capacity and capability to support the connection of new distributed energy resources, address evolving consumer interactions with the network, and meet the demands of a rapidly changing industry.
With over 20 years of experience in the electricity sector, predominantly in Australia, Matt has a strong background in asset management, maintenance and reliability engineering, and engineering risk management. Before joining Aurora Energy, he served as Lines Asset Strategy Manager at CitiPower/Powercor and was a member of the leadership team within the Electricity Networks business unit.
Matt Settle
Richard Starkey | General Manager Service Delivery
Richard (BCom, PGDipCom) joined Aurora Energy in November 2011.
He is responsible for the forward programming, network procurement, and delivery of the asset management plan on the Aurora Energy network.
Richard has over 20 years’ experience in New Zealand and international energy markets.
Prior to joining Aurora Energy, Richard was the Network Pricing Manager at Vector and before that, the Pricing Strategy Manager at Genesis Energy.
Richard Starkey
Candice Maree | General Manager People, Culture and Safety
Candice (MHRM) joined Aurora Energy in 2021 as People and Culture Director. In this role, she led key initiatives such as the Covid-19 response, the Flexible Working Policy, the Leadership Programme, and talent retention strategies, making a significant positive impact across the organisation.
In December 2024, Candice was appointed General Manager People, Culture and Safety. In her current role, Candice is focused on positioning Aurora Energy as an employer of choice by fostering a culture that attracts top talent, supports the growth and development of our people, and emphasises collaboration, inclusivity, and opportunity. Candice is committed to building a workforce and organisational model that is agile, forward-looking, and ready to meet future challenges.
With a master’s degree in human resource management, Candice is a seasoned HR professional with extensive experience in driving culture change, talent management, and workforce planning. She brings innovative strategies that have consistently delivered excellent results in employee engagement and fostered high-performance environments.
Candice Maree