Simply Energy is guided by a dedicated and experienced leadership team, committed to driving innovation and sustainability for our customers, partners, and the future of energy in New Zealand.
Chief Executive Officer
As CEO at Simply, Andy not only leads and nurtures our diverse team but also keeps his eyes on the horizon, dreaming up creative ways to shape our future.
With a genuine passion for improving the world we live in, Andy is the driving force behind shaping Simply to support our customers’ transition to a low-carbon future.
When he’s not busy fostering our awesome culture, you’ll find him engaging with customers, seeking new partners, and guiding us toward cutting-edge technology.
Andy joined Simply after nine years at Contact, where he worked his way up from Engineering Manager to GM of Innovations and Ventures, always putting people first and shaking things up for the better.
Before that, Andy spent 26 years with the Royal Navy, diving deep into various engineering roles. These days, he calls Te Horo home, sharing it with his wife, three daughters, and a Noah’s Ark of animals – including a dog as big as a lion! Talk about a full house!
Chief Technology Officer
Meet Hema, our Chief Technology Officer – the brains behind growing our tech footprint, nurturing our tech team, and cooking up awesome solutions for our customers.
Hema’s day begins with some good old-fashioned water cooler chat – the perfect recipe for sparking ideas on how technology and data can make life easier for everyone.
We love that Hema is just as interested in the people using the tech as the gadgets themselves. She’s all about keeping things simple and providing people with what they want: the right information, wherever and whenever they need it, on any device they prefer.
With 20+ years in the business, Hema’s not just about gathering knowledge – she loves sharing it too. When she’s not at the office, you’ll likely spot her mentoring tech newbies at a local café or adding an MBA to her engineering degree. And of course, she still finds time for quality moments with her lovely family.
If you’re grappling with how to make the shift to low-carbon energy, Tim’s the guy you’ll want by your side. With a wealth of energy market knowledge, a background as a Chartered Electrical Engineer, and hands-on experience operating his own electrical contracting company, Tim’s happiest when he’s working alongside customers getting meaningful decarbonisation projects up and running sooner.
Tim’s ability to untangle challenges and avoid roadblocks also makes him everyone’s first choice for the person you’d most want beside you in an Escape Room. It might also have something to do with the fact that, as a back-up, he could probably kick, punch, or elbow his way out thanks to his kick-ass Thai boxing skills, which saw him take out the New Zealand Featherweight title back in 2000, and led him to set up his own Thai boxing club here in Wellington.
When he’s not at work or hanging out with his beautiful wife and daughter, he’s either building a new home for himself in the Wairarapa or at his second home down at the club, keeping fit and training up the next generation of Muay Thai ninjas.
Head of Sustainable Solutions
James heads our Sustainable Solutions team, bringing practical ideas and tech to commercial and industrial customers aiming to lower their energy use and emissions.
James and his team build smart solutions – from tech that enables customers to shift their electricity use to save costs and carbon to tools that measure emissions and site electrical loads.
James was born in Wales but honed his skills in the UK, having previously worked as a Commercial Lead for Rolls-Royce and later as an Energy Consultant for Anthesis, before joining our team.
Off the clock, James is a new dad, keen cyclist and newly minted NZ citizen. When he’s not at work, you’ll spot him cycling around or hitting the trails.
Head of Energy Partnerships
As well as being an all-around good guy, Phill loves nothing more than chatting with customers, consultants, and partners about creating game-changing energy solutions.
As the Head of Energy Partnerships at Simply Energy, Phill’s on a mission to help big energy users shrink their carbon footprint and build a more sustainable energy future.
When he’s not busy saving the planet, this family man enjoys relaxing, whether it’s camping by the beach or lazy weekends at home with the family.
But don’t let the relaxed vibe fool you. Phill is a total sports nut. You’ll often find him lacing up his skates for a hockey session or hitting the trails for a run. With his well-rounded approach, Phill brings a fresh perspective to the energy game and loves a good challenge.
Head of Energy Transition
As our Head of Energy Transition, Jade loves nothing more than harmony, and is happiest when our people, processes and systems are humming.
Jade is always looking for ways to improve and innovate, and is a whiz at troubleshooting and problem solving. Much of her inspiration and can-do attitude comes from her days backpacking through remote areas of South America and the Middle East.
After starting in telecommunications, Jade shifted over to energy over a decade ago and has been honing her skills and strengthening the core of our business ever since. In a nutshell, the work Jade and her team do makes it possible for us to offer customers smart and sustainable energy solutions.
Equally at home barefoot or in a pair of hiking boots or jandals, Jade loves the outdoors and spending time with her partner, Paul, their son, Coda, and dog, Ziggy. When she’s not trailblazing at work, you’ll find her blazing Aotearoa’s trails with friends and family or come summer, playing ball and coaching kids on a softball diamond.
Business Support Manager
From managing our office to being a project administrator on one of the biggest operational safety programmes we’ve undertaken, there’s nothing she can’t handle. She’s basically the Marie Kondo of the biz, with the ability to decipher any scrawl and wrangle a diary in record time.
Supporting our Leadership Team is no easy feat, but Ellie does it with a smile and just the right touch of sass to keep us on our toes. Her natural talent for making everyone’s lives easier is a game-changer.
When she’s not running the show, Ellie loves spending quality time with her husband and two kiddos. But her family extends beyond humans – a true animal lover, Ellie has two pet reptiles and a fluffy, grumpy Persian cat at home too!
Martin leads our Customer Care team – a tight crew of customer account managers, billing specialists and operations pros – all working together to make life easier for our customers.
With more than two decades in the energy sector, Martin’s an expert at fine-tuning the moving parts that create a great customer experience. Whether it’s a smart new process or a subtle tweak that makes all the difference, Martin’s always on the lookout for ways to make things better, simpler and more delightful.
He brings a calm, thoughtful approach to everything he does – seeking out feedback, planning changes carefully, and never losing sight of what really matters: our customers.
When he’s off the clock, Martin’s still in motion – chasing the ball on the footy field, exploring the backcountry on a tramping trip, or setting off on another travel adventure to soak up new places and cultures.
Head of Communications & Marketing
Lisa loves getting her teeth into how our industry and our business tick.
It’s great to have her on board, as things can get quite techy around here. Lisa’s always pushing us to keep it simple and live our brand in everything we do. Lucky for us, she’s a whiz at turning our tech babble into something everyone can wrap their head around.
When it comes to comms and marketing, Lisa does it all! From driving our marketing strategy to everything from copywriting to design.
Lisa has been in the game for over 25 years, honing her skills in advertising and direct marketing agencies, working with some of New Zealand’s largest brands.
When she’s not making us sound awesome, you’ll find her catching waves, adventuring, or learning something new. And on those flat surf days? She’s designing clothes, hand-stitching beautiful leather bags, or getting her DIY on – renovating and upcycling cool stuff with her ever-growing power tool collection.
Head of Pricing & Risk
Ambili is our pricing guru and a super-sleuth when it comes to identifying unknown risks and hidden opportunities. While being in Mangōnui makes her the farthest flung amongst us, she’s set the bar when it comes to remote working, and you never feel she’s ever very far away.
If there were one word to describe Ambili (other than fabulous), it would be calm. Nothing fazes her, nor is anything a drama. It stems from over 20 years of navigating the challenges of New Zealand’s dynamic and fast-paced energy industry, as well as her roles in supporting day-to-day operations and informing strategic development.
Outside of work, when she’s not buried in a good novel, you’ll find her outdoors exploring the natural beauty of New Zealand’s far North. She also loves fat cats and cupcakes (although we hope they’re not related), and her 15 minutes of fame came when the hula dancing troupe she belonged to opened for a Sir Howard Morrison concert.
