Leadership Team

Our refinery is led by a close-knit Leadership Team. Each manager has a unique set of skills and experience. What binds this group of key people, and underpins the success of our business, is the shared ownership they take for meeting the strategy and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

Ken Rivers
MA CEng FIChemE
Chief Executive Officer
Ken Rivers
Ken joined the company in August 2007. He has over 30 years' international experience in the downstream oil industry with Shell.

His previous assignment was looking after Shell's refinery and petrochemicals complex in the UK. Ken has also been a past President of UK Petroleum Industry Association and council member of the Institute of Petroleum.

He has a passion for safety and chaired the joint industry/regulator task group defining and setting UK safety standards in the wake of the Buncefield depot explosion. He is on the steering committee of the New Zealand Business Leaders Health and Safety Forum, council member of NorthTec and a trustee of the Northland Regional Events Centre.

A proud Yorkshireman, Ken is married with two daughters. His interests include music, travel, and supporting his favourite football team, Leeds United, as well as playing when time permits.
Jack Ariel
BSc (Mechanical Engineer)
Project Director
Jack Ariel
Jack worked for Shell for more than 30 years during which time he held a variety of leadership roles in his native Argentina and across the world.

These roles included:
* manufacturing (Engineering Manager and Production Manager); 
* project management (The Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and Buenos Aires);
* fuels distribution (South America);
* and supply chain management (Latin America).

Before coming to New Zealand in 2006, he was the General Manager for the Lubricants Supply Chain in Latin America and the Caribbean covering a huge number of countries.

After directing the successful completion of the refinery's Point Forward Project, Jack retired from Shell and joined Refining NZ as Refining Manager. In May 2011, he was appointed Project Director for the next growth project. Jack is married with a son and daughter.  

While enjoying living in New Zealand, his heritage means he also loves meat, Malbec wine and football. In his free time he likes to play golf and travel.

Responsibilities
* Lead the team from project scope and development, through all phases to completion of the $400-500 million NZD Growth Project. (subject to board approval)
Peter Gubb
Refining Manager
Peter Gubb
Peter joined Refining NZ in 1985 as an operator during the major expansion project. Originally from the Waikato, his previous process experience had been in the dairy industry.

Peter has held various roles with Refining NZ, including working in Operations, IT and Process Services. In 2007 Peter joined the Leadership Team as Quality, Health, Safety and Environment Manager. And in 2011 he took over from Jack Ariel as Refining Manager.

Outside work Peter plays golf most weekends and enjoys getting out on the water for a spot of fishing. He's a passionate local rugby supporter and gets to as many Northland 'Taniwha' home games as possible 

Responsibilities
* Refinery and marine/jetty operations
* Refinery to Auckland Pipeline operation and management
* Process Engineering 
* Process Control
* Operational excellence
* Emergency Services
Denise Jensen
CA
Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary
Denise Jensen
Denise has enjoyed a long association with the Refining NZ.  She joined the company in 2005 as Internal Auditor, before taking over the role of Accounting Manager on a job-share basis.

In 2009 Denise was appointed to the role of Chief Financial Officer and in 2010 Company Secretary.  

Prior to starting with the company, she was the manager responsible for auditing Refining NZ while working for one of the 'big four' chartered accountant firms.

Denise is married with three children and spends much of her free time supporting her family in their varied sporting interests. 

Responsibilities
* Finance (accounting, treasury and taxation)
* Business information systems
* Corporate administration
* Procurement
* Company secretarial
* Corporate governance
* Investor relations
* Risk and assurance
Anna Meyer
BA
People & Environment Manager
Anna Meyer
After successful earlier careers in project management and IT, Anna found her passion for people management. She has worked in human resources and organisational development roles at both Air New Zealand and Fonterra.

In 2006 Anna moved to Northland to take up her current role with Refining NZ. Anna enjoys being part of a close-knit company with a genuine regard for the environment.  She values generosity, authenticity and vision and her personal motto is '100% Real'.

When Anna is not finding new ways to optimise Refining NZ's most valuable asset (its people), she can most likely be found on a horse, in a boat, or working on her Kaipara sheep farm with husband Mark.

Responsibilities
* Environmental Affairs
* Health and Safety
* Human Resources
* Security
Vaughan Wykes
Engineering Manager
Vaughan Wykes
Vaughan joined Refining NZ in 2008 after 10 years working with major oil companies in the Middle East and Former Soviet Union,  His career has taken him from apprentice to engineer, to manager and senior leader.

His experience has been predominantly in the oil and gas industry undertaking senior roles in: 
* contract management; 
* major projects; 
* engineering;
* and maintenance covering all engineering disciplines.

Vaughan is on several boards and committees.  He chairs the Northland Energy Forum and the New Zealand Leading Practice Network.  He's also a member of the Future Trades Advisory Board, the BusinessNZ Electricity Industry Group and BusinessNZ Infrastructure sub-group.Vaughan, wife Janice and their three adult children enjoy outdoor pursuits, including mountain biking.  They're also keen boaties, and love getting out in Northland waters looking for a sheltered anchorage or chasing elusive game fish. 

Responsibilities
* Asset integrity, reliability and performance 
* Inspection, integrity assurance, compliance 
* Capital and maintenance projects; design, construction, drafting 
* Maintenance engineering, planning and scheduling; workshops and mobile equipment 
* Discipline engineers and specialists - Mechanical, Electrical, Instrumentation, Control systems, Civil and Facilities 
* Shutdowns and turnaround planning, scheduling and delivery
Dalila Zaghal
MEng
Strategy & Supply Chain Manager
Dalila Zaghal
Dalila joined Refining NZ in October 2010. She has over 10 years' international experience in the oil and energy industry, She has held diverse senior roles with BP and Shell in the UK, Spain, India and China.

Her career spans operational, business development and corporate roles across Downstream Oil, Alternative Energy and Petrochemicals.

A Spanish national from Barcelona, Dalila has relocated to New Zealand with her Kiwi husband and is happy to be living by the sea again. She loves food and cooking, as well as travelling extensively to see friends and family.

Responsibilities
* Strategy 
* Planning & Performance Management 
* Business Development 
* Marketing, Sales & Customer Service 
* Communications & External Affairs 
* Supply & Logistics 
* Commercial Optimisation
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