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 constructed the Waimea Community Dam in Tasman. He brings relevant international and domestic project, engineering and operations executive experience. Mike 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.

Commercial Manager

To be announced