Our Mission

To make New Zealand more electric / Whakahiko te ao.

By combining research, communication and demonstration, Rewiring Aotearoa’s work accelerates the country’s equitable transition to a low cost electrified economy.

Our People

Rewiring Aotearoa is a group of New Zealand leaders who work within the climate, energy, policy, data and storytelling space. We believe the cross section of these skills will help us rapidly electrify Aotearoa New Zealand. Want to join? See available roles here.

Our Team

Mike Casey
CEO
Mike is a successful entrepreneur. Since selling his startup in 2019 he has built New Zealand's first zero fossil fuel electric cherry farm. Mike's passion for showing people how we can farm without emissions and save money on operating costs has inspired many, and he aims to continue that progress by leading Rewiring Aotearoa's mission to create a fair and fruitful pathway for all kiwi's to zero emissions.
Josh Ellison
Research & Development
Josh leads research, design and development work at Rewiring Aotearoa and Rewiring Australia. He has multi-disciplinary experience and has co-authored Rewiring Australia’s research papers and models since its establishment. With New Zealand roots he now lives in Queenstown and is the bridge between Rewiring Australia and Rewiring Aotearoa.
Dr Annabel Shaw
Project Lead and Acting COO
Mike Rewi
Community Engagement
Mike (Kai Tahu / Kāti Māmoe / Ngāti Kahungungu) is the CEO of Mana Tāhuna Charitable Trust, a kaupapa Māori organisation committed to positive social, cultural and environmental development for our community. He leads community engagement strategy with a focus on delivering lower cost of living and more energy resilience to communities in need.
Dave Karl
Chief Operating Officer
Dr. David Hall
Policy Advisor
Dr. David Hall has a DPhil in Politics from the University of Oxford and currently is Climate Policy Director at Toha and Adjunct Lecturer at AUT University's School of Social Sciences & Public Policy. He is also Principal Investigator for AUT’s Living Laboratories Programme, member of the Forestry Ministerial Advisory Group, Director of the Environmental Defence Society, and Honorary Fellow of the Hanken Centre for Accounting, Finance and Governance.
Dominic Thorn
Climate Scientist
Dom is a climate scientist who has worked across academia, government and consulting. He has a Master of Climate Science from the University of Melbourne and began his career at the Ministry for the Environment before working as a consultant with PwC. Dom has represented New Zealand on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and has helped a number of organisations understand their climate risks and how to build resilience to climate change.
Ben Fahy
Strategic Communications
Ben Fahy has over 20 years experience as a journalist, editor and publisher and has a particular interest in business and technology - and how they intersect with environmental issues. He is now based in Wānaka and focuses on strategic communications and freelance writing.He was previously editorial director of the current affairs portfolio at Bauer Media, which included New Zealand Listener, North & South, Metro, OurAuckland and Noted.co.nz. Prior to that he was publisher/editorial director of the Tangible Media Business Network, which focused on the start-up, marketing/media/advertising and retail sectors.
Jenny Sahng
Project Lead and Data Generalist
Wallis Greenslade
Policy Advisor
Reuben Brady
Researcher
Nicole Kirkham
Data Analyst
Keryn Oliver
Executive Assistant
Bella Smith
Project Support

Our Board

Rob Hewett
Chair
Rob is an experienced company director who currently chairs Silver Fern Farms, Farmlands, Fern Energy, Hilton Haulage, Pioneer Energy and Woolworks. He also sits on the boards of T&G Global. “As a farmer, I’ve been impressed with the work Rewiring Aotearoa is doing to showcase the benefits of electrification in the rural sector. There’s great potential for farmers to reduce their costs and emissions and also play an important role in New Zealand’s energy system.”
Amanda Malu
Amanda is CEO of Education New Zealand, the ex-CEO of Royal New Zealand Plunket Trust and the ex-deputy CEO, service delivery, at ACC, where she oversaw a team of more than 2,500. She has over 25 years of experience in leading and governing organisations across various sectors, including health, education, non-profit, government, and commercial, and sits on the board of Hilton Haulage. “The energy transition is already underway, but we need to make sure no-one is left behind in that transition and everyone has access to cheap, clean energy. Rewiring Aotearoa’s work aims to ensure that transition happens equitably.”
Nikki Bloomfield
Nikki is an experienced Wellington lawyer who has a deep understanding of New Zealand’s electricity market. She has worked in legal and human resource roles for Meridian, Powershop and Flux Federation and was General Counsel for Flick. More recently she has been engaged in risk and sustainability roles within the energy sector. “New Zealand needs more electricity and advances in technology mean customers with solar and batteries need to be seen as a critical part of our infrastructure. The market was not set up for that, so I’m happy to support Rewiring Aotearoa’s work to create a fairer market and a more resilient energy system.”
Chris Wilson
Chris has more than 15 years of experience in financial markets and is the co-CEO of Harbour Asset Management, which is in the FirstCape group of companies. It manages more than $15bn of assets on behalf of investors. He is a CFA Charterholder and holds a Masters of Applied Finance (Distinction), BA Economics (Hons) and a BCom in Finance. “Rewiring Aotearoa is in a position to identify and set the narrative in respect to New Zealand’s energy transition. Supporting this initiative is a way for me to help ensure this is done in the most effective way for the benefit of all New Zealanders.”

Our Advisors

Dr. Saul Griffith
Chief Scientist
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Dr. Steve Batstone
NZ Energy System Expert
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About Rewiring Aotearoa

Rewiring Aotearoa is an independent non-partisan non-profit. It is a registered charity working on energy, climate, and electrification research, advocacy, and supporting communities through the energy transition. The team consists of New Zealand energy, policy, and community outreach experts who have demonstrated experience both locally and internationally.

We're in it for you. We’re always fighting for the New Zealanders who use the energy system. Our work gives households and businesses the information and inspiration they need to make decisions that will reduce their costs and their carbon emissions.

Our Purpose

By combining research, communication and demonstration, Rewiring Aotearoa will accelerate climate action and transform the energy system to benefit all New Zealanders.

Our Team

Rewiring Aotearoa is a group of New Zealand leaders who work within the climate, energy, policy, data and storytelling space. We believe the cross section of these skills will help us rapidly electrify Aotearoa New Zealand. See available roles here.

Our Funding

Rewiring Aotearoa’s New Zealand-based team is primarily funded by a group of New Zealand-based philanthropists, with a small chunk of funding generated through projects and donations from supporters.

How we are Funded

Rewiring Aotearoa’s New Zealand-based team is primarily funded by a group of New Zealand-based philanthropists, with a small chunk of funding generated through commercial projects and donations from supporters.

Initial funding for an energy hardship project came from Queenstown Lakes District Council, while Oliver Bruce and Australian scientist Dr Saul Griffith (and author of the book “Electrify”) provided seed funding to help get Rewiring Aotearoa off the ground.

Mike Casey came on board as CEO and has helped to secure a significant amount of funding from a range of New Zealand-based philanthropists and trusts including Sir Stephen Tindall, Whakatupu Aotearoa Foundation, Michael Sidey, Urs Hölzle and the Biome Trust.

Rewiring Aotearoa exists to enable community electrification, help New Zealanders save money on energy bills, and independently fight for communities to be treated fairly in the energy system.

We are a non-profit, and our work depends on donations big and small.

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Support us

Your donations help our team keep the momentum of rapidly electrifying Aotearoa New Zealand within our key focus areas of community, government and industry.

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