100 People Behind Bay Business - 2023

LOCAL GOVERNMENT – COUNCIL | PEOPLE
TAURANGA CITY COUNCIL
The team responsible for managing a $6.5 billion business
By any standards, Tauranga City
Council is a significant enterprise.
It holds some $6.5 billion of assets
on behalf of the community and
with total annual revenue approaching
$500 million, the council dwarfs most
businesses in the region.
Managing that business requires
highly-specialised skills and Chief
Executive Marty Grenfell has assembled
an executive team with the capabilities
and experience needed to consistently
deliver quality outcomes for the fastgrowing
city, and the wider sub-region.
“The local government sector is
arguably as important in most people’s
lives as central Government, which is
why it’s critically important that we have
the right leadership, both in governance
and council operations,” Marty says.
“After all, we not only provide vital water
and wastewater services, but maintain
the city’s roading network, build and
maintain community facilities used by
thousands of people every day, develop
and implement strategies to cater for our
growing city’s needs and look after a raft
of regulatory functions which contribute
to a safer and healthier community.”
Marty says Tauranga Moana is
fortunate to have the services of four
Commissioners who understand the
governance role, have the right mix of
professional experience and acumen and
are committed to laying the foundations
for the city of the future. “The long-term
plans they are putting in place have wide
community backing and will provide a
The Tauranga City Council
executive team (from left):
Gareth Wallis, Sarah Omundsen,
Christine Jones, Alistair McNeil,
Nic Johansson, Barbara Dempsey,
Marty Grenfell and Paul Davidson.
solid base for our next elected council
to work from following the July 2024
election.”
Marty’s leadership team consists
of seven General Managers covering
the finance, infrastructure, strategy
& growth, community services,
corporate services, regulatory and city
development portfolios.
Chief Financial Officer Paul Davidson
has held senior management positions in
New Zealand and Australia over the last
30-plus years. Apart from overseeing
the Council’s financial activities, he
works closely with other growth councils
and central Government on alternative
ways to fund the infrastructure which
maintains our lifestyle and addresses
housing supply and affordability issues.
General Manager: Strategy, Growth
and Governance Christine Jones has
worked in senior local government
management roles since 2001 and has
lead responsibility for the integrated
planning of our city’s future and growth
(including funding, land use and
infrastructure). She has been involved
in the SmartGrowth project over many
years.
Originally from Sweden, General
Manager: Infrastructure Nic Johansson
worked on civil engineering projects
across four continents before moving
to New Zealand and taking-on a range
of senior management roles more than
20 years ago. His Infrastructure group
looks after the city’s water supply and
networks, sustainability and waste,
transportation and infrastructure
delivery.
General Manager: City Development
and Partnerships Gareth Wallis has
worked in local government leadership
roles for more than 20 years and is a
Director of Bay Venues Limited and
the AIMS Games. His strong focus on
community relationships is a natural fit
for his new responsibilities in delivering
one of the largest city centre and
community amenity transformational
projects NZ has seen.
Barbara Dempsey, General Manager:
Community Services, is also a vastlyexperienced
local government senior
manager whose role covers libraries,
customer services, contact centre,
community development, the Historic
Village, Baycourt, venues and events,
arts and culture, spaces and places,
property and civil defence emergency
management portfolios.
Corporate Services General
Manager Alastair McNeil has an
international background in insurance
and professional services and brings a
customer-centric focus to his role, with
an emphasis on agility and openness. His
portfolios include community relations,
human resources, digital services and
legal, risk & procurement activities.
Sarah Omundsen joined the Council
last year in the General Manager:
Regulatory and Compliance role.
Her background includes senior
management positions with the
Bay of Plenty Regional Council,
which gave her in-depth knowledge
of Tauranga’s environment. She is
responsible for the Council’s building
services, environmental planning and
environmental regulation activities.
Together, these committed
executives bring a resolute
determination to delivering the Council’s
Long-term Plan commitments and
ensuring Tauranga remains a great place
to live, work, learn and play.
30 | 100 – PEOPLE BEHIND BAY BUSINESS | 2023