Southern Waters Appoints Leadership for New Water Services Entity

The newly established Southern Waters group has announced key appointments to lead its formation as the largest joint council water services entity on New Zealand’s South Island. In a statement released last week, Southern Waters revealed that it has appointed Bruce Gemmell as establishment chairman and Fiona Smith as programme director. The organization aims to deliver critical water, wastewater, and stormwater services across the Central Otago, Clutha, and Gore districts.

In a joint statement, the mayors of the shareholding councils—Gore District Mayor Ben Bell, Central Otago District Mayor Tamah Alley, and Clutha District Mayor Jock Martin—noted the exceptional talent pool from which the new leadership was selected. “The strong interest from across New Zealand and Australia is testament to the scale of setting up a water services company and the confidence experienced professionals have in Southern Waters as a new organisation,” they stated.

Bruce Gemmell brings a wealth of experience to his role, having a strong background in the infrastructure sector, particularly in water and electricity distribution. His previous roles include executive leadership positions at Ernst & Young in Christchurch and Wellington, as well as managing partner at KPMG Christchurch. Gemmell has specialized in transactions, restructuring, and capital raising throughout his career. He currently serves as an independent director and chairman of the audit and risk committee at Central Plains Water Ltd and holds other directorships, including Buller Electricity Ltd and Nitrolabs Ltd.

On the other hand, Fiona Smith brings over 30 years of specialized experience in the water sector. She most recently served as strategy and performance executive manager at WaterNSW, one of Australia’s largest water utilities. Previously, Smith was the acting chief executive of the Sydney Catchment Authority, where she played a pivotal role in leading the organization through an external review and its subsequent merger into WaterNSW. Her extensive expertise includes water supply management and stakeholder engagement across government-owned utilities.

Central Otago District Council chief executive Peter Kelly expressed optimism regarding the appointments, stating that attracting such seasoned professionals from abroad demonstrates Southern Waters’ potential as a forward-looking water services provider. He emphasized that while the new programme director brings international experience, the focus remains local, ensuring the organization aligns with the needs and values of the southern region.

The programme director position is a fixed-term role, overseeing the establishment phase of Southern Waters until December 2024. This strategic leadership aims to build a robust water services organization that meets the expectations of the local communities it serves.