New Chair for Electricity Authority

Anna Kominik has been appointed the new Chair of the Electricity Authority.

Ms Kominik has been appointed for a five-year term which commences on 13 July 2023.

Ms Kominik has resigned as independent Chair of the Electricity Retailers’ Association of New Zealand, a position she has held for four years, to take up her new role.

Ms Kominik is an experienced business leader who has worked for a wide variety of public and private sector organisations during the course of her career, including as the former Asia Pacific Director of Wisk, part of an international organisation developing a world-first, all-electric, self-flying air taxi. She is currently Chair of the Edmund Hillary Fellowship and Hillary Institute, a director of Dawn Aerospace and advises in the New Zealand aviation and aerospace sector.

She holds a Master’s degree from Northwestern University, Chicago, where she was a Rotary International Scholar, has a Certificate of Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Stanford University, and was a Commonwealth Foundation Emerging Pacific Leader.

“I welcome Anna to the Authority and the breadth of her experience in corporate governance, senior management and innovation that she brings to the role,” said Sarah Gillies, Chief Executive of the Electricity Authority.

Ms Kominik said she looked forward to supporting New Zealand’s transition to a clean energy future.

“As New Zealand works towards our decarbonisation goals, there is an opportunity to innovate to equitably and securely deploy renewable electricity across the economy,” she said.

Ms Kominik succeeds Dr Nicola Crauford who was Chair of the Authority since November 2020 and she acknowledged Dr Crauford’s leadership and commitment in the role.

There are six members of the Authority: Anna Kominik (Chair), Allan Dawson, Lana Stockman, Erik Westergaard, Paula Rose and Dr Cristiano Marantes.