
Phil Parkes
Group Director Environment Social Governance
Phil has extensive experience in governance, executive leadership and regulatory compliance activities. He focuses on improving delivery of operational excellence, alongside environmental and safety outcomes. He has worked in multiple international jurisdictions with experience in local, state and federal government. His leadership education includes executive programmes at Melbourne Business School and INSEAD.
Phil was the Chief Executive of WorkSafe New Zealand, the country’s primary workplace health and safety regulator from 2019 to 2023. As Chief Executive, Phil was responsible for leading the organisation in its mission to ensure that New Zealand workplaces are safe, healthy, and compliant with relevant laws and regulations. Phil was with WorkSafe from its creation in 2013 in a variety of executive roles, contributing to a significant national reduction in fatalities and serious injuries. Prior to this, his career included executive positions at the New Zealand Environmental Protection Authority, where he introduced an environmental management regime for all offshore activities in the Exclusive Economic Zone and oversaw nation-wide environmental regulation of chemicals. His early career was in local government in the UK, where he completed a Honours degree in Environmental Health and a Masters degree in Environmental Management.
With decades of dedicated work in health and safety regulation, Phil’s expertise is truly unparalleled. After a well-deserved six-month break to recharge, visit family and do some travel, we’re excited that he has chosen to bring his passion and leadership to our team. Phil is not only a seasoned professional but also an avid adventurer. Having called New Zealand home for nearly 20 years, he now resides in Queenstown—the adventure capital of the world. When he’s not driving ESG initiatives, you’ll find him mountain biking, snowboarding, skiing, or exploring the great outdoors.