Leonard Sampson , Chief Executive
Leonard took over as Chief Executive in July 2021 following the retirement of Mark Cairns.
He was Port of Tauranga’s Commercial Manager from 2013 to 2019, when he was appointed Chief Operating Officer. Leonard joined the Company from KiwiRail, where he was General Manager -Sales. He also held senior roles at Carter Holt Harvey and Mainfreight.
Email: ceo@port-tauranga.co.nz
Simon Kebbell , Chief Financial Officer And Company Secretary
Simon was appointed Chief Financial Officer of Port of Tauranga in 2020. He has been with the Company since 2003 and was previously IT / Finance Manager. He is a Chartered Accountant and has a First Class Honours Degree in a Bachelor of Management Studies.
Prior to joining Port of Tauranga, Simon was Manager – Internal Audit for PricewaterhouseCoopers in Singapore. He also held senior positions at Ernst & Young in Singapore and Auckland.
Email: cfo@port-tauranga.co.nz
Blair Hamill , COMMERCIAL MANAGER
Blair oversees port operations, marketing and new business opportunities. He joined the Company in July 2020 after 20 years at Zespri International, the world’s largest kiwifruit marketer. Blair held a variety of senior roles at Zespri, including Global Commercial Manager and, most recently, Chief Global Supply Officer.
Blair is a former chartered accountant.
Email: commercial@port-tauranga.co.nz
Pat Kirk , Group Health and Safety Manager
Pat Kirk joined the Company in 2013 and the Senior Management Team in March 2020, reflecting the importance of health and safety to our ongoing success.
Pat has three decades of extensive strategic and applied industry health and safety experience across a wide range of sectors. Pat is Chair of the Port Industry Health & Safety Committee and a member of various national health and safety organisations, including the WorkSafe/ACC National Industry Prevention Working Group, the WorkSafe/Maritime NZ Industry Advisory Group (Port Sector) and the Business Leaders’ Health & Safety Forum.
Email: Health&Safety@port-tauranga.co.nz
Rochelle Lockley , Communications Manager
Rochelle joined the Port of Tauranga Senior Management Team in September 2020.
Rochelle, a former journalist, held senior communications roles in tourism and telecommunications in New Zealand and overseas before establishing a communications consultancy in 2005.
Email: news@port-tauranga.co.nz
Melanie Dyer , Corporate Services Manager
Melanie joined Port of Tauranga’s Senior Management Team in August 2020 from Trustpower Limited, where she was General Manager, People and Culture. Prior to joining Trustpower in 2014, Melanie spent 11 years at Hydro Tasmania.
Melanie has a Master’s Degree in organisational development and leadership studies.
Email: HR@port-tauranga.co.nz
Dan Kneebone , Property and Infrastructure Manager
Dan has overall responsibility for both the property portfolio and engineering interests of the Port.
Dan joined the Port of Tauranga Senior Management Team in January 2013. He was previously National Property and Development Manager for Bunnings Limited and held senior roles at Trans Tasman Properties Limited, Fletcher Property Limited and Simes Limited.
