Conference Day Speakers
Gary Holden
Managing Director, Lodestone Energy
Bio
Gary Holden has been an generation, distribution and retail energy executive in NZ and Canada for over 30 years. He has the distinction of leading a team who developed the first major independent power plants in NZ in the mid-1990s. He was the CEO of TransAlta NZ before heading up TransAlta Canada’s coal, gas and hydro fleet. He went on to become CEO of Enmax Corporation and Pulse Energy. He has developed generation assets in NZ, Australia, USA and Canada utilising gas, wind, coal and solar. He is a founder of Lodestone Energy who are currently constructing five solar farms in NZ and is pioneering new ways for consumers to purchase solar power.
Hon Megan Woods
Minister of Energy
Bio
Megan is the Minister of Housing, Minister for Infrastructure, Minister of Energy and Resources, Minister for Building and Construction, as well as the Associate Minister of Finance.
Since being sworn in as a Minister of the Crown following the 2017 election, Megan has also held the ministerial portfolios for Greater Christchurch Regeneration, and Research, Science and Innovation.
Prior to becoming a Member of Parliament, Megan worked as a Business Manager at Plant & Food Research. She holds a PhD in New Zealand history from the University of Canterbury.
Brendan Winitana
SEANZ Chair & CE
Bio
Brendan is an independent director and chair of SEANZ. With a background in governance, senior management and strategic planning, Brendan has held CEO and director roles in imaging solutions, IT and content management businesses as well as his own consulting practice specialising in industry and sector transformation and change and resulting new business models. His passion lies with SEANZ and the outcomes it seeks based on the expected exponential industry development to help drive the low carbon economy.
