Julian Cook was appointed a Director of the SkyCity Board in June 2021 after obtaining all necessary regulatory approvals and is currently the Chair of the Board’s People and Culture and Governance and Nominations Committees and a member of each of the Audit and Risk Committee and Sustainability Committee. 

Julian Cook was appointed Chair of the SkyCity Board effective from 1 January 2022 following Rob Campbell’s retirement from the Board.

Julian Cook was Chief Executive Officer of Summerset Group Holdings Limited from 2014 to March 2021 and, prior to becoming Chief Executive Officer, Summerset’s Chief Financial Officer where he oversaw the company’s transition to become a publicly listed company on the New Zealand and Australian stock exchanges.  Prior to joining Summerset in 2010, Mr Cook was an Associate Director at Macquarie Group where he gained significant experience in the energy, industrial services, tourism and aged care sectors over a 12-year career. 

He is currently a director of WEL Networks Limited and Winton Property Limited and holds a Master of Finance from Victoria University and a Master of Science from the University of Waikato.

Chair of the Sustainability Committee, Member of the Governance and Nominations Committee

Appointed a Director of SkyCity in May 2011

Sue Suckling is an independent director and consultant with over 25 years in commercial corporate governance. She is recognised for her leadership in the technology innovation space and her deep governance experience.

Sue is currently the Chair of the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme Commission, Jacobsen Holdings Limited, 5th Element Limited, Eat My Lunch Limited, Rubix Limited, Jade Software Corporation Limited and Taska Prosthetics Limited. Previous governance roles include chairing NIWA, the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and AgriQuality Limited, and as a director of Restaurant Brands Limited, Westpac Investments Limited and the New Zealand Dairy Board. She holds an OBE for her contribution to New Zealand business.

Sue is a Chartered Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Directors and a Companion of the Royal Society of New Zealand.

Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee, Member of the Governance and Nominations Committee

Appointed a Director of SkyCity in December 2016

Jennifer Owen has more than 30 years’ experience in the areas of accountancy, audit, finance, treasury and equities research. She has specific specialist knowledge of the New Zealand and Australian gaming and entertainment sectors through her previous roles as Director of Equities Research at Citigroup Global Markets, with a specialist focus on the Australasian gaming sector, and as Equities Research Analyst at Macquarie Group focusing on the tourism/leisure sector, and a wide network within the gaming industry and a strong understanding of industry and investor issues.

Jennifer is currently a Principal of Owen Gaming Research, an independent research firm specialising in the gaming and wagering markets, and a director of Aspire Child Care (Mascot) Pty Limited.

Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Business from the Queensland Institute of Technology and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Queensland, is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ Diploma course and is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.

Member of the People and Culture Committee,
Member of the Sustainability Committee,
Member of the Governance and Nominations
Committee

Appointed a Director of SkyCity in June 2021.

Silvana Schenone is a corporate partner at
MinterEllisonRuddWatts in Auckland where
she leads the firm’s Corporate division. She has
extensive expertise in mergers and acquisitions,
private equity investments, takeovers, scheme
of arrangements, capital raisings and corporate
governance matters.

In May 2022, Silvana was appointed Managing
Director and Co-Head of Investment Banking
New Zealand at leading investment bank Jarden
and will take up this new role in late 2022.

Silvana is recognised internationally for her
commercial acumen and negotiation skills, and
is a thought leader on corporate governance
issues. Prior to joining MinterEllisonRuddWatts in
2007, Silvana was a corporate lawyer at Sullivan
& Cromwell LLP in New York and prior to that at
Cariola Diez Pérez-Cotapos in Chile.

Committed to championing greater diversity,
Silvana is a founding member of OnBeingBold.
She is also a Board member of the New Zealand
Takeovers Panel and holds a Master of Laws from
Harvard University.

Member of the Audit & Risk Committee, Member of the People and Culture Committee, Member of the Governance and Nominations Committee

Appointed a Director of SkyCity in June 2021

Chad Barton has extensive experience across
finance, capital markets, mergers, acquisitions and
property development. He is currently the Interim
Chief Financial Officer of Nuix Limited, an ASX-listed
global software company, and was the Chief
Financial Officer of ASX-listed companies The Star
Entertainment Group Limited from 2014 to 2019
and Salmat Limited from 2009 to 2014. Prior to this,
he was Chief Financial Officer of the Australia and
New Zealand business of Electronic Data Systems
from 2006 to 2009.

Chad, as founding Chairperson, established Women
in Gaming & Hospitality Australasia to achieve
gender equity and support the development and
success of women in the gaming industry.

Chad is currently a director of NeuRA (Neuroscience
Research Australia) Foundation and a member of
the Australian Institute of Company Directors and
Chartered Accountants ANZ and holds a Bachelor
of Business from the University of Technology
in Sydney.

Michael was appointed Chief Executive Officer in November 2020. He joined SkyCity in December 2017 as Group Chief Operating Officer and was responsible for driving value across SkyCity’s properties in New Zealand and Australia. Michael
also led SkyCity’s online gaming strategy, including overseeing the establishment of SkyCity Online Casino in 2019.

Michael’s extensive global experience in the gaming industry spans over 20 years across multiple sectors, including land-based and online casinos, as well as retail and online sports betting.

Prior to joining SkyCity, Michael held a number of senior commercial, operational and product leadership roles at Paddy Power Betfair, one of the world leaders in sports betting and gaming.

Michael was formerly the Chief Operating Officer for Aristocrat in the Australia and New Zealand regions and has held several senior management positions at The Star Casino in Sydney.

Michael is a qualified accountant and holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Technology, Sydney.

Julie joined SkyCity in May 2021 and is our Chief Financial Officer, responsible for the financial management of SkyCity, including reporting, treasury, risk management and corporate development.

Julie is a highly experienced executive who has worked in senior finance roles with the Shell Group internationally, and previously held positions at Fletcher Challenge Energy, BBC Worldwide Publishing and Deloitte & Touche.

Julie is a University of Waikato graduate and is a Chartered Accountant (Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand). 

Callum was appointed Chief Operating Officer New Zealand in February 2021 and has operating responsibility for SkyCity’s New Zealand businesses, including the day-to-day operations
of SkyCity Auckland.

Callum has significant gaming and hospitality experience having held a number of senior roles at SkyCity since joining in 2009, including as General Manager of SkyCity Darwin, General Manager SkyCity Auckland Hotels, Convention Centre and Sky Tower, and Executive General Manager of Hospitality for SkyCity Auckland.

Prior to joining SkyCity, Callum held numerous senior leadership roles across the hospitality, retail and financial investment sectors.

He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Victoria University
of Wellington, and has completed studies with Cornell University, The London Business School and the University of Nevada.

David Christian has more than 30 years’ experience in hospitality, casino and hotel management in Australia and Asia.  

David has spent the past 20+ years in Executive Management and General Management.

David is responsible for SkyCity’s Adelaide business and overseeing SkyCity Group’s International gaming business.

Since joining SkyCity in 2005, David’s held a number of senior roles. In addition to COO and GM of SkyCity Adelaide, David’s also had appointments as General Manager SkyCity Darwin, Auckland and Hamilton.

Most recently, in early 2021, David was promoted to the role of Chief Operating Officer of SkyCity Australia, following three years as the General Manager of SkyCity Adelaide. In his time at SkyCity Adelaide David’s been responsible for overseeing its $330 million transformation, one of the most significant private investment projects in Adelaide’s CBD in recent memory. 

The transformation consists of a 120-room hotel, Eos by SkyCity, expanded gaming and various new signature bars and restaurants, as well as a major restoration of the heritage building.

Prior to joining SkyCity David spent two decades with The Federal Group, based in a number of their casinos and resorts including venues in Singapore, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, Launceston and Darwin.

David holds a MBA from Deakin University in Victoria as well as a Diploma of Hospitality Management from Drysdale House in Tasmania.

Claire was appointed in August 2016, bringing more than 20 years’ experience in human resource management gained across a number of different sectors, and holds the position of Chief People and Culture Officer.

She is responsible for leading the development and implementation of best practice people and culture strategy across the SkyCity Group and has executive responsibility for
sustainability at SkyCity.

Prior to joining SkyCity in 2016, Claire was Chief People Officer at Sanford Limited where she established the human resources function and led the sustainability and integrated reporting activities for the organisation and, prior to that, Claire led the human resources and employee relations function for the SkyCity Auckland business. Claire has also
held senior human resource roles with Carter Holt Harvey and Downer after several years working in the education sector.

Claire holds a governance role on the advisory board of the Sustainable Business Council in New Zealand. 

Jo joined SkyCity as Senior Legal Counsel in January 2009 and was appointed as General Counsel and Company Secretary in September 2016. She is responsible for SkyCity’s legal, company secretarial, regulatory affairs and anti-money laundering functions and is designated as SkyCity’s Chief Privacy Officer.

Jo has over 20 years’ experience in both private practice and in-house legal roles. Before joining SkyCity in 2009, she held General Counsel and Group Corporate Counsel roles in the New Zealand financial services industry and was a Senior Solicitor at Russell McVeagh, one of the leading law firms in
New Zealand.

Jo was a finalist in the In-House Lawyer of the Year category in the 2019 and 2020 New Zealand Law Awards and was recognised in New Zealand Lawyer’s 2019 and 2020 In-House Leaders lists as one of the leading lawyers across New Zealand.

Jo is a graduate of the 2017 Global Women Breakthrough
Leaders Programme, is a member of New Zealand Asian Leaders and holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts from Victoria University of Wellington 

Matt was appointed Chief Casino Officer in February 2021 and is responsible for managing the casino operations at SkyCity’s largest property in Auckland and providing strategic direction on all gaming products across the SkyCity Group.

Matt has over 25 years’ international experience in the gaming and hospitality sector having held senior executive positions in Australia, New Zealand, Macau and Canada.

His experience includes the management of hotels, casinos, food and beverage and large scale construction projects.

Matt completed hospitality studies at Ryde TAFE, business studies at Southern Cross University, the Executive development program at University of Nevada and programs at the Institute of Directors NZ.

Nirupa joined SkyCity as Chief Corporate Affairs Officer in June 2021 and is responsible for leading SkyCity’s corporate affairs activities, including government, community and industry stakeholder relations and SkyCity’s public policy and advocacy.

Nirupa joined SkyCity from the Office of the Mayor of Auckland, where she was Chief of Staff. Prior to this, she ran Mayor Phil Goff’s successful mayoral campaign in 2016 and worked in Parliament as a Political and Media Advisor. Early in her career, she was a Senior Solicitor specialising in refugee and humanitarian law.

Nirupa holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Health Science from the University of Auckland.

Since joining SkyCity in September 2007, Simon has held a number of roles, including General Manager Adelaide Casino, General Manager Hotels SkyCity Auckland and Acting General Manager SkyCity Auckland.

As General Manager NZICC, Simon oversees the development of SkyCity’s New Zealand International Convention Centre and Horizon Hotel project in Auckland. He is also responsible for health and safety at SkyCity.

With more than 30 years’ experience in large-scale hospitality businesses, Simon brings a wealth of commercial experience and tourism know-how to the SkyCity business.

Glen joined SkyCity in 2016 as Chief Information Officer and is responsible for lifting the digital capability of the organisation to be able to respond to future innovation initiatives and growth strategies.

Prior to joining SkyCity, Glen was General Manager ICT with Meridian Energy where he transformed and modernised their aging technology footprint and digital capability. He has 25 years of technology experience from across several industries globally, having worked in and out of the UK, France, USA, Australia, Malaysia, India, China and the Middle East.

Glen holds a Master of Information Systems from Swinburne University of Technology, Australia, and a Bachelor of Business Studies from Massey University, New Zealand.

Stewart Neish was appointed President of International Business in June 2017 and is responsible for the positioning and development of SkyCity’s international gaming business.

Stewart has operational experience across Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Africa and Latin America and has extensive experience in VIP gaming operations and customer development strategies. Stewart holds a Bachelor of Business and an Advanced Diploma in International Hotel Management.

Michelle has over 24 years’ experience in the casino and hospitality industries in New Zealand, and has held various senior managerial roles within SkyCity predominantly in casino operations, but also in hotel operations and project management positions.

Michelle was appointed General Manager SkyCity Queenstown in May 2008 and relocated to Hamilton in April 2014 to take up the position of General Manager SkyCity Hamilton. Michelle has overseen a number of positive changes to the Hamilton business achieving record results and winning awards, including Michelle being awarded CEO of the Year in the 2017 Waikato Business Awards.

Michelle has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Philosophy from the University of Canterbury. She was a Board member of the Queenstown Chamber of Commerce from 2012 - 2013 and was on the Executive Committee of the Hamilton Central Business Association from 2015 – 2016. Michelle is currently a trustee of the SkyCity Hamilton Community Trust and a board member of Women in Gaming and Hospitality Australasia.

Jonathan Browne joined SkyCity in May 2015 and is responsible for overseeing the operations of SkyCity Queenstown Casino and SkyCity Wharf Casino in Queenstown. Commencing his career in tourism, Jono travelled widely before returning to New Zealand and a role with Lion Nathan in Wellington. Jonathan progressed to Area Manager with Lion Nathan before joining the gaming industry in 2008.

Jono has since held roles as National Accounts Manager for International Gaming Technology (NZ) and more recently General Manager for United Gaming while balancing his role as director for a hospitality venue company. He holds qualifications in Marketing and Tourism, a post graduate certificate in Management and an MBA from Victoria University.