Three new Directors to join Meridian Energy Board

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Stock Exchange Listings NZX (MEL) ASX (MEZ)
Three new Directors to join Meridian Energy Board
15 August 2019
Meridian Energy has today announced the appointment of three new Board Directors –
Michelle Henderson, Julia Hoare and Nagaja Sanatkumar, who will join the Board in the coming
months.
The new Directors will complement and add to the Board’s skills and expertise following
Steve Reindler’s resignation last year and the replacement of two other longstanding Directors,
Mary Devine and Chris Moller, whose terms conclude at the Company’s Annual Shareholders’
Meeting in October.
“The Board conducted a robust recruitment process led by incoming Chair, Mark Verbiest, using
independent search advisers and is pleased to recommend to shareholders the three new Directors,
together with Jan Dawson, who is standing for re-election this year,” said Chris Moller.
“We believe we have stand-out candidates with the appropriate skills and experience to fill the
Director vacancies created by the retired and retiring Directors. The Board will continue its focus on
effective governance and delivering the shareholder value that has become a hallmark of Meridian’s
performance since the IPO in 2013,” added Chris Moller.
About Meridian’s new Directors
Michelle Henderson
Michelle has extensive engineering and industrial expertise, with more than 20 years of experience in
the Australasian heavy industry sector. Based in Invercargill, Michelle is a former executive of
Rio Tinto, both in New Zealand and Australia.
Michelle is currently the Chief Operating Officer of PowerNet, an electricity distribution company,
leading 200 employees across risk management, health and safety, infrastructure, and operations
skillsets. Michelle’s experience in business delivery, process innovation, and ensuring people safety
will be of great value to Meridian.
Michelle has confirmed her resignation from her executive management role at PowerNet, which will
allow her to commence her role as a Director on 16 October, prior to the Annual Shareholders’
Meeting. She will retire and seek formal shareholder approval for her election at the Annual Meeting.
Julia Hoare
Julia has strong governance, financial, accounting and auditing expertise. Her executive career at
PWC included significant experience in sustainability and risk management. Julia has a very strong
governance pedigree and is currently a Director of a number of large New Zealand companies
including Auckland International Airport, Port of Tauranga, a2 Milk, Watercare Services and AWF
Madison.
In addition to significant commercial and financial experience in both the private and public sectors,
Julia’s skills also span infrastructure, logistics, utilities and sustainable business practices.

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Julia will commence her role as a Director on 26 September 2019 and will retire and seek formal
shareholder approval for her election at the Annual Shareholders’ Meeting.
Nagaja Sanatkumar

Nagaja has an impressive international career including senior roles at Amazon (leading various
facets of Online Grocery, Trade In & Rentals), which built on her expertise across retail, customer
experience innovation and technology. Nagaja studied chemical engineering at IIT Bombay and then
moved to the US to take up a consulting role with Deloitte before completing an MBA from the
University of Washington.
With 20 years’ experience harnessing technology to achieve growth and profitability in e-commerce,
at both Amazon and Expedia, she has significant executive experience in digital strategy, technology
leadership and retailing functions. Nagaja is currently a Director for New Zealand Post and General
Manager Global Digital at Icebreaker, based in Auckland.
Nagaja will seek formal shareholder approval for her election at the Annual Shareholders’ Meeting
and, if elected, will commence her role as a Director on 1 January 2020. Her appointment is
conditional upon ceasing her full-time role in executive management at Icebreaker, which is expected
to take place prior to 1 January 2020.

Meridian’s Annual Shareholders’ Meeting will take place in October 2019. Further details will be
contained in the Notice of Annual Meeting.

ENDS
Neal Barclay
Chief Executive
Meridian Energy Limited

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021 246 4772
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Claire Shaw
Corporate Communications
021 370 677