Appointments To Electricity Commission

Appointments To Electricity Commission

Energy Minister David Parker today announced four appointments to the
Electricity Commission.

The new Electricity Commission Chair is David Caygill. He takes up his
position on 15 October.

“David Caygill will make a valuable contribution to the Electricity
Commission. He has a mix of legal, regulatory and governance experience as
well as a deep understanding of the electricity sector,” David Parker said.

David Caygill has extensive governance experience through serving on
numerous public and private sector boards and as an industry regulator in
his current position as Deputy Chair of the Commerce Commission. His
extensive electricity sector experience includes chairing the Ministerial
Inquiry into the Electricity in 2000, chairing the Grid Security Committee
and chairing the industry’s attempt at establishing self-governance through
the Electricity Governance Establishment Committee.

Three new members are Richard Bentley, David Bull, and Linda Constable.
They take up their appointments on 10 November.

Richard Bentley is an experienced company executive and director with a
comprehensive background and understanding of corporate governance in the
private and public sector. “His business skills will be a considerable
asset to the Electricity Commission,” David Parker said.

Richard Bentley is a civil engineer by training and from 1989 to 2000 he
was Chief Executive of Natural Gas Corporation. He was also a Director of
NGC from 2000 until 2005. He has held an extensive number of other public
and private sector directorships in recent years. Currently his
directorships include Chair of NZ Institute for Crop and Food Research,
Chair of the Carter Observatory and Chair of Karori Wildlife Sanctuary
Trust.

David Bull is a Martinborough vineyard owner and operator. He has an
excellent understanding of the New Zealand electricity system from 21 years
as a power system engineer at ECNZ and predecessor organisations. “His
electrical engineering knowledge will be very valuable to the Board,” said
the Minister.

David Bull is also experienced in central government processes and
stakeholder and community relations from 15 years as a Wellington City
Councillor or Wellington Regional Councillor and five years as General
Manager in the Department of Internal Affairs. David’s governance and
commercial experience includes chairing numerous city and regional council
committee, as member of the NZ Fire Service, Wellington Polytechnic Council
and Director of Wellington International Airport Ltd.

Linda Constable is a professional director and a self-employed legal and
resource-management consultant. “Her previous involvement with the energy
sector and service on numerous government and community bodies will be of
considerable value to the Commission,” said the Minister.

Linda Constable was chair of the electricity lines company Orion for seven
years until retiring from the Board in 2006. Her current directorships are
with ONTRACK (NZ Railways Corporation) and Ngai Tahu Holdings Corporation
(Director of the Holdings Company and Ngai Tahu Fisheries, Ngai Tahu
Tourism, and Chair of Ngai Tahu Property). Linda has a great deal of
experience with local government and community organisations. She was a
Christchurch City Councillor for nine years from 1986 to 1995.

The three new members replace David Close and Graham Pinnell, who have come
to the end of their second terms, and Doug Dell who has resigned. The
Minister paid tribute to the three retiring members all of whom have served
the Commission since its establishment four years ago.

“I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the valuable contribution
these members have made to the Commission’s set up and ongoing work over
the past four years. During that time the Commission has made significant
progress on many major issues, including some long standing issues that had
not been resolved under the previous electricity industry self-governance
regime.”

The appointments are all for a three year term.

The Electricity Commission is a Crown Entity established in 2003 to take
responsibility for the governance and regulation of electricity sector.
There are six Commissioners. The other two are Peter Harris and Stan
Rodger.

ends

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