Chief executives for Water Services Entities confirmed

January 2023

The appointment of the Water Services Entity establishment chief executives is a significant milestone in enabling changes in water services delivery for the health and wellbeing of future generations.

The new chief executives have joined the National Transition Unit enabling the team to leverage their extensive skills and experience to help deliver a seamless transition.

The establishment chief executives are:

Jon Lamonte - Entity A

Jon will lead Water Services Entity A when it begins operating on 1 July 2024.

Jon was previously the Chief Executive of Watercare from April 2021, leading water service delivery for 1.7 million New Zealanders. He has significant experience in leading change and transformation for complex organisations across the private and public sector.

Prior to joining Watercare, Jon held Chief Executive roles in the transport sector in Australia and the United Kingdom, where he has overseen significant development and investment in infrastructure projects, working collaboratively with a wide variety of stakeholders to deliver key projects. Jon began his career in the Royal Air Force in the UK and became a senior officer before leaving to work in the transport sector.

Vaughan Payne - Entity B

Vaughan will lead Water Services Entity B when it begins operating on 1 July 2024.

Vaughan brings extensive local government experience having served seven years as Chief Executive of the Waikato Regional Council, and a further five years as Chief Executive at Ōpōtiki District Council.

With expertise in organisational strategy, system transformation and organisational change, iwi partnerships and relationships, local government and infrastructure management, Vaughan is from Whakatōhea and Ngāi Tai Iwi.

Vaughan joins the National Transition Unit from Te Pūkenga, where he was the Deputy Chief Executive of Operations. Until recently Vaughan also sat on the steering group for He Waka Eke Noa Climate Partnership.

Colin Crampton - Entity C

Colin will lead Water Services Entity C when it begins operating on 1 July 2024.

Colin brings over 30 years’ experience in the infrastructure sector and has been Chief Executive of Wellington Water which delivers water services to the metropolitan area of Wellington and South Wairarapa.

Previously, Colin was the Group Manager, Highways and Network Operations, at the New Zealand Transport Agency where he was responsible for leading the operations and management of the state highway network.  During this time, he was responsible for overseeing significant change processes within the infrastructure sector in the Wellington region and brings extensive local knowledge to this role. 

Colin is also a Director of Port Marlborough and Deputy Chair of Wellington Lifeline.

Michael Brewster - Entity D

Michael has been appointed on a 12-month fixed-term basis to support the transition for Water Services Entity D, in the lead-up to establishment.

Michael was previously the Chief Executive Officer of TasWater, the state-wide water and wastewater provider in Tasmania, Australia.

He brings extensive expertise in water industry reform strategy and implementation, having become the inaugural CEO of TasWater from 2013-22. Prior to this he held executive level roles in the electricity and engineering consulting industries.

He is a Fellow of the Institute of Engineers Australia, a past President of the Tasmanian Division of the Engineers Australia and a former Tasmanian Planning Commissioner.