Sir Paul Collins KNZM, BCA, FACA
Sir Paul Collins is one of New Zealand’s most experienced company directors, having served on the boards of more than 50 listed companies globally across a distinguished governance career. A Fellow Associate Chartered Accountant and former Chief Executive of Brierley Investments, Sir Paul brings exceptional financial, commercial, and strategic expertise to the board. He currently serves as Chair of the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research Trust Board, Active Equity Holdings Limited, and the Health, Finance, Procurement & Information Management System Programme Governance Board for Health New Zealand, and is a member of the Overseas Property Advisory Panel for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade. His previous roles include governance leadership across sport and culture through roles including Chair of Sport New Zealand, High Performance Sport New Zealand, and the Wellington Regional Stadium Trust.
As a Wairarapa-based Director, Sir Paul is strongly connected to the region, including through his former role as Chair of the Wairarapa District Health Board. Sir Paul was made a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2015 for his services to sports governance.
Maria Robertson BSc
Maria Robertson is a seasoned executive and governance professional with over two decades of leadership across public infrastructure, regulatory systems, organisational transformation, and digital public services in New Zealand and internationally. She is currently Chair of Digital Identity New Zealand, Chair of the Hawke’s Bay Water Trust — a partnership between Central Hawke’s Bay District Council, Tamatea Pōkai Whenua Trust, and Hawke’s Bay Water Holdings — and an independent member of the Audit and Risk Committees of the Ministry for the Environment and the Department of Corrections.
Her executive career includes serving as Deputy Chief Executive of the Department of Internal Affairs, where she led life and identity services for five million New Zealanders, oversaw a $450 million digital investment programme, and managed $420 million in annual community grants. Maria has provided independent governance assurance across major infrastructure programmes including NZTA’s Roads of National Significance, the Whangārei Hospital Redevelopment, and Infrastructure South Australia, and has advised Treasury on Crown Risk Financing. She holds a Bachelor of Science from Victoria University of Wellington, has completed post graduate study in strategy and organisation at Stanford Business School, and a Professional Director Qualification from the Institute of Directors, and is a Principal of Brim Advisory.
Jo Hayes MInstD, BSc
Jo Hayes is an experienced governance leader with over 30 years of leadership across Parliament, local government, iwi, education, economic development, and the environment. A former Member of Parliament (2014–2020), Jo served as Government Whip and Chair of the Social Services Select Committee, and held membership across the Local Government and Environment, Justice, and Māori Affairs select committees.
Her whakapapa connects her to Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, Rangitāne o Wairarapa, and Atihaunui a Paparangi, grounding her in the communities and waterways. Jo currently serves as Co-Chair of Rangitāne o Wairarapa, Chair of its Audit and Risk Committee, and Custodial Director of Rangitāne Tū Mai Rā Trust PSGE. She has been an active participant in the region’s water services planning, including representing iwi on the Wellington Regional Water Services and Wairarapa Water Services Local Water Done Well planning committees, and brings hands-on experience in water resilience planning, freshwater policy, and disaster recovery governance from her work on the Wairarapa Cyclone Gabrielle Recovery Committee.
Clive Rundle BEng (Hons)
Clive Rundle is a highly experienced water industry executive and board director with over 30 years of leadership in municipal water infrastructure across New Zealand and Australia. A civil engineer by training, he spent three decades at a large infrastructure and engineering consultancy — most recently as Group Director Utilities — where he grew the water and power utility business group to over 500 staff.
Clive has governed a range of water industry entities as both Chair and Director, including as Board Chair of HunterH2O Holdings, Board Director of CH2M Beca, and Board Director of Hutt Valley Water Services — a water operations company contracted to Hutt City Council for 20 years. He served on the board of Water New Zealand for five years, including two years as President, and brings first-hand experience establishing jointly-owned water companies and navigating the foundational documents and commercial structures required for long-term multi-stakeholder success. Clive is now focused on applying his deep technical and governance expertise to board roles in the water sector.
Adrienne Young-Cooper MSc, CFID (Chair)
Adrienne Young-Cooper is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors and a seasoned professional company director with over 20 years of governance experience across infrastructure, transport, housing, and urban development.
A Wairarapa-based director, she holds a Master of Science in Environmental Sciences from the University of Canterbury and is a qualified planner. Her governance career spans some of New Zealand’s most significant public entities, including Housing New Zealand (Chair), Hobsonville Land Company (Chair), Auckland Transport (Chair), New Zealand Transport Agency (Committee Chair), Queenstown Airport Corporation (Chair), and Panuku Development Auckland (Chair). Adrienne has particular expertise in the establishment of new entities, having played key roles in founding the Auckland Regional Transport Authority, EcoWater, and the planning function for Auckland Council, and she brings deep knowledge of the water sector through her work with Watercare, EcoWater, and her governance involvement in New Plymouth District Council’s water services planning. She is currently the Chair of Haumaru Housing, providing affordable housing for older New Zealanders and is on the CCO establishment board for the new Public Transport Company in Auckland.
As the former Chair of the Wairarapa Economic Development Forum and a South Wairarapa ratepayer, she is strongly connected to the region WaitĪ Waters will serve.