New Deputy Chair appointment to the NZTA Board
Transport Minister Chris Bishop appointed Michael Ahie as NZTA Deputy Chair, citing his governance experience across multiple sectors to support the agency’s transformation agenda.
Minister of Transport Chris Bishop announced the appointment of Michael Ahie as Deputy Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) Board, effective from 1 October 2026. Ahie’s one-year term will support NZTA’s ongoing business transformation and performance improvement initiatives across regulation, infrastructure investment, and resilience. The appointment follows the conclusion of Cassandra Crowley’s seven-year tenure, during which she served as Deputy Chair, Risk and Assurance Committee Chair, and Acting Chair at various times.
Ahie brings over two decades of governance and leadership experience, including roles as Chair of Payments NZ and the Nominations Committee at the Institute of Directors. He also serves as a director at Zespri International and Rothbury Insurance Brokers, and has chaired organisations such as Massey University and Plant & Food Research.
His background includes leadership positions at Toyota New Zealand, the New Zealand Dairy Board, and PGG Wrightson, with a focus on organisational and industry transformation. These skills align with NZTA’s priorities to enhance delivery and value for money within the National Land Transport Programme.
Bishop highlighted Ahie’s governance expertise in risk, assurance, and business transformation as critical for NZTA’s future challenges. The Minister also acknowledged Crowley’s contributions, including her seven years on the Board and leadership during her tenure as Deputy Chair and Acting Chair.