Executive Team

James joined Earth Sciences New Zealand on 2nd March 2026, from his role as Chief Executive of the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) which he had held since March 2023. He was also the chair of the Climate Change Interagency Executive Board, a member of the National Hazards Board and is co-chair of the guardians of the Aotearoa Circle.

Before becoming CE of MfE, James was Chief Executive of the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council. His previous roles include Deputy Secretary Sector Strategy at MfE; Director of Strategy, Systems and Science Policy at the Ministry for Primary Industries; and Director Strategy Development at the Ministry for Agriculture and Forestry.

He was also a board member of both the Sustainable Seas and Deep South National Science Challenges.

Peter has more than 30 years’ experience in leading science teams and commercialising R&D, in both the public and private sectors. He has established several large international research collaborations.

Peter worked at GNS Science in the 1990s – returning in 2018 and has led science and commercial operations. His previous roles include CEO of an industry training organisation and executive positions in research and engineering companies. Originally trained as a chemical and materials engineer, Peter also has postgraduate qualifications in business management.

Warrick is a senior technical and commercial leader with over twenty years’ experience in strategy, product and service development, and digital transformation. He is passionate about technology and its ability to positively impact people, science, and business, combining deep technical expertise with commercial insight and a practical, outcomes-focused approach.

Warrick has held roles focused on business growth, innovation, and emerging technologies across startups, independent software vendors, and global companies such as Microsoft and Esri in both the UK and the US. His domain expertise includes artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, geospatial systems, and enterprise IT. Originally trained as a civil engineer, with postgraduate qualifications in geology and computer science, he brings a systems-based perspective that emphasises simplicity, coherence, and real-world outcomes.

Helen is an experienced senior science and operational leader passionate about the development and delivery of science services using integrated multidisciplinary expertise and advanced technologies. She has overseen science operations since 2018 drawing on experience in various leadership roles.

Helen is an experienced geologist with a PhD in Palaeoceanography and interests in seabed mapping, oceanography, and stable isotope geochemistry. Her expertise has been applied to the management and delivery of large-scale multi-disciplinary projects and research voyages associated with seabed surveys, telecommunication cables, marine infrastructure, ocean climate and exploration within the subtropical and subantarctic oceans.

Alex has experience in research, strategy, science investment, and the science-policy interface. She has held research posts at the British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge, the University of California at Berkeley, and Forschungzentum Jülich in Germany, and was a founding editor of Nature Geoscience.

Alex has an MSc in quantum chemistry from the University of Canterbury, a PhD in atmospheric chemistry from York University, Canada, and graduate training in science communications and psychology. Her research addressed the interface between the earth’s surface (land, cryosphere and ocean) and the atmosphere, with a focus on using advanced stable isotope analytics to understand emissions of trace and greenhouse gases and their fate and impact in the atmosphere.

Alex is an experienced executive level leader passionate about addressing the world’s biggest challenges and opportunities through science - and developing the science leadership to do so.