50 Executive Directors at Major AU/NZ Employers

Last updated: August 2026

As of August 2026, this directory brings together the 50 people currently serving as chief executive, managing director or executive director at major employers spanning Australia and New Zealand. These are the individuals accountable, right now, for how some of the two countries' largest banks, retailers, miners, energy companies, telcos, airlines, healthcare businesses and infrastructure operators are actually run.

This list helps job seekers, suppliers, journalists, policy staff and business readers understand who currently holds the top operating role at a major employer, drawn directly from each organisation's own current leadership page, board register or recent official announcement rather than a second-hand summary that may already be out of date.

The scope here is broad and deliberately so: any organisation large enough to be considered a major employer across Australia or New Zealand, in any sector, with a confirmed current chief executive, managing director or executive director. The 50 people below are grouped into eight sectors, from banking and insurance through to mining, energy, technology, transport, healthcare and media, so readers can navigate quickly to the part of the economy they care about. Names appear in that grouped order for easy reference, not by any measure of seniority or company size.

Roles change often at this level. Several of the people on this list moved into their current position within the past twelve months, while others have led the same organisation for close to a decade. Each entry links directly to the organisation's own current leadership or news page, so readers can verify the detail that matters most to them before relying on it for something important.

Why executive leadership matters at major AU/NZ employers

A handful of people at the top of Australia and New Zealand's largest employers make decisions that reach far beyond their own boardrooms. When a major bank, retailer, energy company or airline changes direction, that decision touches customers, suppliers, employees and, in many cases, entire regional economies.

The people on this list carry that accountability directly. A retailer's chief executive decides how thousands of stores respond to cost pressure. A bank's managing director sets lending settings that affect small business owners and home buyers alike. An energy company's chief executive decides how fast a coal asset closes and how quickly renewable generation replaces it, a decision with consequences for household power bills for years afterward. A hospital operator, an airline or a telecommunications provider carries similar weight over services that millions of people rely on every day.

Understanding who currently holds these roles also matters because the list changes constantly. Several of the executives profiled here moved into their current position during 2025 or 2026, following retirements, internal promotions or, in a small number of cases, sudden departures. A title once accurate in an old news article can quietly become wrong within months. This directory reflects the current position at each organisation as confirmed on its own leadership page, giving readers a genuinely current starting point rather than a stale one. Checking the linked source before relying on any single detail remains good practice, given how quickly senior roles can change.

Banking and Financial Services

1. Matt Comyn

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Commonwealth Bank of Australia

Matt Comyn is Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director at Commonwealth Bank of Australia, based in Sydney, NSW, Australia. As the person accountable for Commonwealth Bank of Australia's current direction, Matt sits squarely inside this list's scope of major employers across Australia and New Zealand.

In 2026 the CommBank board confirmed it wants Comyn to continue leading the bank through to 2028, extending a tenure that began in April 2018. It gives a concrete sense of the experience Matt brings to the role right now, beyond the title alone. Read the organisation's current page.

2. Anthony Miller

Chief Executive Officer, Westpac Group

Anthony Miller serves as Chief Executive Officer of Westpac Group, working out of Sydney, NSW, Australia. That role puts Anthony in direct charge of one of the larger employers operating across the region, with accountability that reaches well beyond a single division.

Miller moved into the top job in December 2024 after three years running Westpac's institutional bank, and before that led the bank's business and wealth division. That is a genuinely distinctive part of the current mandate Anthony holds, and a useful reference point for readers following the organisation. Read the organisation's current page.

3. Andrew Irvine

Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, National Australia Bank

From Melbourne, VIC, Australia, Andrew Irvine holds the role of Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director at National Australia Bank. National Australia Bank employs a significant workforce across the region, which is why Andrew fits this list of current executive directors, managing directors and chief executives.

Irvine became NAB's group CEO in April 2024 after more than 15 years in business banking, including senior roles at the Bank of Montreal in Canada. That detail is a useful marker of the responsibility currently sitting with Andrew, and of the experience behind the current mandate. Read the organisation's current page.

4. Nuno Matos

Group Chief Executive Officer, ANZ

Nuno Matos leads ANZ as Group Chief Executive Officer, based in Melbourne, VIC, Australia. ANZ is one of the major employers this list covers, and Nuno carries the day-to-day accountability for how it is currently run across its markets.

Matos was appointed as the Australian Banking Association's council chair in 2026, on top of leading ANZ's transformation strategy as group CEO since May 2025. For readers tracking who actually runs major employers across the region, that background is directly relevant to understanding the current leadership picture. Read the organisation's current page.

5. Shemara Wikramanayake

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Macquarie Group

Based in Sydney, NSW, Australia, Shemara Wikramanayake is Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at Macquarie Group. As the person accountable for Macquarie Group's current direction, Shemara sits squarely inside this list's scope of major employers across Australia and New Zealand.

Wikramanayake is the Australian Government's Business Champion for the Philippines and sits on the World Bank Private Sector Investment Lab, alongside leading Macquarie since late 2018. It gives a concrete sense of the experience Shemara brings to the role right now, beyond the title alone. Read the organisation's current page.

6. Richard Fennell

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank

Richard Fennell is Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director at Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, based in Bendigo, VIC, Australia. That role puts Richard in direct charge of one of the larger employers operating across the region, with accountability that reaches well beyond a single division.

Fennell became CEO in August 2024 after nearly two decades at the bank, having previously led its consumer banking division and served as chief financial officer. That is a genuinely distinctive part of the current mandate Richard holds, and a useful reference point for readers following the organisation. Read the organisation's current page.

7. Chris Bayliss

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Judo Bank

Chris Bayliss serves as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Judo Bank, working out of Melbourne, VIC, Australia. Judo Bank employs a significant workforce across the region, which is why Chris fits this list of current executive directors, managing directors and chief executives.

A co-founder of Judo Bank, Bayliss brings 40 years of international retail and business banking experience across the Asia Pacific, UK and Europe to the CEO role he took on in March 2024. That detail is a useful marker of the responsibility currently sitting with Chris, and of the experience behind the current mandate. Read the organisation's current page.

8. Vittoria Shortt

Chief Executive, ASB Bank

From Auckland, New Zealand, Vittoria Shortt holds the role of Chief Executive at ASB Bank. ASB Bank is one of the major employers this list covers, and Vittoria carries the day-to-day accountability for how it is currently run across its markets.

Shortt moved from the Commonwealth Bank of Australia to lead ASB in 2018, bringing two decades of banking experience across strategy, retail banking and mergers and acquisitions. For readers tracking who actually runs major employers across the region, that background is directly relevant to understanding the current leadership picture. Read the organisation's current page.

9. Dan Huggins

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Bank of New Zealand

Dan Huggins leads Bank of New Zealand as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, based in Wellington, New Zealand. As the person accountable for Bank of New Zealand's current direction, Dan sits squarely inside this list's scope of major employers across Australia and New Zealand.

Huggins has close to 20 years in banking, corporate and financial services, including roles at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, McKinsey and Fonterra before taking the BNZ CEO role in 2021. It gives a concrete sense of the experience Dan brings to the role right now, beyond the title alone. Read the organisation's current page.

Insurance and Wealth

10. Andrew Horton

Group Chief Executive Officer, QBE Insurance Group

Based in Sydney, NSW, Australia, Andrew Horton is Group Chief Executive Officer at QBE Insurance Group. That role puts Andrew in direct charge of one of the larger employers operating across the region, with accountability that reaches well beyond a single division.

Horton joined QBE as group CEO in September 2021 after leading Beazley Group, bringing more than 30 years of insurance and banking experience across international markets. That is a genuinely distinctive part of the current mandate Andrew holds, and a useful reference point for readers following the organisation. Read the organisation's current page.

11. Nick Hawkins

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Insurance Australia Group

Nick Hawkins is Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at Insurance Australia Group, based in Sydney, NSW, Australia. Insurance Australia Group employs a significant workforce across the region, which is why Nick fits this list of current executive directors, managing directors and chief executives.

Hawkins presented IAG's refreshed Ambition 2030 strategy at the company's 2026 investor day, continuing a tenure as CEO that began in November 2020. That detail is a useful marker of the responsibility currently sitting with Nick, and of the experience behind the current mandate. Read the organisation's current page.

12. David Koczkar

Chief Executive Officer, Medibank

David Koczkar serves as Chief Executive Officer of Medibank, working out of Melbourne, VIC, Australia. Medibank is one of the major employers this list covers, and David carries the day-to-day accountability for how it is currently run across its markets.

Before becoming CEO in 2021, Koczkar spent five years as Medibank's chief customer officer and earlier served as group chief commercial officer at Jetstar. For readers tracking who actually runs major employers across the region, that background is directly relevant to understanding the current leadership picture. Read the organisation's current page.

13. Blair Vernon

Group Chief Executive Officer, AMP Limited

From Sydney, NSW, Australia, Blair Vernon holds the role of Group Chief Executive Officer at AMP Limited. As the person accountable for AMP Limited's current direction, Blair sits squarely inside this list's scope of major employers across Australia and New Zealand.

Vernon moved from AMP's chief financial officer role into the group CEO chair in 2026, bringing prior financial services leadership experience from across Australia and New Zealand. It gives a concrete sense of the experience Blair brings to the role right now, beyond the title alone. Read the organisation's current page.

14. Ed Close

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, nib Group

Ed Close leads nib Group as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, based in Newcastle, NSW, Australia. That role puts Ed in direct charge of one of the larger employers operating across the region, with accountability that reaches well beyond a single division.

Close took the top job at nib in December 2024, taking responsibility for the health insurer's overall strategy, operations and competitive position. That is a genuinely distinctive part of the current mandate Ed holds, and a useful reference point for readers following the organisation. Read the organisation's current page.

Retail and Consumer Brands

15. Amanda Bardwell

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Woolworths Group

Based in Sydney, NSW, Australia, Amanda Bardwell is Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director at Woolworths Group. Woolworths Group employs a significant workforce across the region, which is why Amanda fits this list of current executive directors, managing directors and chief executives.

Bardwell is the first woman to lead Woolworths Group in its 100-year history, having previously run the group's WooliesX digital, loyalty and eCommerce business. That detail is a useful marker of the responsibility currently sitting with Amanda, and of the experience behind the current mandate. Read the organisation's current page.

16. Leah Weckert

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Coles Group

Leah Weckert is Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director at Coles Group, based in Melbourne, VIC, Australia. Coles Group is one of the major employers this list covers, and Leah carries the day-to-day accountability for how it is currently run across its markets.

Weckert has been with Coles since 2011, moving through roles including chief financial officer and chief executive of commercial and Coles Express before becoming CEO in 2023. For readers tracking who actually runs major employers across the region, that background is directly relevant to understanding the current leadership picture. Read the organisation's current page.

17. Rob Scott

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Wesfarmers

Rob Scott serves as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Wesfarmers, working out of Perth, WA, Australia. As the person accountable for Wesfarmers's current direction, Rob sits squarely inside this list's scope of major employers across Australia and New Zealand.

Scott has led Wesfarmers, the parent of Bunnings, Kmart and Officeworks, since November 2017, overseeing one of Australia's largest diversified retail and industrial groups. It gives a concrete sense of the experience Rob brings to the role right now, beyond the title alone. Read the organisation's current page.

18. Nick Wells

Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, JB Hi-Fi

From Melbourne, VIC, Australia, Nick Wells holds the role of Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director at JB Hi-Fi. That role puts Nick in direct charge of one of the larger employers operating across the region, with accountability that reaches well beyond a single division.

Wells stepped up to CEO in October 2025 after ten years at JB Hi-Fi, including a decade as group chief financial officer before becoming chief operating officer. That is a genuinely distinctive part of the current mandate Nick holds, and a useful reference point for readers following the organisation. Read the organisation's current page.

19. Jayne Hrdlicka

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Endeavour Group

Jayne Hrdlicka leads Endeavour Group as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, based in Melbourne, VIC, Australia. Endeavour Group employs a significant workforce across the region, which is why Jayne fits this list of current executive directors, managing directors and chief executives.

Hrdlicka took the helm at Endeavour Group, the operator of BWS and Dan Murphy's, in January 2026 after previously leading Virgin Australia, the a2 Milk Company and Jetstar Group. That detail is a useful marker of the responsibility currently sitting with Jayne, and of the experience behind the current mandate. Read the organisation's current page.

20. Douglas Jones

Group Chief Executive Officer, Metcash

Based in Sydney, NSW, Australia, Douglas Jones is Group Chief Executive Officer at Metcash. Metcash is one of the major employers this list covers, and Douglas carries the day-to-day accountability for how it is currently run across its markets.

Jones has guided Metcash, the wholesale distributor behind IGA, Mitre 10 and Autobarn, through modest sales growth in 2026 despite mixed trading conditions across its markets. For readers tracking who actually runs major employers across the region, that background is directly relevant to understanding the current leadership picture. Read the organisation's current page.

Mining, Energy and Resources

21. Brandon Craig

Chief Executive Officer, BHP

Brandon Craig is Chief Executive Officer at BHP, based in Melbourne, VIC, Australia. As the person accountable for BHP's current direction, Brandon sits squarely inside this list's scope of major employers across Australia and New Zealand.

Craig moved from President of BHP Americas into the top job on 1 July 2026, taking the reins of a business that has become the world's largest copper producer. It gives a concrete sense of the experience Brandon brings to the role right now, beyond the title alone. Read the organisation's current page.

22. Simon Trott

Chief Executive, Rio Tinto

Simon Trott serves as Chief Executive of Rio Tinto, working out of Perth, WA, Australia. That role puts Simon in direct charge of one of the larger employers operating across the region, with accountability that reaches well beyond a single division.

Trott spent years running Rio Tinto's iron ore business and serving as its first chief commercial officer before becoming chief executive in August 2025. That is a genuinely distinctive part of the current mandate Simon holds, and a useful reference point for readers following the organisation. Read the organisation's current page.

23. Frank Calabria

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Origin Energy

From Sydney, NSW, Australia, Frank Calabria holds the role of Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at Origin Energy. Origin Energy employs a significant workforce across the region, which is why Frank fits this list of current executive directors, managing directors and chief executives.

Calabria was appointed chair of the Australian Energy Council in November 2025, on top of leading Origin Energy since October 2016. That detail is a useful marker of the responsibility currently sitting with Frank, and of the experience behind the current mandate. Read the organisation's current page.

24. Damien Nicks

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, AGL Energy

Damien Nicks leads AGL Energy as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, based in Melbourne, VIC, Australia. AGL Energy is one of the major employers this list covers, and Damien carries the day-to-day accountability for how it is currently run across its markets.

Nicks moved from chief financial officer into the AGL Energy CEO role in January 2023, carrying more than 28 years of finance and energy sector experience. For readers tracking who actually runs major employers across the region, that background is directly relevant to understanding the current leadership picture. Read the organisation's current page.

25. Kevin Gallagher

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Santos

Based in Adelaide, SA, Australia, Kevin Gallagher is Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at Santos. As the person accountable for Santos's current direction, Kevin sits squarely inside this list's scope of major employers across Australia and New Zealand.

Gallagher joined Santos as managing director and CEO in February 2016, bringing more than 25 years of international oil and gas experience to the role. It gives a concrete sense of the experience Kevin brings to the role right now, beyond the title alone. Read the organisation's current page.

26. Mike Fuge

Chief Executive Officer, Contact Energy

Mike Fuge is Chief Executive Officer at Contact Energy, based in Wellington, New Zealand. That role puts Mike in direct charge of one of the larger employers operating across the region, with accountability that reaches well beyond a single division.

Fuge led Contact Energy through its 2026 Infinz award-winning NZD 2.6 billion acquisition of Manawa Energy, having been chief executive since March 2020. That is a genuinely distinctive part of the current mandate Mike holds, and a useful reference point for readers following the organisation. Read the organisation's current page.

27. Malcolm Johns

Chief Executive, Genesis Energy

Malcolm Johns serves as Chief Executive of Genesis Energy, working out of Auckland, New Zealand. Genesis Energy employs a significant workforce across the region, which is why Malcolm fits this list of current executive directors, managing directors and chief executives.

Johns joined Genesis Energy as chief executive in March 2023 after previously leading Christchurch Airport. That detail is a useful marker of the responsibility currently sitting with Malcolm, and of the experience behind the current mandate. Read the organisation's current page.

28. Mike Roan

Chief Executive Officer, Meridian Energy

From Wellington, New Zealand, Mike Roan holds the role of Chief Executive Officer at Meridian Energy. Meridian Energy is one of the major employers this list covers, and Mike carries the day-to-day accountability for how it is currently run across its markets.

Roan joined Meridian Energy in 2006 and rose through strategy and wholesale markets roles before becoming chief executive in July 2025, where he has prioritised new renewable generation. For readers tracking who actually runs major employers across the region, that background is directly relevant to understanding the current leadership picture. Read the organisation's current page.

Telecommunications and Technology

29. Vicki Brady

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Telstra Group

Vicki Brady leads Telstra Group as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, based in Melbourne, VIC, Australia. As the person accountable for Telstra Group's current direction, Vicki sits squarely inside this list's scope of major employers across Australia and New Zealand.

Brady became Telstra's first female CEO in September 2022 and leads the Connected Future 30 strategy after earlier executive roles at Optus, Singtel and KPMG. It gives a concrete sense of the experience Vicki brings to the role right now, beyond the title alone. Read the organisation's current page.

30. Mike Cannon-Brookes

Co-Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer, Atlassian

Based in Sydney, NSW, Australia, Mike Cannon-Brookes is Co-Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer at Atlassian. That role puts Mike in direct charge of one of the larger employers operating across the region, with accountability that reaches well beyond a single division.

Cannon-Brookes co-founded Atlassian in 2002 and told investors in 2026 that AI is lifting demand for the company's enterprise software rather than reducing it. That is a genuinely distinctive part of the current mandate Mike holds, and a useful reference point for readers following the organisation. Read the organisation's current page.

31. Ian Narev

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, SEEK

Ian Narev is Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at SEEK, based in Melbourne, VIC, Australia. SEEK employs a significant workforce across the region, which is why Ian fits this list of current executive directors, managing directors and chief executives.

Narev returned to a chief executive chair at SEEK in July 2021 after previously serving as managing director and CEO of the Commonwealth Bank. That detail is a useful marker of the responsibility currently sitting with Ian, and of the experience behind the current mandate. Read the organisation's current page.

32. Cameron McIntyre

Chief Executive Officer, REA Group

Cameron McIntyre serves as Chief Executive Officer of REA Group, working out of Melbourne, VIC, Australia. REA Group is one of the major employers this list covers, and Cameron carries the day-to-day accountability for how it is currently run across its markets.

McIntyre joined REA Group in November 2025 from CAR Group, where as managing director and CEO for nine years he helped grow the business more than sixfold. For readers tracking who actually runs major employers across the region, that background is directly relevant to understanding the current leadership picture. Read the organisation's current page.

33. William Elliott

Chief Executive Officer, CAR Group

From Melbourne, VIC, Australia, William Elliott holds the role of Chief Executive Officer at CAR Group. As the person accountable for CAR Group's current direction, William sits squarely inside this list's scope of major employers across Australia and New Zealand.

Elliott took over as CEO of CAR Group, the company behind carsales.com.au, in August 2025 as the business built on its expansion into international markets. It gives a concrete sense of the experience William brings to the role right now, beyond the title alone. Read the organisation's current page.

34. Jolie Hodson

Chief Executive Officer, Spark New Zealand

Jolie Hodson leads Spark New Zealand as Chief Executive Officer, based in Auckland, New Zealand. That role puts Jolie in direct charge of one of the larger employers operating across the region, with accountability that reaches well beyond a single division.

Hodson was recognised in the 2024 King's Birthday Honours as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to business and governance, having led Spark since July 2019. That is a genuinely distinctive part of the current mandate Jolie holds, and a useful reference point for readers following the organisation. Read the organisation's current page.

Transport, Aviation and Infrastructure

35. Vanessa Hudson

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Qantas Group

Based in Sydney, NSW, Australia, Vanessa Hudson is Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director at Qantas Group. Qantas Group employs a significant workforce across the region, which is why Vanessa fits this list of current executive directors, managing directors and chief executives.

Hudson spent four years as Qantas Group chief financial officer, including through the pandemic recovery, before becoming CEO in September 2023. That detail is a useful marker of the responsibility currently sitting with Vanessa, and of the experience behind the current mandate. Read the organisation's current page.

36. Michelle Jablko

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Transurban Group

Michelle Jablko is Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director at Transurban Group, based in Melbourne, VIC, Australia. Transurban Group is one of the major employers this list covers, and Michelle carries the day-to-day accountability for how it is currently run across its markets.

Jablko joined Transurban as chief financial officer in 2021 and became CEO in October 2023, after earlier serving as chief financial officer of ANZ Bank. For readers tracking who actually runs major employers across the region, that background is directly relevant to understanding the current leadership picture. Read the organisation's current page.

37. Carrie Hurihanganui

Chief Executive, Auckland International Airport

Carrie Hurihanganui serves as Chief Executive of Auckland International Airport, working out of Auckland, New Zealand. As the person accountable for Auckland International Airport's current direction, Carrie sits squarely inside this list's scope of major employers across Australia and New Zealand.

Hurihanganui is the first female chief executive in Auckland Airport's 55-year history and is currently overseeing one of New Zealand's largest private infrastructure builds. It gives a concrete sense of the experience Carrie brings to the role right now, beyond the title alone. Read the organisation's current page.

38. Nikhil Ravishankar

Chief Executive Officer, Air New Zealand

From Auckland, New Zealand, Nikhil Ravishankar holds the role of Chief Executive Officer at Air New Zealand. That role puts Nikhil in direct charge of one of the larger employers operating across the region, with accountability that reaches well beyond a single division.

Ravishankar became Air New Zealand's chief executive in October 2025 after leading the airline's digital transformation, loyalty programme and customer platforms as chief digital officer. That is a genuinely distinctive part of the current mandate Nikhil holds, and a useful reference point for readers following the organisation. Read the organisation's current page.

39. Don Braid

Group Managing Director, Mainfreight

Don Braid leads Mainfreight as Group Managing Director, based in Auckland, New Zealand. Mainfreight employs a significant workforce across the region, which is why Don fits this list of current executive directors, managing directors and chief executives.

Braid has more than 40 years in the freight industry, including 26 years with Mainfreight, and continues to lead the logistics group as group managing director. That detail is a useful marker of the responsibility currently sitting with Don, and of the experience behind the current mandate. Read the organisation's current page.

Healthcare and Life Sciences

40. Dig Howitt

President and Chief Executive Officer, Cochlear

Based in Sydney, NSW, Australia, Dig Howitt is President and Chief Executive Officer at Cochlear. Cochlear is one of the major employers this list covers, and Dig carries the day-to-day accountability for how it is currently run across its markets.

Howitt joined Cochlear in 2000 across manufacturing, product development and international markets before becoming CEO and president in 2018. For readers tracking who actually runs major employers across the region, that background is directly relevant to understanding the current leadership picture. Read the organisation's current page.

41. Mick Farrell

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, ResMed

Mick Farrell is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at ResMed, based in Sydney, NSW, Australia. As the person accountable for ResMed's current direction, Mick sits squarely inside this list's scope of major employers across Australia and New Zealand.

Farrell was named chair of AdvaMed, the global medical device industry association, for a two-year term starting in January 2026, alongside leading ResMed since 2013. It gives a concrete sense of the experience Mick brings to the role right now, beyond the title alone. Read the organisation's current page.

42. Lewis Gradon

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Fisher and Paykel Healthcare

Lewis Gradon serves as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Fisher and Paykel Healthcare, working out of Auckland, New Zealand. That role puts Lewis in direct charge of one of the larger employers operating across the region, with accountability that reaches well beyond a single division.

Gradon has spent more than 40 years at Fisher and Paykel Healthcare, moving through engineering, manufacturing and supply chain leadership before becoming CEO in 2016. That is a genuinely distinctive part of the current mandate Lewis holds, and a useful reference point for readers following the organisation. Read the organisation's current page.

43. Naomi James

Chief Executive Officer, Ryman Healthcare

From Christchurch, New Zealand, Naomi James holds the role of Chief Executive Officer at Ryman Healthcare. Ryman Healthcare employs a significant workforce across the region, which is why Naomi fits this list of current executive directors, managing directors and chief executives.

James led Ryman Healthcare through a 2026 financial year that saw operating profitability nearly double and the company's first positive free cash flow result in over a decade. That detail is a useful marker of the responsibility currently sitting with Naomi, and of the experience behind the current mandate. Read the organisation's current page.

Media, Entertainment and Consumer Industry

44. Matt Stanton

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Nine Entertainment

Matt Stanton leads Nine Entertainment as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, based in Sydney, NSW, Australia. Nine Entertainment is one of the major employers this list covers, and Matt carries the day-to-day accountability for how it is currently run across its markets.

Stanton restructured Nine's operating model and executive team while serving as acting CEO before his permanent appointment, having joined the company as chief strategy officer in 2022. For readers tracking who actually runs major employers across the region, that background is directly relevant to understanding the current leadership picture. Read the organisation's current page.

45. Trevor Croker

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Aristocrat Leisure

Based in Sydney, NSW, Australia, Trevor Croker is Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at Aristocrat Leisure. As the person accountable for Aristocrat Leisure's current direction, Trevor sits squarely inside this list's scope of major employers across Australia and New Zealand.

Croker has led Aristocrat Leisure since February 2017, building the company's global gaming content and technology business over more than nine years in the role. It gives a concrete sense of the experience Trevor brings to the role right now, beyond the title alone. Read the organisation's current page.

46. Jason Walbridge

Chief Executive Officer, SkyCity Entertainment Group

Jason Walbridge is Chief Executive Officer at SkyCity Entertainment Group, based in Auckland, New Zealand. That role puts Jason in direct charge of one of the larger employers operating across the region, with accountability that reaches well beyond a single division.

Walbridge has served as SkyCity Entertainment Group's chief executive since April 2024, leading the operator's casino, hotel and entertainment properties across New Zealand and Adelaide. That is a genuinely distinctive part of the current mandate Jason holds, and a useful reference point for readers following the organisation. Read the organisation's current page.

47. Mark Schubert

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Cleanaway Waste Management

Mark Schubert serves as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Cleanaway Waste Management, working out of Melbourne, VIC, Australia. Cleanaway Waste Management employs a significant workforce across the region, which is why Mark fits this list of current executive directors, managing directors and chief executives.

Schubert joined Cleanaway as CEO in August 2021 from Origin Energy, bringing an 18-year international career with Shell to Australia's waste management sector. That detail is a useful marker of the responsibility currently sitting with Mark, and of the experience behind the current mandate. Read the organisation's current page.

48. Andrew Reding

Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer, Fletcher Building

From Auckland, New Zealand, Andrew Reding holds the role of Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer at Fletcher Building. Fletcher Building is one of the major employers this list covers, and Andrew carries the day-to-day accountability for how it is currently run across its markets.

Reding returned to Fletcher Building as group CEO in September 2024 after 35 years across the construction materials and building products sector, including 11 earlier years at the company. For readers tracking who actually runs major employers across the region, that background is directly relevant to understanding the current leadership picture. Read the organisation's current page.

49. David Bortolussi

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, the a2 Milk Company

David Bortolussi leads the a2 Milk Company as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, based in Auckland, New Zealand. As the person accountable for the a2 Milk Company's current direction, David sits squarely inside this list's scope of major employers across Australia and New Zealand.

Bortolussi took charge of the a2 Milk Company in February 2021 after leading Pacific Brands and holding senior roles at HanesBrands and Foster's Group. It gives a concrete sense of the experience David brings to the role right now, beyond the title alone. Read the organisation's current page.

50. Richard Allen

Chief Executive Officer, Fonterra Co-operative Group

Based in Auckland, New Zealand, Richard Allen is Chief Executive Officer at Fonterra Co-operative Group. That role puts Richard in direct charge of one of the larger employers operating across the region, with accountability that reaches well beyond a single division.

Allen became Fonterra's chief executive in May 2026 after 18 years with the co-operative across global ingredients, foodservice and its Farm Source support arm. That is a genuinely distinctive part of the current mandate Richard holds, and a useful reference point for readers following the organisation. Read the organisation's current page.

What these leaders show us about executive leadership in Australia and New Zealand

Reading these 50 profiles together, a few patterns stand out. The first is how much internal promotion still happens at the very top of major Australian and New Zealand employers. A large share of the people on this list moved into the chief executive or managing director chair from a senior role inside the same organisation, often chief financial officer, chief operating officer or a divisional leadership role, rather than arriving from outside.

The second pattern is how frequently the top job changes hands. A genuinely large number of these appointments date from 2024, 2025 or 2026. Banking, energy, retail and technology in particular have seen a wave of leadership transitions across this period, with long-serving chief executives handing over to a newer generation within a fairly compressed window.

The third pattern is the range of paths into these roles. Some leaders spent their entire careers at one organisation before reaching the top job. Others arrived after building executive experience across several different sectors, from banking into energy, or from consumer retail into travel. Both paths are well represented among the people on this list, suggesting there is no single accepted route into leading a major employer across the region.

A fourth pattern worth noting is how many organisations on this list operate across both countries, or draw executive talent that has worked in both markets. Banking, energy and healthcare in particular show regular movement of people and ideas across the Tasman, reinforcing how closely linked the two economies remain at the leadership level.

None of this compares who is doing the job best. It is simply what becomes visible once 50 current leadership positions across the region's major employers are placed side by side.

How to use this list

Use this list as a working directory rather than a finished answer. If you need to know who currently leads a specific major employer across Australia or New Zealand, the entry above gives you the confirmed current title, organisation and a link straight to that organisation's own page so you can check further detail yourself.

Job seekers researching a company before an interview can use the linked source to understand a chief executive's recent priorities and background. Suppliers and partners preparing an approach to a major employer can use it to confirm exactly who currently holds ultimate accountability before drafting an introduction. Journalists and policy staff can use it to quickly confirm a current title before publishing or briefing on it.

Because senior roles at this level change reasonably often, treat every entry as accurate at the time this directory was last updated, and verify anything time-sensitive directly against the organisation's own leadership page before you rely on it for something that matters. Following an organisation's own newsroom or leadership page directly is generally more reliable over time than following any single individual, since executive roles can change with little public notice.

For readers comparing several organisations at once, working sector by sector through the groupings above is usually faster than searching for each company separately, since the entries already sit next to genuinely comparable organisations doing similar work.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many people are on this list of executive directors?

This directory currently includes 50 people confirmed as chief executive, managing director or executive director at a major employer across Australia or New Zealand, drawn from each organisation's own current leadership page or a recent official announcement, plus a linked source for every entry so readers can check further detail themselves.

Is this list ordered by seniority or company size?

No. The 50 people are grouped by sector, from banking through to media, purely for easy navigation around a large directory. Grouping by sector is not a measure of seniority, company size or public profile, and no ordering in this article should ever be read as a form of comparison between the people or organisations listed.

Does this list cover every major employer in Australia and New Zealand?

No. It covers 50 confirmed current leaders across a broad, deliberately diverse set of major employers in banking, insurance, retail, mining, energy, technology, transport, healthcare and media. Many other large employers across both countries, including universities, hospitals and government-owned enterprises, fall outside this particular directory.

Why do some of these executives have short tenures?

Leadership at major Australian and New Zealand employers changed hands frequently through 2025 and 2026. Several people on this list moved into their current role within the past year, following retirements, internal promotions or board-led leadership transitions across banking, energy, retail and technology in particular.

How current is the information in each profile?

Each entry reflects the role and organisation confirmed on that organisation's own current leadership page, official announcement or comparable first-party source as of August 2026, with a direct link provided so readers can verify further detail themselves before relying on it for anything time-sensitive.

Conclusion

Running a major employer across Australia or New Zealand means carrying accountability that reaches well beyond a single balance sheet. The 50 people in this directory currently hold that responsibility across banking, insurance, retail, mining, energy, technology, transport, healthcare and media, from long-serving chief executives to leaders who stepped into the role within the past year.

Reading their current roles side by side is more useful than reading any single profile alone, because it shows how much of the region's economy sits in the hands of a genuinely small group of accountable individuals at any one time, and how quickly that group turns over.

If you need to confirm who currently leads a specific major employer, use the linked source in that person's entry as your starting point, then check the organisation's own current leadership page directly before relying on the detail for anything that matters. Treat this directory as an accurate current snapshot rather than a permanent record, since senior roles at this level rarely stay unchanged for long.

Whichever sector brought you here, the same approach applies: confirm the current title against the organisation's own page, note how long the person has held the role, and use that as your starting point for whatever decision or conversation prompted the search in the first place.

Related Reading

For related directories covering leadership across the region, see 24 Influential Leaders in Energy in Australia and NZ, 50 Essential Thought Leaders in Retail Leadership in AU/NZ, 46 Essential People and Culture Leaders in Australia and New Zealand to Follow on LinkedIn, and 50 Influential Leaders Shaping Sydney Australia.

A note for leaders navigating change

Leading a major employer through constant change is genuinely hard work, and most of it happens outside the headlines. If your leadership team needs outside help turning a difficult trade-off into a decision your people can actually act on, that is exactly the work I do through keynotes, workshops and facilitated leadership sessions.

If a facilitated session on leadership clarity, healthy conflict or team ownership would help your organisation right now, get in touch at jonno@consultclarity.org.

About the Author

Jonno White is a Brisbane-based leadership consultant, keynote speaker and Certified Working Genius Facilitator, and the author of Step Up or Step Out. He works with schools, corporates and nonprofits around the world. To enquire about a keynote, workshop or facilitated leadership session, email jonno@consultclarity.org.