Ollie O’Neill has joined Northpower as CFO, bringing over 15 years’ financial and general management experience to the business.

Ollie’s career includes experience across varying business sectors and has been involved with businesses from start-ups to listed enterprises, with his most recent role being the Group Chief Financial Officer for Ruralco, a diversified agribusiness based in Canterbury.

His previous roles included Finance and General Management positions with Singapore listed Lasseters Group who operate hotels, wellness spas and casinos across the Asia/Pacific region and various finance roles within the European Commission based in Brussels

Ollie is an experienced CFO armed with a strong commercial skillset.

He says the attraction to Northpower was joining a progressive, locally-owned company with a proud heritage in the electricity and fibre sectors.

“The electricity sector is in a constant state of change as it prepares for the adoption of new technologies. The opportunity for companies like Northpower is to continue collaborating on ways to provide efficient, tech-savvy, safe and reliable networks for the benefit of consumers,” says Mr O’Neill.

“Northpower has a unique position that is both a network owner and also operates a large electrical contracting business which enables Northpower to leverage these synergies to benefit both our customers and shareholders.

“Both the Northpower electricity network and the Northpower Fibre network as well as the contracting division continue to perform very strongly. Significant expertise and investment is being injected into all business units which is laying a very solid platform to prepare us for a changing and somewhat unknown technology future.

“Technology is constantly challenging and changing the way we work and Northpower is embracing this change by investing in technology that enables the group to work smarter. Good data that is easily accessible across the business combined with smart systems and Northpower’s high performing teams will ensure Northpower is an agile data driven business which can not only remain relevant but can create real value for both our customers and owners.

“Over time, that will require significant investment but considered spend from us all in the sector and leveraging off each other’s successes and learnings.

“This is an exciting time for the electricity industry which we feel will unearth numerous opportunities in years to come – just what some of those are I guess we will have to wait and see because there is no one answer to the evolution of electricity distribution, fibre communications and the increasing adoption of electric vehicles,” says Mr O’Neill.