Auckland Council has appointed Karen Sherry and John Crawford as directors of Watercare Services Limited (Watercare).
Councillor Daniel Newman chaired the selection panel and welcomes the new directors to the Watercare board.
“Karen and John bring a wealth of high-level and practical experience that will stand Watercare in good stead as the organisation aligns itself with the requirements of the Auckland solution to Local Water Done Well. Together, they will complement the existing skillset on the board.
"Karen is a lawyer with deep governance experience in the utilities sector and is well placed to oversee the capital raising.
“John is a leader with significant experience of regulated industries as well as being a Local and Central Government veteran, as chief executive of the former Auckland Council Investments Limited,” says Cr Newman.
The appointments were approved by the Performance and Appointments Committee on 17 December 2024. The committee is responsible for all appointments to the boards of council-controlled organisations, in accordance with the council’s Appointment and Remuneration Policy for Board Members and the Local Government Act.
About Karen Sherry, QSM
Karen is a director of the legal practice Donnell Sherry Limited and an experienced governor with thirty years of board experience. Her governance career has included all aspects of the electrical utility sector including power generation, distribution, consumer trusts and regulation. Her roles have included Mercury Energy, Entrust (elected), Vector Limited, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA), Electra Limited, The PowerCompany Limited and Powernet Limited.
About John Crawford
John is an experienced CEO and senior executive as well as a former associate member of the Commerce Commission. He is a former deputy secretary of the New Zealand Treasury and chief executive of the former Auckland Council Investments Limited (CCO). He has commercial and regulatory expertise across a variety of industry sectors with experience of capital markets, having overseen successful IPOs (initial public offerings) of Meridian Energy and Mighty River Power.
