Our people

Matt moved to Tairāwhiti when he was appointed as chief executive of Eastland Group in 2003. He has more than 30 years' experience in the utilities and infrastructure sectors. Originally studying as an engineer, he has augmented this with post graduate business qualifications from the University of Auckland, University of Otago and Harvard Business School. Matt has worked in New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, Southeast Asia, South America, the USA and the Pacific Islands.

Aaron is responsible for the finance, shared services, legal and company secretary functions of Eastland Group. He supports the group chief executive, the board of directors, the businesses within the group, and the company's growth initiatives. Aaron has 30 years' experience in finance working for PwC and Deutsche Bank in New Zealand, Asia, the USA and Europe.

Born on the East Coast, Andrew has been involved in the local forestry industry from an early age. He worked offshore in various project management positions before returning home to New Zealand to complete a Masters in Engineering Management. He started with Eastland in 2004. After being general manager ports for a number of years, in mid-2019 he was promoted to the role of Chief Operating Officer - Regional Infrastructure. This encompasses the ports sector and all non-energy related infrastructure projects and businesses.

Alice began her career in finance roles across Australia and in London, before returning to New Zealand and her hometown of Gisborne. She joined Eastland Group in 2007 and spent seven years in finance. In 2014 Alice was seconded to assist with the establishment and operations of Activate Tairāwhiti Limited, and then returned to Eastland Group’s business development division, being promoted to GM Business Development in 2019. Now as COO – Energy, Alice is responsible for our non-regulated electricity/energy sector, managing our existing generation portfolio and delivering on future renewable generation opportunities.

Steferl joined Eastland Group in 2011. Prior to this, her varied work experience ranged from 25 years in the graphic design industry to real estate sales. She combines her diverse skills in a varied role that encompasses all sectors of the business. She is also involved with many volunteer organisations, revolving around her passion for mountain biking.

Matanuku is a lawyer and a founding partner of the law firm Kahui Legal. He has also held a wide variety of board roles. These include being the former deputy chair of Aotearoa Fisheries Limited and chairman of Sealord Group Limited. He is the current chairman of Ngati Porou Holding Company Limited, the company that oversees Ngati Porou's commercial interests. He is also a director of the NZ Merino Company Limited, a member of the board of Callaghan Innovation, and a former trustee of Trust Tairāwhiti.

Wendie has wide-ranging experience as a director, trustee, lawyer, executive manager and business consultant. Her governance experience encompasses the public and private sectors, local government and not for profit organisations. Her current governance roles include board appointments to Aurora Energy Limited, Fire and Emergency New Zealand, Hawke’s Bay Airport, chair of Hawke's Bay Airport Construction, the Electrical Training Company and Centralines. She was a director of Port of Napier for six years, and Wairoa-based Quality Roading and Services (QRS) for seven years.

Jon is an experienced director and business consultant involved in a number of strategic growth, regulatory and performance-based initiatives for infrastructure-related businesses in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. He also serves on the board of Palmerston North Airport Limited where he chairs the Audit and Risk Committee. Additionally, Jon is the independent chair of the Audit and Risk Committee for Hastings District Council and the Maungaharuru Tangitū Trust. He also chairs Centralines Limited. He is a Fellow Member of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.

Candace has held executive roles in the infrastructure, technology, health science, FMCG and finance sectors for over 20 years, and has been on more than a dozen private, government and listed boards. Her core expertise includes high-growth, primary sector and infrastructure transitional companies; technology commercialisation; and governance practice. She is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors and a non-executive director for companies including WEL Networks and Ultrafast Fibre. She serves as an appointed director on Auckland City Council's Regional Facilities COO board and is the deputy chair for the Cancer Society of New Zealand, Auckland/Northland. While CEO of NZTech, Candace founded NZTechWeek and the NZTech Women groups, and has twice been a finalist in the NZ Westpac Women of Influence Awards.

Jim is a highly experienced director, chief executive and executive manager. He is currently chair at Payments NZ, ComplyPro and SmartCo Ltd. he is chair and a shareholder in Tubman Heating and a director at Ubiquitome. He is also a partner in QLG Advisory. His previous governance experience includes roles as chair of Lyttleton Port, Ngāi Tahu Tainui Go Bus, MCom and Intilecta. Jim's executive career included being the inaugural CEO of KiwiRail and Chief of Strategy at Auckland Council.

Hamish is an independent director and chair with extensive governance experience across a range of industries. Over the last 30 years he has worked in New Zealand and across Asia in banking, corporate finance, private equity, investor relations and stockbroking. A former partner at PwC and executive at ANZ National Bank, Hamish currently serves on a range of company boards including Ritchies Transport, Te Waka, Livingston Building, Boffa Miskell and Millennium Corporation. He has previously served on the boards of GJ Gardner Franklin, Greenstone Group, Pedersen Group, East Care, Southern Hospitality, Sutherland Produce, Martin Aircraft and Te Arawa Group Holdings.

Debbie is a chartered member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors with a particular focus on financial markets and investment, and Māori economic development. She was one of the founders of a private equity fund model for Māori/Iwi which co-invests alongside institutional investors over a 15-year timeframe, and has raised $115 million from 26 individual Māori /Iwi investor entities. Debbie is currently the chair of Raukawa ki te Tonga AHC, Taupō Moana Investments Ltd and is a non-executive director of Tourism Holdings, Ngāti Awa Group Holdings Ltd, Te Pūia Tāpapa GP, Tūwharetoa Hau Rau GP. She is a trustee of Wellington Free Ambulance Trust and Manu Rere Charitable Trust and is a member of the Treasury’s Capital Markets Advisory Committee and MPI’s Te Puna Whakaaronui Thought Leaders Group.