Board of Directors

Mark Cairns was appointed to the Board in February 2021. Mark has been Chief Executive of Port of Tauranga, New Zealand’s largest and most successful port, since 2005, retiring in June 2021 to pursue a full-time governance career. Mark was previously Chief Executive of Toll Owens Limited and Owens Cargo Company Limited. Mark has extensive experience in logistics, infrastructure, contracting and significant exposure to capital markets.  He has a First Class Honours Degree in Civil Engineering, a degree in Business Studies and a Master of Management.  Mark is also a Director of Auckland International Airport, Meridian Energy Limited and Sanford Limited.  He is a Fellow of Engineering New Zealand and a Member of the Institute of Directors. In 2019, Mark received the prestigious Caldwell Partners Leadership Award from the Institute of Finance Professionals and the Deloitte/Management Magazine Executive of the Year Award in 2012.

Abby was appointed a Director in June 2018. She is a professional director with over 12 years’ governance experience including publicly listed and Crown companies. With qualifications in both law and accounting, Abby’s career has covered both disciplines with a focus on corporate finance, treasury and commercial transactions. Abby is currently a director of KMD Brands and Sanford Limited.

David Gibson was appointed to the Board in April 2022. David is a professional director and has a strong background in strategy and finance with over 20 years investment banking experience, including as Co-Head of Investment Banking in New Zealand for Deutsche Bank and Deutsche Craigs. During his finance career David has advised on many of New Zealand’s largest capital market transactions. David is also a director of NZME Limited, Goodman (NZ) Limited and Rangatira Limited.

Fiona was appointed a Director in July 2021.  She is a professional director, holding governance roles across a range of business sectors including renewable energy, natural gas, technology, and financial services. Fiona is currently a director (and audit committee chair) of Gentrack Group Limited, the First Gas Group, BNZ Life Insurance Limited and BNZ Insurance Services Limited. She is also a director of New Zealand Water Polo and, as from 1 June 2022, of Marlin Global Limited, Kingfish Limited, and Barramundi Limited. Fiona is also a director of Wynyard Group Limited (in liquidation). Fiona’s Executive career was in the financial services sector in New Zealand and overseas. In New Zealand, her roles included Chief Operating Officer of Westpac’s investment arm, BT Funds Management, and General Manager of AMP NZ’s Wealth Management division. In Sydney and London, Fiona managed the Risk and Operations function for AMP’s private capital division. Prior to this, Fiona was a senior corporate and commercial solicitor in New Zealand and overseas, specialising in mergers and acquisitions. Fiona is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors and a member of Global Women. Fiona received the New Zealand Shareholders Association Beacon Award in 2022 for her role as chair of the Independent Directors Committee of Tilt Renewables Limited during the attempted takeover of this company in 2018.

Mark was appointed a Director in September 2015. He has extensive experience in the technology sector, with a decade’s governance experience, predominantly in the high tech and innovation space. An electrical engineer by training, with widespread operations and marketing experience, he spent 4 years on the senior executive team of Vodafone NZ, where among other things he had executive accountability for the fixed line business and as Director of Marketing. Mark previously served as chief executive of Pacific Fibre, ihug and financial services company, Paymark Limited. Mark is currently Chief Executive Officer of private equity owned UP Education and a director of a number of private companies.

Peter was appointed a Director in July 2016. He brings to Freightways many years of senior executive experience with the Lion group of companies in both New Zealand and Australia. Peter’s last executive roles were as Managing Director of Lion Nathan New Zealand and Managing Director of Lion Dairy and Drinks, based in Melbourne. In 2014, Peter retired from Lion and completed the programme for ‘Making Corporate Boards More Effective” at Harvard Business School in Boston. He has since developed his career in governance and business ownership. Peter is also a director of Sanford Limited and is involved in a number of private companies both in New Zealand and in Australia.