Steve Armstrong - Chair
BCA, MBA, CA
Steve’s executive career spans 30 years of financial management.
Sector experience includes oil and gas, electricity, financial services, agriculture, property and encompasses listed, state owned, private and co-operative ownership models.
Steve works as a management consultant and independent director.
Steve was appointed as a Director of Electra in August 2019, Chair of the Investment Committee in 2020, Chair of the Risk and Audit Committee in February 2023 and Board Chair in August 2023.
Scott Houston - Director
Scott was the founder and CEO of GreenButton, an award winning global cloud computing software company. GreenButton was acquired by Microsoft in May 2014 and Scott now works with other Hi-Tech companies that are expanding offshore. During his time at GreenButton the company won many accolades including NZ Emerging Hi Tech company of the year, Fastest Growing Tech company in the Deloitte Fast 500 and a number of Innovation awards. Scott was also a finalist in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards in 2012 and named an “Innovation Hero” by the New Zealand Innovation Council in 2015.
Previous to his time at GreenButton, Scott was the NZ Regional Manager for Silicon Graphics, Chief Technical Officer at Weta Digital for the “Lord of the Rings” movies and Founder of the New Zealand Supercomputing Center.
Scott now sits of the boards of a number of technology companies, he is also writing his first novel on artificial intelligence and he is a New Zealand Trade and Enterprise beachheads advisor.
Scott was appointed as a Director of Electra in August 2019
james carmichael - Director
BE, FENZ, CMInstD
James Carmichael has over 45 years’ experience in the development of large infrastructural projects. Initially his involvement was as a professional engineering consultant, until late 1993 when he joined PowerGen plc in the role of Business Development Director South East Asia.
From 1995 until 2001, Mr. Carmichael was PowerGen International’s Regional Director Asia- Pacific with responsibility for the successful delivery of the company strategy, including green-field developments, acquisitions, project implementation, asset management, operations & maintenance, and bottom-line profit & loss of the company’s power generating assets in the Region. In addition, he held several Director’s and Chairman’s positions in PowerGen’s various international investment and operating companies.
After PowerGen’s divestment and exit from the Asia-Pacific Region in 2002, Mr. Carmichael, from his Auckland base, has been providing independent strategic advisory and consulting services to companies seeking to expand their business internationally. He has over 25 years of business experience in Asia, predominantly based from Malaysia.
Since 2005 he has held several governance roles including directorships on the boards of listed entities including, Ranhill Power Bhd (Malaysia) and Vector Ltd (New Zealand).
James Carmichael has a Bachelor of Engineering Degree from Canterbury University, is a Fellow of the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand, FIPENZ, (now referred as FENZ), and a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors New Zealand (CMInstD). He is an alumnus of the Columbia University School of Business.
James was appointed as a Director of Electra in April 2023
karen sherry - Director
QSM, BA, MA (Hons), LLB (Hons), C.FInstD
Karen is a director and shareholder of the legal firm Donnell Sherry Ltd where she specialises in commercial and trust law.
Karen has had 28 years’ experience in governance in the Electricity Industry as a Director of Mercury Energy Ltd (1994-1999). Karen was first elected to Entrust (formerly Auckland Energy Consumer Trust) in 1994 and was the longest serving trustee and a former chair of the trust when she stepped down in 2021. She was one of two trustees appointed to the Vector Board to represent Entrust’s interest from 2006 to September 2019. During her time with Entrust and Vector Karen was a strong advocate for Entrust’s consumer beneficiaries. Karen was also the chair of Energy Trusts of New Zealand Inc from 2009 to 2022. Karen is currently a director of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority.
Karen is a former director of the Auckland SPCA. Karen is also a chartered fellow of the Institute of Directors in New Zealand and in 2014 she was awarded the Queens Service Medal for her services to the Electricity Industry.
Karen was appointed as a Director of Electra in April 2023
Lucy Elwood - Director
LLB Hons, BSc, CMInstD
Lucy currently serves on a number of Boards, including Unison Networks, Te Toi Mahana and Wellington Regional Council Holdings Limited.
Lucy brings to the board over 20 years’ of experience working across diverse industries, including community services, technology, and infrastructure. She has previously held senior roles (such as Chief Executive and General Counsel roles) for listed companies, not-for-profits, law firms and the public sector. Lucy has extensive stakeholder engagement, change management and regulatory experience.
Like many other Electra consumers, Lucy splits her time between Wellington and the Kāpiti Coast.
Lucy was appointed as a Director of Electra in March 2024
Murray Bain - Director
Murray began his working career in the Canterbury Savings Bank, initially leading its computerisation and later the finance and then the banking function for Trust Bank NZ.
Subsequently he has held senior management roles across a number of organisations including Assistant Governor in the Reserve Bank, Head of operations for ACC, and CEO of the Foundation for Research Science and Technology and subsequently the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology.
In recent years Murray has served on the boards of organisations across a range of sectors including health, banking, tertiary education, retirement villages and electricity lines companies. He is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors.
Murray is delighted to join the Board of Electra as he enjoys working with organisations that provide a public service while also facing the business opportunities and challenges that technology and issues like climate change bring to an organisation
Murray was appointed as a Director in March 2024.
roger sutton - Director
Roger has over 35 years in the wider energy industry. His early career was spent in the generation sector where he served on many the working groups that designed the Wholesale Electricity Market.
He has extensive experience in the network sector as CEO of Orion and more recently at EA Networks. He has also served as a Director in businesses ranging from local start ups to Listed Australian based companies.
He has broad Government experience, both as Director and Chair of EECA and after the Canterbury Earthquakes he lead the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority.
Roger has a BE, Mechanical from Canterbury and is a Graduate of the INSEAD Advanced Management Programme.
Roger was appointed as a Director in March 2024.
