Executive team

Paul Reynolds: Chief Executive, Telecom Group

Dr Paul Reynolds was appointed Chief Executive of the Telecom Group on June 28 2007, effective from 27 September 2007. His previous role is as CEO of BT Wholesale in the United Kingdom. Paul joined BT in 1983 after completing a doctorate in geology at the University of London. He has had a distinguished career, encompassing senior leadership roles in sales and marketing, strategy, information systems, broadband, and guiding BT's wholesale business through the complex process of operational separation, when Openreach was created. He served on BT's Board of Directors from 2001. In 2006, the Telecommunications Industry Association of America awarded him its 'Global Icon' award for his leadership and innovation.

Tristan Gilbertson: Group General Counsel

Tristan was appointed Group General Counsel in July 2008. He leads Telecom's Group Legal & Corporate Services team. He is responsible for legal services, corporate governance, compliance, risk management, internal audit, media and communications, government relations, industry and regulatory affairs and is an executive sponsor for the Telecom Foundation. Tristan is a highly experienced corporate and commercial lawyer with extensive international experience in telecommunications law and regulation. After graduating BA (Japanese) and LLB(Hons) from Auckland University, Tristan commenced his career as the Wellington High Court Judges' Clerk, before going on to practice law with several leading international law firms. He then joined Vodafone Group PLC, where he occupied a number of senior leadership positions, including Legal and Regulatory Director - Asia-Pacific Region and Governance Director - Europe Region. Outside work, Tristan enjoys spending time with his family and friends, keeping fit at the gym, keeping up his Japanese language skills, and pursuing his interest in music.

Alan Gourdie: Chief Executive, Telecom Retail

Alan returned home to New Zealand to join Telecom in August 2008, he will be responsible for driving the Retail Division's commitment to improving the experience of Telecom consumer and business customers. Alan has a passion for brands. After starting his career as a research and development chemist at Reckitt and Colman, Alan moved into brand management. He took on a senior marketing role at DB Group, eventually becoming the General Manager Marketing for the Brewing business. Since then he has worked as Global Marketing Manager for Heineken in Amsterdam and for Asia Pacific Breweries leading the operations in Singapore. Immediately prior to joining Telecom Alan was in London as Managing Director of APB's UK and European operations. Alan completed a Bachelor's degree in Science in 1986 and a Master's Degree with First Class Honours in Chemistry from the University of Auckland, New Zealand.

David Havercroft: Group Chief Technology Officer

David Havercroft, joined Telecom NZ in October 2009. UK-born, David has over 25 years experience in the telecommunications industry, in executive roles in business and technology functions in major telco operators, BT and Cable & Wireless; and in professional services organisations, PwC and IBM. David has a proven track record in designing and leading complex business and information technology transformation programmes with particular focus on strategic partnerships. He has designed and led major change programmes focused on revenue growth and cost efficiency, network roll-outs and ongoing management of in- sourced and outsourced operations. David's leadership and operational focus includes implementing governance mechanisms to support the realisation of business outcomes, and creating high performance cultures. Whilst at IBM Asia Pacific, David developed and led the transformation outsourcing approach for Bharti Televentures (India) - a fixed and mobile operator, where he oversaw hyper-growth from 3 million customers to over 45 million customers. The transformation programme David led at Bharti successfully designed and implemented a complete telco technology architecture and new operational business processes for all of Bharti's telecommunications business units and products. In his last role at IBM, David was responsible for the development and delivery of strategic outsourcing for telecommunications clients for IBM in Asia Pacific.

Nick Olson: Group Chief Financial Officer

Nick was appointed Chief Financial Officer in September 2010. Previously Nick was the Group Controller, and prior to that had responsibility for the treasury function, including all external financing and hedging, Financial Strategy and Group M&A. Nick joined Telecom in January 2002 following approximately 13 years of investment banking experience in New Zealand, New York and Hong Kong. Nick holds a Bachelor of Engineering (1st Class Honours) from the University of Auckland. Nick is a keen cyclist and enjoys boating and diving with the family at Tutukaka.

Chris Quin: Chief Executive, Gen-i

Chris is responsible for leading a team of 3,300 at one of Australasia's fastest-growing, innovative ICT services providers. Under his leadership, Gen-i is transforming the delivery and support of integrated IT and telecommunications solutions to organisations across New Zealand and Australia. Chris's strengths include channel management, sales and services strategy, and business change. He is an acknowledged team leader and motivator. His achievements have included the management of the merger of Gen-i, Telecom Advanced Solutions, and Computerland after establishing Telecom Advanced Solutions as New Zealand's leading ICT services group, achieving year-on-year business growth and expansion into Australia. Before joining Telecom in 1991, Chris was CFO for Mitel and Financial Accountant at Orica (formerly ICI). He took up his current role in 2004. Chris has a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration from Victoria University in Wellington.

Rod Snodgrass: Chief Product Officer

Rod is responsible for integrating product and pricing activity across Telecom's business units, excluding regulated (relevant)services and non network integrated IT services. Rod's focus is on driving world-class product lifecycle management including delivering targeted growth through developing new products, services and channels.

Hailing from Nelson in the South Island, Rod spent his youth in Nelson and New Plymouth before graduating from Wellington's Victoria University with a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant. Rod's spare time is devoted to his three children, catching up with friends and keeping fit by running, cycling, swimming, surfing and playing tennis.

Tina Symmans: Director of Corporate Relations

Tina was appointed as the Group Director of Corporate Relations in June 2008. She has extensive experience in marketing, corporate relations and strategic communications, and has held a variety of senior roles with leading New Zealand companies in the capital markets, banking, ports, transport, energy and agriculture sectors. Tina also founded and managed a successful strategic communications and government relations consultancy and has been providing independent advice to large New Zealand businesses for many years. She is currently a Director on the Board of Turners & Growers Ltd. In November 2011, Tina announced she is stepping down from the Telecom executive, electing to leave Telecom in mid-December 2011.

When she's not at work Tina likes to spend time with her family at her home in the Hawkes Bay, especially when she is waist deep in the Tuki Tuki river fishing for whitebait.

CEO direct reports

David Yuile: CEO AAPT

David was appointed CEO of AAPT on 1 July 2011. David brings with him considerable experience and knowledge of both the Australian telecommunications industry and the AAPT business, and understands the challenges of sustaining business growth in a complex and changing environment.

AAPT is one of only three Australian telecommunications providers with the capabilities and resources needed to own and operate its own national voice and data network.

Jan ONeill: Group HR Director

Jan ONeill has interim responsibility for Telecom's HR function as Group HR Director. Jan reports directly to Group CEO Paul Reynolds and is focused on leading the HR team in providing support for the ongoing restructuring of Telecom, including the potential demerger of the Chorus network business.