Meet our Board of Directors and Executive Leadership Team

Board of Directors

• Catherine Drayton (Chair)

  Appointed 2009

  Catherine Drayton has extensive overseas management experience, most recently as a senior partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, leading the Advisory & Assurance practice for Central and Eastern Europe. Her specialist area is mergers and acquisitions. Returning to Christchurch, Catherine has focused on governance. Her current roles include directorships for Southern Cross Hospitals Limited, Southern Cross Medical Care Society, and Genesis Energy Limited, as well as being a member of both the Guardians of New Zealand Superfund and the University of Canterbury Council. Past directorships include Beca Group Limited, Fronde Systems Group, Ngāi Tahu Holdings Corporation Limited and PowerbyProxi Limited. She has been on the Christchurch Airport Board since 2009 and is passionate about the airport company’s commitment to innovation, sustainability and the contribution of the airport to the regional economy.

  Catherine is an ex officio member of the other board committees.

• Chris Paulsen

  Appointed 2010

  Chris Paulsen is the Executive Chairman and founder of the House of Travel Group.  Having worked in travel since he left school, Chris has a lifelong passion for the travel and tourism industries. In 2006 he was a category winner for the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year award.

  Chris is Chair of the Aeronautical Committee and a member of the People, Culture and Safety Committee.

• Kate Morrison

  Appointed 19 October 2017

  Prior to moving to New Zealand in 2014, Kate spent 20 years working in investment banking in the UK, with firms such as Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs and, most recently, Deutsche Bank, where she held a variety of senior client coverage and management roles. She has extensive experience of developing solutions for clients, particularly in the areas of financial risk management, structured financing and investments. She now co-runs a Christchurch-based consulting business, advising SMEs on succession planning, strategy and governance, as well as undertaking a number of non-executive directorships.

  Kate is Chair of the Risk, Audit and Finance Committee and a member of the Aeronautical Committee.

• Paul Reid

  Appointed 1 May 2018

  Paul joined the Board in May 2018 and brings extensive commercial experience gained across a diverse range of businesses. Paul is currently Chair of Figured, Virsae Group, Totara Learning Solutions and ASX-listed Volpara Health Technology; Director for Equanut Limited. Past directorships include NZX listed Comvita and Pukeko Pictures GP.

  He has held a number of key executive roles in the transformation of businesses including Air New Zealand, MetService and Carter Holt Harvey. Paul is based in Wellington, New Zealand.

  Paul chairs the Property and Commercial Committee and is a member of the People, Culture and Safety Committee.

• Sarah Ottrey

  Appointed 1 March 2019

  Sarah has held senior marketing roles in New Zealand and off-shore with Unilever and DB Breweries/Heineken. Sarah is a Chartered Fellow of the NZ Institute of Directors and a committee member of the Otago Southland Institute of Directors. She is currently chair of Whitestone Cheese, and a director of EBOS Group, Skyline Enterprises, Mt Cook Alpine Salmon and Sarah Ottrey Marketing Ltd. 

  Sarah chairs the People, Culture and Safety Committee and is a member of the Property and Commercial Committee and Aeronautical Committee.

• Andrew Barlass

  Appointed September 2021

  Andrew Barlass is a senior finance industry professional with experience in both corporate finance and infrastructure funds management, most recently as Head of Asset Management for Deutsche Asset Management Australia. His local and international experience spans a range of industries, including regulated utilities, infrastructure, airports, ports, forestry and agribusiness sectors. 

  Andrew is based in Mid Canterbury, is currently a Director of EA Networks and Ashburton Contracting, and is custodian of an intergenerational family farming business. Past governance experience includes roles at Asia Pacific Airports Corporation, Port of Geelong, and Allgas Energy. 

  Andrew is a member of the airport’s Risk Audit and Finance Committee, and the Property and Commercial Committee.