Introducing the board
Marlborough Waters board
Warren McNabb, Board Chair
Warren brings more than 20 years' governance experience across infrastructure and utilities, alongside deep commercial, financial and investment expertise. He currently chairs Port Marlborough and has held numerous governance leadership roles, including Chair of Alpine Energy and the Independent Electricity Generators Association. With strong regional connections and an understanding of local expectations, he is well placed to lead the board in balancing commercial discipline with community and environmental outcomes.
Kevin Lavery
Kevin Lavery brings extensive experience leading major public organisations and complex infrastructure programmes. He has held Chief Executive roles at Wellington City Council, Cornwall Council and a large UK health system, and has direct Local Water Done Well establishment experience through his roles as Chair of IAWAI and Establishment Chief Executive of the Tauranga and Western Bay waters CCO. His background in local government, strategic leadership and water reform will support Marlborough Waters as it prepares to take responsibility for the region’s three waters services.
Pat Dougherty
Patrick Dougherty brings more than 40 years of engineering, water service delivery and local government leadership experience, with extensive expertise in water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure. He has held senior executive roles including Chief Executive of Wellington Water, Nelson City Council and Kapiti Coast District Council, and recently served on the New Zealand Transport Agency Board. He brings significant governance experience alongside his deep technical and strategic knowledge of the water sector.
Rōpata Taylor
Rōpata Taylor is a highly experienced director with more than 25 years’ governance and executive leadership experience across iwi organisations, council-controlled organisations and commercial enterprises. He currently serves as Chair of Whakarewa Trust, as a board member of the NZ Charter Schools Authority and Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rārua, and is a trustee of Te Here-ā-Nuku Trust. Rōpata brings significant expertise in strategic governance, environmental management, and water infrastructure, together with strong connections across Te Tauihu iwi and the Marlborough community.
Murray Strong
Murray Strong is an experienced professional director and independent chair who has served on 24 boards and chaired 19 organisations across infrastructure, utilities, government, technology and major capital projects. He currently chairs Selwyn Water Limited, New Zealand’s first water services council-controlled organisation established under the Local Water Done Well reforms, bringing direct experience in the establishment and governance of a modern water utility. Murray has extensive expertise in infrastructure governance, organisational design and large-scale capital investment.
