2017
MinterEllisonRuddWatts
Involved extensively in strategic reform of the electricity and gas sectors, Christine Southey has made an enormous contribution to New Zealand’s energy sector.
Career highlights include:
- the Electricity Corporation of New Zealand (ECNZ)/Contact Energy split in 1996 and her role on its inaugural leadership team;
- three-way split of ECNZ into Genesis Energy, Mighty River Power and Meridian Energy in 1999;
- developing the electricity industry’s self-regulation from 1999-2002, including agreeing grid quality standards and combining wholesale, retail, system operation and transmission arrangements into a single rulebook;
- governance and regulation of the sector in her role as a foundation member of the Electricity Commission Board from 2003-2005;
- successful implementation of co-regulation for the gas sector as Chief Executive of the Gas Industry Co (GIC) from 2005-2010