Wellington City Council has appointed Jenny Chetwynd, a highly experienced senior leader in the infrastructure sector, as its new Chief Infrastructure Officer, Tatai Heke Waihanga.

Ms Chetwynd will be responsible for the Council’s property and asset management, transport, water and waste, emergency management, project management office and major infrastructure projects including a new Waste Minimisation Plant, the Golden Mile upgrade and local water reforms.

She joins Wellington City Council following 15 years in senior executive roles for Auckland Transport, as Executive General Manager, Planning and Investment, and New Zealand Transport Agency as General Manager Strategy, Policy and Planning and the Regional Director Central Region. Prior to this Ms Chetwynd built her career in the electricity sector, resource management policy and implementation, urban planning and environmental strategy in various roles across the private and public sectors.

City Council Chief Executive Barbara McKerrow is pleased to be welcoming Ms Chetwynd to the Council’s executive leadership team.

“Wellington has a significant capital programme to deliver over the next 10 years to replace aging infrastructure, ensure our transport network can accommodate growth, strengthen and upgrade civic buildings, and take action to improve the city’s water and waste services.

“I’m very pleased to have Jenny joining us. She is incredibly well respected in the sector and has exactly the skills and experience required to lead Wellington City Council’s infrastructure delivery and transport services into the future.”

Ms Chetwynd says she is looking forward to working back in Wellington.

“I have a great love and passion for Wellington. I lived and worked here for nearly 40 years and feel privileged to be moving back to support this critical period of revitalisation.

“Upgrading infrastructure always brings challenges, but I’m focused on looking at projects through an opportunity lens and ensuring we’re gearing Wellington up for growth and success.”

Ms Chetwynd will start in the next two months and replaces Siobhan Proctor, who leaves the Council after seven years.

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