Chair and Chief Executive Forum

Events 22 April 2026

Date: 22 April

Where: 

Time Title Speaker(s)
7.30am Registration and breakfast Event MC
Tracey Kai
8.15am Welcome from ENA Board Chair Nigel Barbour
8.30am Political cross-party panel MC Nigel Barbour

Hon Simon Watts
Minister for Energy

Hon Megan Woods
Labour Party

Hon Shane Jones
New Zealand First

Scott Willis
Greens Party

Simon Court
ACT Party

Quilae Wong
The Opportunity Party

Debbie Ngawera-Packer – TBC
9.30am Political commentator / journalist – election year insights Pattrick Smellie
Hugo Group
10.15am Morning tea  
10.45am Reflections from the political panel ENA member discussion
11.30am So what? ENA 3-year strategic plan Tracey Kai
12.00pm Lunch  
12.45pm Government energy agency panel MC Mark Toner
Vector

Sarah Gillies
Electricity Authority

Justine Cannon
MBIE

Marcos Pelenur
EECA

Nathan Strong
Commerce Commission- TBC
1.45pm Learnings from water: fireside chat Gillian Blythe
Water NZ

Garth Dibley
WEL Networks
2.30pm Economic outlook and geopolitical impacts for 2026 and implications for EDBs TBC
3.00pm Reflections, summary and close Tracey Kai
(10 mins)