Our leadership team

Adrienne Meikle

Chief Executive

Adrienne is Chief Executive of the Commerce Commission, joining in May 2018. Before joining the Commission, Adrienne held the positions of Deputy Chief Executive, Corporate, Governance and Information group, Acting Deputy Chief Executive, Market Services and General Manger, Resolution Services at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). Adrienne has extensive experience across the public sector and prior to joining MBIE in 2012, held the roles of Acting Deputy Secretary, Tourism, Events and Consumer Affairs, Director of Legal in the former Ministry of Economic Development, Chief Legal Advisor in the former New Zealand Food Safety Authority, and Parliamentary Counsel and Private Secretary in the Attorney General’s office.

Adrienne has also worked for the Department of Corrections and Ministry of Education and has a BA LLB and an LLM (Hons).

PJ Devonshire

Pou Ārahi

PJ Devonshire (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa and Rangitane o Wairarapa) is the Pou Ārahi and joined the Commission in August 2021. PJ has over 20 years’ experience in the iwi, education and public sector. Prior to this role, PJ was the Manager, Partnering Iwi Māori at MSD and before this, PJ was the General Manager of his iwi, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, for 10 years. He represented his iwi on the National Iwi Chairs Forum, is an honorary member of the Māori Women’s Welfare League, a board member on Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Iwi Authority and past trustee on the Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tamakinui a Rua Post Treaty Settlement Trust.

Andy Burgess

General Manager, Infrastructure Regulation

Andy joined the Commission in December 2019 after working for regulators in the United Kingdom. At the energy regulator, Ofgem, he had senior roles managing the energy transition, network regulation, and enforcement and competition policy, and was on the Bureau of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Network of Economic Regulators. Andy was also on the Board of the Agency for the Cooperation of European Energy Regulators and the General Assembly of the Council of European Energy Regulators (CEER), and was vice chair of the CEER Distribution Systems working group. He previously had several roles at the Office of Rail Regulation.

Andrew Riseley

General Manager, Legal Services

Andrew has been at the Commission since 2017 and has over 20 years’ experience in competition law and economic regulation across five jurisdictions including Singapore, the UK and Australia. His team provides a centre of excellence for legal expertise with an impressive record in terms of enforcement outcomes and defended appeals. Andrew has a Master of Science in Regulation from the London School of Economics as well as degrees in law (Hons) and economics (Hons) from Monash University.

Sarah Bartlett

Acting General Manager, Credit

Sarah is the Acting General Manager of Credit. Sarah joined the Commission in March 2023 and has extensive legal, regulatory and banking experience. Prior to joining the Commission, Sarah had spent 15 years in the financial services industry at Bank of New Zealand in various senior roles, including GM Third Party Insurance, GM Conduct – Private Bank, Wealth and Insurances, and Head of Legal - Dispute Resolution. Sarah has also worked in private practice both in New Zealand and the UK. Sarah has a Bachelor of Law and Bachelor of Arts (History and Political Science) from the Victoria University of Wellington.

Raj Krishnan

General Manager, Strategy, Governance and Engagement

Raj joined the Commission in 2021 from the Department of Internal Affairs where he held a number of leadership positions, including General Manager Policy and General Manager Regulatory Services. He brings extensive leadership experience in policy and regulation, and a strong background in governance and stakeholder relations. Raj has also worked for the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Department of Corrections and the Accident Compensation Corporation and holds a BA (Social Policy and Education) and a Master of Public Policy from Victoria University of Wellington.

Ralph Chivers

Acting General Manager of Organisation Performance

Ralph is the Acting GM of Organisation Performance.

Ralph has wide ranging experience, including as Chief Information Security Officer and Chief Information Officer at MBIE, and as CEO of the Institute of Directors. He has also enjoyed a long career in the ICT sector in both the public and private sectors, and is an accomplished incident controller. Ralph has a first class honours degree in Electrical Engineering and a Master’s in Public Policy.

Simon Thomson

Acting General Manager, Market Regulation

Simon is the acting General Manager of the Commission’s Market Regulation Branch until the end of August 2024.

Simon first joined the Commission in 2011 and has held a range of roles – including Head of Telecommunications, Manager of the Commission’s Strategy, Policy and Performance function and the inaugural Implementation Director of Water, responsible for implementing the Commission’s role in the Government’s water reforms. He has also spent at the Commission for Communications Regulation in Ireland.

He has a MSc (Hons) in molecular biology from Victoria University of Wellington.

Vanessa Horne

General Manager, Fair Trading

Vanessa manages the Commission’s Fair Trading Branch. She is a highly experienced and capable leader in strategy, operations, policy development, service design, and law. Most recently Group Manager, Overseas Investment Office at Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), she has extensive ministerial and legislative experience. Her legal background spans radio spectrum auctions, Financial Service Provider legislation, rural broadband and energy safety. Vanessa also has a strong track record of growing and developing people and building strong, impactful teams through periods of change. Vanessa has a degree in Public Policy (Masters) from Massey University.