Mercury appoints Trustpower boss Vince Hawksworth as new CEO

Wednesday, 18 December 2019

Vince Hawksworth, currently chief executive of Tauranga-based Trustpower, will replace Fraser Whineray.

Energy company Mercury has appointed Vince Hawksworth as chief executive.

Hawksworth, currently chief executive of Tauranga-based Trustpower, will replace Fraser Whineray, who will leave Mercury in March prior to taking up the role of chief operating officer at Fonterra.

Hawksworth will take up the role in April next year.

Board chairwoman Prue Flacks said Hawksworth's appointment was the culmination of an extensive and robust search process.

**READ MORE:

Mercury made a record annual profit of $357 million for the year ended June 2019.

* Mercury's CEO to join Fonterra executive team

* Fraser Whineray to replace Christopher Luxon

* Trustpower names Hawksworth as new CEO**

'Vince's deep experience in the energy sector in New Zealand and Australia, covering generation and retail, positions him well to lead Mercury through its next phase as we add wind generation into our renewable energy portfolio,' Flacks said.

Mercury made a record annual profit of $357 million for the year ended June 2019.

Hawksworth has been chief executive of Trustpower since 2009 and prior to that was chief executive of Hydro Tasmania.

He qualified as a mining engineer and has an MBA from the University of Waikato.

Mercury chief financial officer William Meek will be acting chief executive in the short time between Whineray leaving Mercury and Hawksworth starting in the role.

Current Trustpower director Dr David Prentice will take over as interim chief executive.