Vanessa Horne

Acting Chief Executive Officer

Vanessa is acting Chief Executive until the end of January 2024.

In her substantive role, 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.

Adrienne MeikleAdrienne Meikle

Chief Executive Officer – on secondment

Adrienne is currently on secondment to Toitū Te Whenua where she is acting Chief Executive until the end of January 2024.

Adrienne Meikle joined the Commission in May 2018, taking on the role of Chief Executive. 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 DevonshirePJ 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.

Antonia Horrocks

General Manager Competition

Antonia Horrocks manages the Commission’s Competition branch. She joined the Commission in August 2016 from the UK Competition & Markets Authority. Prior to joining the UK regulator, she worked as an antitrust lawyer in London for nearly a decade, most recently as Counsel at Shearman & Sterling (LLP) in London. She started her career in New Zealand and has a law degree, a BA (Hons) in English and a Postgraduate Diploma in EU Competition Law.

Geoff WilliamsonGeoff Williamson

General Manager, Organisation Performance

Geoff Williamson joined the Commission in July 2011 and leads the organisation performance functions. He was previously Director Corporate Services at the Tertiary Education Commission and his previous work experience includes Chief Financial Officer at the National Library of New Zealand and a range of roles at Deloitte. Geoff has a BCA from Victoria University of Wellington and an Executive Master of Public Administration through the Australia and New Zealand School of Government, and is a Chartered Accountant.

Kirsten Mannix

Acting General Manager, Fair Trading

Kirsten is acting General Manager of the Commission's Fair Trading Branch until the end of January 2024.

In her substantive role, Kirsten is Fair Trading Investigations and Compliance Manager.

Kirsten joined the Commission in October 2012, after returning to Wellington from the UK where she worked in legal roles in-house at GlaxoSmithKline and Sainsbury’s Supermarkets.

She has a law degree and commerce degree from Canterbury University.

Louise Unger Louise Unger

General Manager, Credit

Louise joined the Commission in 2021 from Lawyers on Demand NZ, an international law firm, specialising in risk and compliance. She has significant expertise providing legal risk and compliance services to a range of New Zealand and international organisations, including banks, telecommunications and electricity companies. She brings particular strength in the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act, having led Bank of New Zealand’s legal team which advised on the legislation and the implementation of the 2015 changes to it. Louise has a law degree (Hons) and a commerce degree from Canterbury University.

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..

Raj KrishnanRaj 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.