Power Company Chair Steps Down After Nine Years

Peter Moynihan has stepped down from the board of The Power Company Ltd after nine years, with long-standing director James Carmichael taking over as chairman.

Moynihan, who served several years as chair, left the board last week alongside director Wayne Mackey, who also clocked up nine years before stepping down. Mackey will stay on as an adviser for 12 months while the new board finds its feet.

Two new directors have been appointed to fill the gaps: Santilal Parbhu and Ross Pickworth, both with strong engineering backgrounds the company says will matter more as the electricity sector navigates new technology and shifting consumer demands.

Southland Electric Power Supply Consumer Trust chair Carl Findlater paid tribute to Moynihan's tenure. "The Power Company and the Trust have been very fortunate to have his leadership," Findlater said. "Peter's work with us has been admired and appreciated, and he will be a hard act to follow. On behalf of the Trust and The Power Company's consumers, we thank him sincerely for his service."

Moynihan pointed to the sale of Southern Generation as a standout from his time at the helm. "This enabled us to recycle the capital and secure our own shareholding in three joint ventures, being OtagoNet, Lakeland Network, and PowerNet," he said. "Taking control of PowerNet has enabled faster decision-making and a new strategy focussed on efficiency and customer service."

The Power Company is owned by the Southland Electric Power Supply Consumer Trust and operates across Southland through its network businesses.