Leadership Team

Gary’s governance and leadership experiences include CEO of Pulse Energy, CEO of TransAlta New Zealand, Executive Chair of EnSource Energy Corporation, President of AltaGas Income Trust, and CEO of ENMAX Corporation. Gary led TransAlta’s development and construction role of the first two non-government electricity generation projects (Southdown, TCC).

Gary holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Calgary.

Chris brings significant leadership experience in the New Zealand and UK energy industries across financing, markets, infrastructure investment and asset operations. Chris has led Lodestone’s equity rounds and arranged its debt facilities, bringing vast experience from his most recent role as CFO and Executive General Manager Strategy, General Manager Portfolio at Genesis Energy and operational management roles at Mercury Energy.

Chris holds a Bachelor of Engineering and Masters in Engineering Management from the University of Canterbury and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (UK) and is an alumnus of Stanford University.

Richard has more than 20 years’ experience in generation and utility management, including as project manager of the largest generation build in New Zealand (Huntly Unit 5). He brings the ability to deliver across a wide range of functional areas, drawing on experience from Genesis Energy, Northpower and Vector to manage EPC and O&M operation.

Richard holds a Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Canterbury, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Otago and is a chartered member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors and is an alumnus of Stanford University.

Brendan is a seasoned legal professional with broad expertise gained during his time in private practice and as an in-house advisor in the NZ energy sector. His strategic approach ensures that legal frameworks are integrated with Lodestone’s commercial objectives, fostering business growth while adeptly managing risks. Having joined Lodestone in 2022, Brendan became a part of the Executive Team as the GM Legal in April 2024, where his insights contribute to guiding the company’s direction.

Sarah brings both the functional breadth and industry knowledge to be the Customer champion at Lodestone. Her drive for customer centricity has been gained over her more than 20 years in the energy industry. During her time at Genesis and Vector Metering she developed core strengths in business development, relationship management, marketing and commercial strategy.

Peter’s previous experience developing a portfolio of renewable projects including solar in Aotearoa and the Pacific makes him a great addition to Lodestone’s team. He has worked in senior management as well as technical development and engineering. Peter has vast knowledge of the energy sector and has provided strategic consulting on emerging technologies and asset management to New Zealand electricity distribution businesses (EDBs).

Viv has an extensive background in leading and supporting businesses with their people development and strategies. Her experience gained through senior leadership roles within Fletcher Construction, and establishing and running an HR consulting business makes Viv a vital part of the Lodestone team. People are the key to success and Viv enjoys working alongside the leadership team to develop and build great teams and an exceptional workplace that people want to join.

Justin brings deep commercial and financial expertise across the energy value chain, with experience spanning accounting, forecasting, asset management, and customer contracting in the North American energy and oil and gas sectors. He has supported major expansion and development initiatives through robust financial modelling and long-term commercial frameworks. At Lodestone, Justin leads the wholesale function, bringing a structured, analytical approach to market risk management and capital-backed growth.