People
Board of Directors
The Board of Tukituki Water Security Ltd is composed of a combination of irrigation, business and technical professionals and experienced directors.
Mike Petersen, Chair
Mike is an award-winning farmer and industry leader in the New Zealand agribusiness community. After 35 years of sheep and beef farming in Hawke’s Bay, Mike is now focussed on governance and advisory roles with several New Zealand companies and multinational businesses. Mike served as New Zealand’s Special Agricultural Trade Envoy from 2013 to 2019 and in 2018 he was awarded the New Zealand Agricultural Communicator of the Year.
Mike is an Independent Director and Chair of NZX listed Scales Corporation, which has three operating divisions in horticulture, petfood ingredients and logistics. Mike also has governance roles as an independent director on the boards of ANZCO Foods, Kelso Genetics and Rimanui Farms.
Sam Robinson
Sam has in the past been an active sheep and beef farmer in central Hawke’s Bay and was a member of the Hawke’s Bay Catchment Board and then foundation councillor of Hawke’s Bay Regional Council for six years. He was a Director and latterly Chair of Hawke’s Bay Regional Investment Company during the investigation and promotion of the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme. Sam has been a director of numerous Crown and other companies over the last 20 years and is currently a director of Silver Fern Farms and Brownrigg Agriculture.
Mike Devonshire
Mike is a vastly experienced finance and investment banking professional. For the last 20 years he has served as a professional director across a broad range of sectors including infrastructure (geotechnical and construction), iwi investment, finance, property, primary sector export and sport.
Doug Hattersley
Doug has extensive international and domestic experience in dams. He is a director of Waimea Water Ltd, and was Chair of the Engineering and Construction Committee for the construction of the Waimea Community Dam. He was the Technical Advisor and Chair of the Peer Review Panel to the proposed Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment Onslow pumped-storage hydro project.
Management
Management during the current phase of work includes:
Mike Scott, Chief Executive
Mike was previously the CEO of Waimea Water Ltd, which designed, constructed and commissioned the Waimea Community Dam in Tasman - the largest dam built in New Zealand for more than 30 years. Mike brings relevant international and domestic project, engineering and operations executive experience. He has a Master of Engineering with Distinction in Civil Engineering and has 33 years’ postgraduate experience in business and project development, strategy, planning, operations and engineering in predominantly the energy sector in Australia, Scotland, the United States and New Zealand. Mike was previously a Vice President at Australian listed Woodside Energy Ltd.
Daniel Murtagh, Engineering Manager
Daniel holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) degree and is a Chartered Professional Engineer (Civil), an International Professional Engineer, a member of the NZ Society on Large Dams (NZSOLD) and a panel member of the Society of Construction Contract Practitioners . Daniel has extensive knowledge in the development of challenging large-scale capital projects around New Zealand, including hydro projects, small wind farms and large-scale water storage dams. Daniel was the client’s Construction Manager on the $210M Waimea Community Dam and the $45 million Sheffield Water Scheme in mid-Canterbury and has overseen the planning and construction of a number of other energy-related projects.
Mike Knobloch, Accountant
Mike is a Chartered Accountant with over 30 years’ experience in public practice and commercial businesses, with specialist expertise in farming, tax planning, and business analysis. He has worked as a CFO and financial advisor across commercial businesses, iwi, and sports trusts, and brings extensive governance experience as a director, board member and trustee. Born and bred in Central Hawke’s Bay, Mike also co-owns a sheep and beef farming operation.
Richard Greatrex, Engineering Manager
Richard has over 15 years’ experience in the design and delivery of civil infrastructure across the Asia-Pacific. He is a Chartered Professional Engineer, and a Recognised (Dam Safety) Engineer. His broad experience includes industrial process engineering, structural, roading, three waters and geotechnical. He has extensive experience in design and contract management of heavy civil projects including geothermal fields, pipe networks, river and dams. Richard was the Engineers Representative and then Engineering Manager for the Waimea Community Dam construction phase, and prior to this worked for a multi-national company on dam and river upgrades. Richard holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) and is a member of the NZ Society on Large Dams.
Andrew Gibbs, Commercial Manager
Andrew is a retired Partner from Deloitte NZ, where he led the Primary Industry team for over a decade, focusing on helping the sector address growth and regulatory challenges. During his time there, he spent significant periods working with Deloitte’s international offices in London, Poland, the former Soviet Union, and the Middle East.
He brings a wide range of experience in governance, corporate finance, project management, and advisory positions, including involvement in feasibility studies, business transformation, planning, and performance management across both public and private sectors.
Andrew has recently moved back to the family farm in Central Hawkes Bay and now works as an independent director and business consultant, providing a range of services to the primary industries.