Wellington Water Board
Wellington Water is governed by a Board of Directors. Our Board is made up of the Board Chair and five independent directors.
Wellington Water Board of Directors
Chair - Bill Bayfield
Chair
Bill Bayfield
Bill Bayfield has recently completed a long career in both Regional and Central Government. He has previously been CEO at the Regional Councils in both Canterbury and Bay of Plenty and more recently, he was the CEO of the new national water regulator, Taumata Arowai, where he was responsible for its establishment.
Bill brings with him a wealth of knowledge in water management and organisational management and performance. He was closely involved with the early phases and implementation of the Government’s Affordable Water Reforms programme. Bill is looking forward to bringing his skills and experience to the Board and assisting the organisation to ensure a successful transition throughout reforms.
Deputy Chair
Ben Pitchforth
Ben Pitchforth has been consulting for over 25 years on business and system transformation into Regional and Central Government. Ben has worked with boards extensively over the past 10 years and looks forward to working with the Wellington Water Board during this period of transition for the Wellington region.
Ben brings specialist experience in managing organisations through significant change.
Board member
Leanne Southey
Leanne Southey is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia & NZ and is a partner in the Wairarapa accountancy firm Southey Sayer Ltd. She is a trustee of the Masterton Community Trust and a board member of Wellington Free Ambulance and Trust House Ltd.
She is a past Trustee and Chair of the Masterton Trust Lands Trust and past board member of the Wairarapa DHB. Leanne is active in a variety of community organisations in the Wairarapa.
Board Member
Gillian Peacock
Gillian has extensive experience in leading and delivering change. She is an experienced senior leader and business consultant. She is a HR praticioner experienced in strategic and operational roles in private, public sector and not for profit organisations. She designs and implements people strategies to support organisational performance and deliver outcomes.
Gillian is an executive and leadership coach who understands what it takes to support people, make robust decisions and lead through change. She works with a diverse range of individuals, teams and organisations to design, develop and deliver organisational structures, operating models and change management including developing change skills in leaders and team members, facilitating change conversations and delivering workshops that give managers and staff the skills and tools they need to cope with change.
Board Member
David Adamson
David Adamson is a Chartered Professional Engineer, a Fellow of Engineering New Zealand, and Director of Adamson Partners. With over 40 years of experience in the local government sector, he has led the design, procurement, and delivery of major infrastructure projects across the country—many focused on water, wastewater, and stormwater services. David has held governance roles in utility companies, national asset management bodies, and local government, always with a focus on delivering practical, resilient, and cost-effective outcomes for communities.
David brings to the Wellington Water Board a deep understanding of how to manage and invest in essential water infrastructure. Raised and educated in Porirua, he has a strong connection to the Wellington region and is committed to helping ensure safe, reliable, and sustainable water services. He looks forward to supporting the organisation and serving the people of the region during a time of change and opportunity.
