Our people
At Maritime NZ, our people are our greatest strength. Their expertise, resilience, and dedication are the foundation of our ability to deliver on our vision: a maritime environment that is safe, secure, clean and sustainable.
We deeply value the diversity of our workforce and the depth of their contributions. It is through their collective knowledge, lived experience and passion for the maritime sector that we continue to grow as an organisation and serve the sector with integrity and purpose.
Our staff are located throughout New Zealand. This includes our national office in Wellington, four regional hubs in Auckland, Tauranga, Nelson and Christchurch, five satellite offices and two operational response centres accommodating the Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand in Wellington and Maritime Response in Te Atatu Auckland.
See some of our people around the regions at work and play.
Our Director and Chief Executive
Kirstie Hewlett
Kirstie Hewlett, Director and Chief Executive
Kirstie Hewlett joined Maritime NZ in May 2021 as Director and Chief Executive. As Chief Executive, Kirstie is the senior manager responsible for the day-to-day running of Maritime NZ.
Before joining Maritime NZ, Kirstie was Deputy Chief Executive, System and Regulatory Design, at the Ministry of Transport. She was responsible for transport safety, resilience, security, emissions, regulation and the transport COVID-19 response.
Prior to the Ministry of Transport, Kirstie held a range of senior leadership roles at WorkSafe New Zealand, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, and the Ministry of Economic Development. In these roles she led regulatory, strategy, corporate, and governance functions, as well as policy work in:
- health and safety
- ACC
- employment law
- telecommunications
- business law
- regulatory systems and regulatory impact analysis.
Career highlights include:
- leading extensive health and safety, labour market and financial sector reforms
- establishing WorkSafe New Zealand and building new regulatory functions
- helping design the Ultra-Fast Broadband initiative
- improving regulatory frameworks and systems across the public sector
- leading the design and implementation of an international air freight scheme that kept planes flying to and from New Zealand during COVID-19.
Executive Leadership Team
Maritime NZ Deputy Chief Executives report to the Chief Executive and have specific responsibilities.
Sharyn Forsyth
Deputy Chief Executive - Partnerships
The Partnerships Group fosters connection and partnerships across the organisation and sectors, delivering evidence-based programmes of work to ensure Maritime NZ is maximising our impact to achieve a safe, secure, clean and sustainable maritime domain.
Core functions include communications, education and guidance, ministerial services, and harm prevention and engagement.
Peter Brunt
Deputy Chief Executive - Regulatory Frameworks and Technical Support
The Regulatory Frameworks and Technical Support Group shapes the maritime regulatory framework at the international and domestic level, provides operational policy and end-to-end development of the regulatory framework.
This Group also provides advice on legal matters and influences the wider policy framework that impacts on Maritime issues.
Deb Despard
Deputy Chief Executive – Regulatory Operations
The Regulatory Operations Group aims to improve maritime safety and security and encourages the protection and preservation of our marine environment.
They do this by promoting and ensuring compliance with maritime safety, international labour, environmental rules and requirements, and workplace health and safety as it relates to the maritime sector.
Core functions include licensing, engaging and educating through audits and inspections and other compliance activity, and investigation and enforcement.
Simon Griffiths
Deputy Chief Executive – Response, Security and Safety Services
The Response, Security and Safety Services Group is responsible for ensuring Maritime NZ and our partners are ready to respond to major maritime incidents as effectively and efficiently as possible.
This Group is also responsible for the day-to-day delivery of search and rescue coordination services through our Rescue Coordination Centre (RCCNZ), providing national Maritime Response services, looking after Aids to Navigation and the national maritime distress and safety communications services.
They also support the delivery of maritime security at our commercial ports and run the New Zealand Aid-funded Pacific Maritime Safety Programme.
Andrew Saunderson
Deputy Chief Executive - Organisational Strategy and Systems
The Organisational Strategy and Systems group provides organisational, strategic systems leadership and support across key corporate and strategic functions.
This includes organisational strategy, finance, property and procurement, planning performance and risk, information technology and systems, and research, analysis and intelligence.
Esther Livingston
Deputy Chief Executive - CE Office, People and Culture
The CE Office, People and Culture Group provides a key advice role to the Chief Executive, supporting critical relationships, as well as the Board and governance.
The Group supports the delivery of the organisation’s strategy Te Korowai o Kaitiakitanga. They also support staff connection and engagement, deliver an effective internal health and safety strategy, and further the vision of being a diverse and inclusive organisation that delivers on Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations and Te Ao Māori aspirations.
They lead the development of our Environmental Sustainability Strategy and emissions reduction.