Mahé Drysdale was elected to be the Mayor of Tauranga after the 2024 local body elections.

About Mayor Mahé Drysdale

As Mayor of Tauranga, Mahéʼs vision is to see Tauranga fulfil its potential, so it becomes known as New Zealandʼs best city. 

Our cityʼs population is growing, so he is focused on delivering the infrastructure and facilities that the Tauranga community needs and wants, while ensuring that every ratepayer dollar is spent smartly and efficiently.

Hon. Will Hodgman AC is the inaugural Chair of Invest Gold Coast, with experience across government, diplomacy and business. He served as Premier of Tasmania from 2014 to 2020, leading a period of significant economic growth, and previously held portfolios including Attorney-General, Tourism, Trade, Hospitality and Events, Sport and Recreation and the Arts. Will went on to serve as Chair of the Australian Business Growth Fund and Australia’s High Commissioner to Singapore, where he led efforts to strengthen trade and investment ties across the region. He also serves as Chair of Trade and Investment Queensland and as a director of Experience Gold Coast.

Tom Warren is a senior maritime executive, marina director and Certified Marina Manager with more than 30 years’ experience across New Zealand’s recreational, commercial and superyacht sectors. He is currently Co-Director and shareholder of Waiheke Marina, with responsibility for operations, strategy, financial oversight, stakeholder engagement and regulatory compliance.

Tom has led major marina operations and infrastructure projects throughout Auckland, including Westhaven Marina, Viaduct Harbour and Silo Marina. He has also held senior governance roles with NZ Marine, the NZ Marina Operators Association and the NZ Marine and Composites Training Organisation.

A former professional yachtsman, Tom competed in the Whitbread Round the World Race aboard Fisher & Paykel NZand has an extensive international yacht-racing background. His combination of operational leadership, governance experience and practical maritime knowledge has made him a respected figure within the marina industry.

Antoine is a French professional with a rich background in international development. His career shifted towards the marina industry when he recognized the importance of addressing environmental challenges, leading him to join The Searial Cleaners, a pioneering company specializing in advanced robotics and drones for protecting marine and coastal ecosystems.

Now based back in France, Antoine leads The Searial Cleaners' business across the Asia Pacific and Americas regions. He works closely with distributors, marinas, and port authorities to bring electric robotic solutions, from autonomous debris-collecting drones to advanced pollution-containment systems, to the marina industry worldwide. Driven by a deep commitment to sustainability, Antoine is focused on turning environmental protection into a practical, scalable reality for the maritime sector."

Tony Alexander was Chief Economist at the BNZ for almost 25 years and has been out on his own as an independent economist since late-2019. He distributes the free weekly “Tony’s View” publication to over 10,000 subscribers each week, writes a weekly column for NZ Herald, and speaks at about 80 functions a year around New Zealand.

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“What I concentrate on and where my true area of expertise lies, is translating the arcane world of economic developments and trends into a language understandable by most people in the business and home buying sectors.”  

Drew Hayes is the Chief Executive Officer of Nelson Marina Management Limited (NMML), responsible for the strategic leadership, operation, and development of one of New Zealand's premier marina facilities. With extensive experience in infrastructure management, asset delivery, governance, health and safety, and stakeholder engagement, Drew has led a range of significant projects, including major marina infrastructure renewals, environmental initiatives, and operational improvement programmes.

In addition to his executive role, Drew serves as Chair of the Natureland Wildlife Trust and is actively involved in community and governance initiatives across the Nelson region. He is passionate about creating resilient, sustainable marine facilities that balance commercial success, environmental stewardship, and exceptional customer experiences. Drew brings a practical, solutions-focused perspective to the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand's marina sector and is committed to sharing lessons learned that can help strengthen and future-proof the industry.

Suzanne is the CEO of the Marina Industries Association (MIA); a position she has held since 2020 and follows 15 years in senior management roles in the marina industry. She was the General Manager of The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club for 12 years, one of the NSW largest and most comprehensive waterfront facilities and sailing clubs before taking on the role of CEO of the country's largest marina group, d'Albora Marinas. 

Prior to taking on the MIA CEO role and while working in marina operations, Suzanne served as a Director and Treasurer of the MIA 2012- 2020.  She also served on the Board of Australian Sailing 2019-2023.  

Prior to her involvement in marina industries, Suzanne held senior roles in several large domestic and international hotel organisations, both in Australia and abroad.  She spent several years in the education sector as an undergraduate lecturer to students undertaking a degree in hotel management. 

Sally Gepp KC is a Nelson-based barrister who specialises in resource management and environmental law.  After nine years working for an environmental NGO, she now acts for developers, government, iwi, NGOs and community groups on a wide range of resource management issues. 

Last year saw the rollout of the new fast track approvals process, and since then we’ve seen a range of legal and practical issues arise, as well as a lot of projects approved.  This year, we have had legislation to replace the RMA (again).  Sally will present an update on the year's key developments in planning, consenting and law reform.

www.sallygepp.co.nz

Chris is Chair of the New Zealand Marina Operators Association and GM Marina & Maritime, Far North Holdings Limited.

Chris has been with Far North Holdings Limited since its inception 17 years ago. Now, as general manager, he is responsible for the daily operation of the Maritime and marina Assets the company owns and operates.

Prior to FNHL Chris worked at the Far North District Council (FNDC) as group manager (customer services), leading pivotal projects like the development of Kerikeri’s Procter Library. As FNDC executive officer, he managed various development initiatives and strategic planning efforts.

Chris is a Fellow of the Financial Services Insitute of Australasia and is a Certified Marina Manager.

Lesley Southwick has been the Learning and Development Manager at Marine and Specialised Technology Academy (MAST) since 2022. With extensive experience across vocational education, she has held senior strategic and operational roles in sectors including forestry, real estate, professional services, manufacturing, rugby, infrastructure and now the wider marine, marina and boatyard industries. Lesley has a strong background in business and hospitality, enabling her to effectively commercialise training products and services. 

Passionate about work-based learning, she aims to empower apprentices to lead meaningful lives through high-quality training. Her expertise includes establishing new Private Training Establishments (PTEs), working with industry to develop new programmes of learning/apprenticeships or courses while ensuring compliance with NZQA and TEC standards. Her collaborative approach bridges industry and learners, shaping relevant qualifications and programmes, particularly in marina and boatyard operations and the wider marine sectors.

Ekrem Reyhancıoglu is Asia Pacific Director at Wearth Group, a global leader in marina and waterfront development that includes Poralu Marine. Based in Bali, he oversees business growth and delivery of landmark projects across the region, including Westernport Marina, Tauranga Marina, Kinmen Marina in Taiwan, and innovative initiatives such as the Tsui Ping River floating platform in Hong Kong. He is also leading the redesign of Chaffers Marina in Wellington. As Vice Chair of the Asia Working Group at ICOMIA, Ekrem advances recreational boating in Asia-Pacific and is recognised for creating sustainable, profitable, and smart marina eco-systems.

Jon Jon Peters is a Master Mariner with more than 35 years of international maritime experience spanning commercial shipping, port management, and maritime regulation. He has held senior leadership roles, including General Manager of one of Africa’s largest ports, and is currently the Regional Harbourmaster and Marine Manager for the Bay of Plenty Regional Council in New Zealand.

Ian Davidson is a senior scientist at Cawthron Institute in Nelson. Originally from Ireland, he’s been in New Zealand for more than seven years and works on marine invasion ecology and biosecurity research. He was previously at Portland State University (Oregon, USA) and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Centre (Maryland, USA). Ian’s collaborative approach with government, industry, iwi, and stakeholders focuses on converting research on marine pest management into tangible tools and methods that can be applied in real-world scenarios. He co-leads the ‘Managing Marine Pests’ programme at Cawthron and will present on achieving efficacy and scale for killing or removing pests at marinas.

Tony Arnold is Manager of Tauranga Bridge Marina. 

He grew up on the River Dee in Cheshire UK

Dinghy sailing from 6 – his father started a boat business near Faro in Southern Portugal when he was 9 and he spent the school years between the UK and the Algarve.

A short Merchant navy stint was followed by an 11 year career on White boats in the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Asia.

Tony moved to New Zealand in 1993 and became involved with the developers of the proposed Tauranga Bridge Marina during the early consenting and construction phase in 1996.

He was appointed Marina Manager and commenced that role in November 1996. He served on the NZMOA Executive from 2004-2020.

Tony is a multi-lingual ‘Jack of all trades’ and is passionate about the practical side of marina and boating operations.

Michael Finucane is a Senior Associate at Buddle Findlay who specialises in commercial law, advising public and private-sector clients on contractual, regulatory and procurement-related matters.  Michael works with a number of marinas around New Zealand and his regular practice includes the drafting of berth licences, hardstand terms and other supporting arrangements, as well as advice on related matters including safety, commercial strategy and issue resolution.     

Calina Tataru is a Senior Associate at Buddle Findlay, where she practises in general litigation with a focus on commercial disputes, insolvency matters as well as trusts and estates litigation. With extensive experience in litigation in private practice, she brings a depth of knowledge, professional integrity, and a genuine commitment to the profession and the wider community. Calina regularly presents at seminars on various legal topics and is passionate about finding pragmatic solutions to complex legal problems.

Pete Renshaw is the Research & Development manager at Pultron Composites. He has been involved in the development and manufacture of GFRP rebar for more than 30 years.

Pete is a member of the various committees including the ACI 440 on composite rebars, ACI 243 on seawater concrete, the Australian Standards committee responsible for FRP rebar standards, ASTM committees, and is currently chair of the American Composite Manufacturers Associations FRP rebar manufacturers council.

Previously the Marina Manager of Westhaven, Kevin now looks after all Auckland Council operated marinas including Westhaven, Auckland Central and Silo. Kevin has a long history in the marine industry including a two-year stint as General Manager of Polaris Marine in Sydney. His wealth of knowledge helps drive major refurbishment works and facility improvements.

Alan Young of CrimeWatch will demonstrate how its AI-powered tripwire uses video analytics to detect people or vehicles crossing into restricted areas. When a breach is identified, an alert is sent to the CrimeWatch control room, allowing operators to assess the situation and respond through measures such as live audio warnings, lights or sirens. The presentation will explore how this proactive approach could help marinas deter theft, trespass, vandalism and other unwanted activity before an incident escalates.

Mark Schmack brings more than 25 years’ experience across the marine and marina industries. He began his career with the Royal New Zealand Navy, completing an Electrical and Electronics apprenticeship and serving as a Ships Diver. After moving into marina construction and management, Mark helped complete Orakei Marina and established the company responsible for its operation and marine services. From 2017, he played a key role in developing Waiheke Marina, including consultation, design, consenting, tendering, construction and transition to operation. Since 2023, Mark has served as Director, Owner and Marina Manager, overseeing its commercial, operational, community and environmental performance.