Management Team
Chris Ellis
Brightwater Group Chief Executive Officer
Chris joined Brightwater in August 2011 having spent 22 years in senior management positions at Fletcher Building Limited. His most recent position was as Chief Executive of Fletcher Building Products Division. This position involved the leadership of a portfolio of eight businesses across Australasia. Prior to this role he was the General Manager of Winstone Aggregates.
Chris is currently the Chairman of the New Zealand Business Leaders Health and Safety Forum and a member of the Construction Strategy Group advising the New Zealand Government Minister for Building and Construction.
John Smith
Brightwater Group Chief Financial Officer
John joined Brightwater Group in February 2010. Prior to that he had spent 18 years with the Sealord Group, a large multi-national seafood organization, in a variety of senior financial roles most recently as Group Controller and a member of the Group’s Senior Executive Management team.
John has significant experience in all aspects of financial management. Group consolidation, taxation, treasury, acquisitions and corporate governance in New Zealand and internationally.
John is also the company secretary and is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants.
David McGregor
Group Business Development Manager
David has extensive experience in Business Development and Management, having previously been the Australasian General Manager for RCR Energy Systems. David’s strengths are in his professional approaches to business, the customer and associated processes. David has broad experience in the energy sector as well as a strong grasp of Brightwater’s other core business areas.
Rick Herd
Brightwater Engineering Chief Executive Officer
Rick joined Brightwater in April 2005 and has over 25 years of heavy engineering and construction contracting experience in the industrial, civil, commercial and marine engineering environments with the last 15 years focusing in executive management.
Rick is a member of the Industry Advisory Group for the Industry Capability Network of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise.
Rick’s key areas of expertise are with project and contract management in a broad range of project types including civil and infrastructure projects to large and complex industrial mechanical process installations in a variety of market sectors. These include renewable and sustainable energy generation, processing of primary products such as timber and minerals, manufacture of construction materials and food processing.
Peter Reiber
Brightwater Engineering General Manager, Auckland Operations
Peter joined Brightwater in February 2010 and brings with him a broad range of experience including the management and co-ordination of constructing and project managing large manufacturing green field operations, executive management of technology based manufacturing companies and the development of international markets for NZ engineered equipment.
During over 25 years of experience working within a number of technology based industries, Peter has gained a detailed knowledge of equipment and product design, manufacturing, processing and project management along with a strong understanding of both electrical and mechanical technologies.
Mathew Fletcher
Brightwater Engineering General Manager, Western Australia Operations
Mathew has more than 20 years international experience throughout a variety of sectors including wood processing, power generation and biomass energy. Prior to joining Brightwater in 2004 he has held numerous project and senior management roles for companies such as GE Energy and Stewart & Stevenson Operations Inc.
Mitchell Easton
Brightwater Services General Manager
Mitchell’s previous experience in the industrial engineering sector includes a proven track record in sales, marketing, business development and service. These strengths complement closely the desire for the Brightwater Group to remain at the forefront, providing its customers with integrated service and maintenance solutions.
David Richardson
Brightwater Manufacturing General Manager
David Joined Brightwater in June 2011 having recently returned to New Zealand following 11 years in Asia where he held executive and general management roles across a group of companies executing projects, maintenance, manufacturing and fabrication activities for heavy industry throughout Asia.
Prior to his time in Asia, David had been responsible for projects, workshops, shutdowns and general day to day operations for one of the key in-house contractors at the New Zealand Refining Company. David’s trade background coupled with many years of senior management experience makes him a relevant fit for the Brightwater Team.
