Our Leaders

WWF-New Zealand was established in 1975 as a Charitable Trust and is a registered charity (CC33788).

We are governed by a Board of Trustees and led by our CEO. 

Meet our CEO

"I’m excited to be joining an organisation with such a proud history of standing up for nature and achieving real impact."

Abbie Reynolds

Abbie Reynolds - Interim Chief Executive

Abbie is one of New Zealand’s most respected figures in conservation and sustainable business.

Most recently Country Director for the Nature Conservancy Aotearoa New Zealand, she was previously CEO of Predator Free 2050 Ltd, and Executive Director of the Sustainable Business Council, where she established the Climate Leaders Coalition.

She is currently a Trustee of the NZ Climate Foundation.

Abbie begins her role in July to lead the organisation while CEO Dr Kayla Kingdon-Bebb takes a leave of absence. 

Dr Kayla Kingdon-Bebb - On leave

Dr Kayla Kingdon-Bebb joined WWF-New Zealand as CEO in March 2023, having previously served as Director of Policy at Aotearoa New Zealand's Department of Conservation. 

An experienced environmental policy leader, manager, and advocate, she has experience in the machinery of government and has led collaborative work programmes on a wide range of environmental policy issues. 

Kayla is also a subject-matter specialist in Treaty law, with a particular focus on the interaction between indigenous and colonial legal systems in the context of natural resource management.

Kayla is taking an extended leave of absence in 2026.

Meet the Board

“I am really pleased to have joined forces with WWF-New Zealand. We are both completely committed to protecting and restoring our planet’s wildernesses and wildlife, atmosphere and oceans."

Hon James Shaw

  • Hon James Shaw - Chair

    James served in the New Zealand House of Representatives from 2014-2024 and as Climate Change Minister in Jacinda Ardern’s government from 2017-2023. The architect of New Zealand’s net-zero framework, he brokered bi-partisan support for the Zero Carbon Act, reforms to the NZ Emission Trading Scheme, and the world’s first Climate Related Financial Disclosures regime. James was also Associate Minister of Finance and Minister of Statistics from 2017-2020 and Associate Minister for the Environment (Biodiversity) 2020-2023. He was Co-leader of the Green Party from 2015-2024 and in 2017 led the Greens into government for the first time ever.

    James is now an Operating Partner at Morrison, a leading global infrastructure investment management company. He has other roles as Director of Climate Opportunity and Global Development for Greenbridge Capital Management, is on the Sustainability Advisory Panel of Air New Zealand and is advising and supporting several other climate and nature related start-ups and not-for-profit organisations.

    James joined the WWF-New Zealand Board of Trustees in July 2024 and became Chair in May 2025.

  • Suzan Craig

    As an entrepreneur, Suzan has been pioneering ecosystem restoration, nature-based solutions, and sustainable business practices for two decades.

    Suzan has transformed Tahi – a degraded Northland farm – into a nature sanctuary, an eco-retreat and an award-winning producer of Mānuka honey. Since its inception, Tahi’s ecosystems, wetlands and forests have been restored and nearly 60 bird species have returned to the land, including 25 rare and endangered species. Tahi was recognised as the ‘Most Sustainable Business in New Zealand’ in 2020 and received the ‘Restoring Nature’ award in 2020 and again in 2021.

    Suzan is currently working on developing a transformative indigenous carbon and biodiversity accounting and planting methodology, while extending the Tahi project for greater impact.

    Suzan co-founded the Villars Institute, a Swiss non-profit foundation, that aims to accelerate the transition to Net Zero and Nature Positive economy through interdisciplinary research, intergenerational collaboration, and systems leadership. 

    Suzan is also a founding member and board member of the Long Run, an organisation of nature-based tourism businesses committed to driving sustainability.

    Suzan joined the WWF-New Zealand Board of Trustees in March 2024.

  • Richard Lauder

    Richard has had a long career in Chief Executive roles across process manufacturing, infrastructure services, experimental aviation, and most recently tourism.

    As Chief Executive of Real Journeys (now known as RealNZ), Richard has led a number of significant conservation initiatives, including removing all the wilding pines from 150 hectares of Walter Peak; making 2000 hectares of Cooper Island in Dusky Sound predator free as a potential new habitat for Kākāpō and other endangered species; and holding the annual Birds of a Feather Conservation Ball – which raised over $400,000 for conservation initiatives.

    Richard is now focusing his efforts on climate change mitigation and the environment. He chairs the Trust for the Destruction of Synthetic Refrigerants, Natural Habitats Limited and the Planetary Accounting Network.

    Richard joined the WWF-New Zealand Board of Trustees in March 2024.

  • Dame Kerry Prendergast DNZM, CNZM - Chair Fundraising Committee

    Kerry is the former Mayor of Wellington and former Vice-President of Local Government New Zealand. She holds an MBA from, and is a distinguished Alumni of, Victoria University of Wellington.

    Kerry chairs Wellington Free Ambulance, Wellington Opera, the Royal New Zealand Ballet, the Tourism Industry Association, and the Victoria Foundation. She is a Director of Oceania Healthcare, Fish Serve and a Trustee of the Wellington International Arts Foundation, and the New Zealand Community Trust.

    Kerry has filled many other roles over the last ten years, including chairing the New Zealand Film Commission, NZ Tourism, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

    In January 2019 Kerry became a Dame Companion (DNZM) for services to governance and the community, after being awarded a CNZM in 2011 for her services to local government. In July 2016 Kerry was also awarded a Lifetime Excellence Award for Outstanding Contribution to Local Government.

    Kerry joined the WWF-New Zealand Board of Trustees in March 2024 and is the Chair of the Fundraising Committee.

  • Lou Sanson

    Lou has spent his entire career in nature, both professionally and for recreation. Notable roles include Director-General, Department of Conservation (2013 – 2021), Chief Executive, Antarctica New Zealand (2002 – 2013), Conservator, Department of Conservation, Southland (1996 – 2002) and Antarctic and NZ Cruise Ship Expedition Leader (1990 – 2020).

    Lou has specialised in history and storytelling in the wild environments of New Zealand, Subantarctic Islands, and Antarctica. He has done over 70 visits to Antarctica and is an acknowledged specialist in New Zealand history, natural history, and marine environments.  

    He has led many of New Zealand’s and Antarctica’s most significant environmental programmes. He has unique knowledge of some of the most special and remote parts of New Zealand along with a deep understanding of Māori tikanga and the natural world. His storytelling ability is renowned.

    Lou joined the WWF-New Zealand Board of Trustees in November 2021.

  • Matthew Valentine - Chair Audit and Risk Committee

    Matthew is committed to leading good corporate governance practices to deliver impactful conservation outcomes. He brings extensive experience in leading a range of functions including finance, HR, sustainability and health and safety.

    Matthew previously served as Manager of Corporate Services at the Wellington Ecosanctuary, ZEALANDIA Te Māra Tāne where he managed the integrated annual report. Matthew also played an instrumental role in helping ZEALANDIA Te Māra Tāne becoming a financially sustainable social enterprise over the five years he worked there.

    Matthew is committed to developing good sustainability practices and reporting across organisations in order to reduce carbon emissions. He has also led a number of initiatives to improve health and safety standards including implementing key risk management reporting for Boards.

    Matthew's career includes a number of senior finance roles in the public sector, including Chief Financial Officer roles at the State Services Commission and the Ministry of Justice. Matthew holds a BA Honours degree in Economics and is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.

    Matthew joined the WWF-New Zealand Board of Trustees in November 2021 and is the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee, focusing on financial issues.

  • Walter Wells - Ngāti Kuri, Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi, Ngātiwai

    Walter is an experienced trustee and director specialising in professional advice and services to the government, community, and private sectors. He brings a high degree of working knowledge of the machinery of government and policy development and holds several positions on not for profit, commercial, philanthropic and iwi organisations.

    Walter has dedicated over 30 years to Māori development working in the public sector forover 25 years and served his people on the Ngāti Kuri Trust Board for over 15 years. Walter’s tribal rohe of Ngāti Kuri extend across more than 1,00,000 square kilometres of land and ocean and is an ecological district regarded as a biodiversity hotspot of national and international significance that hosts important endemic species.

    The Ngāti Kuri Trust Board has committed to major environmental enhancement and biodiversity protection initiatives to restore and protect their ecosystem and environmental practices.

    His commitment to these obligations is embodied in a Ngāti Kuri whakataukī (proverb); “Tō tātou hā tuatahi nō te moana, ko te hā tuarua nō tātou te whenua. Our first breath is from the ocean, our second from the land.”

    Walter joined the WWF-New Zealand Board of Trustees in July 2024.

  • Brianne West

    Brianne West is a biologist and the founder of Incrediballs, an innovative start-up tackling the issue of single-use plastic bottles in the drinks industry.

    She is the former CEO of Ethique, the world’s first regenerative beauty brand. Since its inception, Ethique has prevented more than 34 million plastic bottles from being made and disposed of in landfills, and prevented over 600,000kg of carbon emissions.

    Brianne also established Business, but Better and Insprie Labs to mentor and invest in purpose-driven, ethical companies. 
    Her work is driven by a deep belief in the power of business to enact positive social and environmental change, demonstrating a commitment to creating a more sustainable and equitable world through innovative and ethical business practices.

    Brianne joined the WWF-New Zealand Board of Trustees in March 2024.