Meet the Board
Paul Goodeve
Paul has been CEO at the Firstgas Group since 2016 and is responsible for ensuring they deliver on their safety, customer, financial and operational commitments. With a strong focus on the communities they serve, Paul is resolute on delivering returns to their shareholders and ensuring that they deliver secure, affordable and sustainable energy to customers.
Elena Trout
Elena brings to the Board extensive experience as a company director and professional civil engineer who has held a number of leadership positions in the transport, infrastructure and energy sectors over the past 30 years. Elena’s career has seen her work and live in Taranaki for a number of years. Her wealth of knowledge and understanding of the region and energy sector is invaluable to Ara Ake, as is her drive to support the continued growth and prosperity of both the Taranaki region and New Zealand energy sector.
Brian Ropitini
Former Manufacturing Director for Methanex New Zealand, Brian brings 34 years of petrochemical and energy experience and insights to the board, along with extensive leadership and project delivery capability. Brian also has international experience gained from living in Canada where he managed Methanex Canada’s newly restarted Methanol Plant in Medicine Hat as well as multiples short term assignments in Trinidad and Chile.
Ken Sutherland
Ken Sutherland has extensive experience and leadership within the utility, infrastructure and electricity sector in New Zealand, having been at the helm of Unison Group for the past 21 years. Previous to this, Ken held positions with Transpower and Ports of Wellington. In addition to his position at Unison Group, Ken has also been on the board of the Electricity Networks Association for 20 years, 12 years as Chair. He stepped down as Chair in October 2022.
Melissa Clark-Reynolds
Melissa Clark-Reynolds is a street-smart futurist and tech entrepreneur who helps leaders cut through noise, tackle change head-on, and build clear pathways to tomorrow. Trained by the Institute for the Future and appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the technology industry, she’s worked with everyone from Spark and IAG to NASA and Australian Pork, tackling everything from company strategy to digital disruption. Melissa brings principled insight and practical tools that help teams turn uncertainty into direction.
