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About the board#
The New Zealand School Property Agency (NZSPA) will be established by no later than 1 November 2026.
The NZSPA Board will replace the establishment board when that happens.
New school property agency to be established – Beehive
Appointments to new school property board – Beehive.govt.nz
Role of the board#
The establishment board’s work will centre on the transition and set up of NZSPA, focusing on 3 immediate priorities:
- getting better value for money
- being more flexible and responsive when we work with schools
- making sure the current operating model transitions smoothly to the new agency.
Establishment board members#
Murray McCully (Chair)#
Murray served as Minister of Foreign Affairs for 8 and a half years and Member of Parliament for 30 years. He is the Chair of Te Tai Tokerau Water Trust and Chair of Whangārei District Holdings Limited.
Murray was lead independent reviewer for the Ministerial Inquiry into School Property.
Sarah Petersen#
Sarah is a chartered accountant specialising in risk and governance in the Far North. She is a current Director and Audit Committee Chair for Tupu Tonu | Ngāpuhi Investment Fund, and the Deputy Chair/Audit Committee Chair for Far North Holdings, the asset management arm of the Far North District Council. She was previously the Chief Financial Officer for Cognition Education Group, a global education delivery and consultancy company.
Sarah is the Board Chair of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.
Mark Binns#
Mark is the current Chair of National Infrastructure Funding and Financing Limited and Director for Hynds Limited, Auckland International Airport and Mercury Energy.
He is a former Chief Executive of Meridian Energy and led the company through the largest initial public offering (IPO) in New Zealand's history. Prior to this Mark was also Chief Executive of the Infrastructure division of Fletcher Building.
Mark was a lead independent reviewer for the Ministerial Inquiry into School Property.
Rick Herd#
Rick led Naylor Love to become one of the largest privately owned construction companies in New Zealand. He is known for raising industry standards and actively contributes to industry bodies like Registered Master Builders and Construction Health and Safety NZ.
Rick is a Director of Port Otago Limited, ENI Engineering Limited, and Nelmac Limited.
Appointing the NZSPA Board#
On 23 July 2026, Education Minister Erica Stanford announced the appointment of the New Zealand School Property Agency (NZSPA) Board.
The six NZSPA Board appointments are:
- Hon Murray McCully CNZM CF - Chair
- Sarah Petersen - Deputy Chair
- Mark Binns - Member
- Rick Herd - Member
- Sue McCormack - Member
- Peter Alexander - Member.
Appointing the NZSPA Board is a significant step in the establishment of the NZSPA, providing strong leadership, governance and infrastructure expertise.
The NZSPA Board will take up its role from the commencement date of the NZSPA, providing continuity from the Establishment Board that has supported the transition to the new model.
The NZSPA Board will include the current Establishment Board members plus two new appointments.
Sue McCormack#
Sue is an experienced professional director with more than 25 years in governance roles and over three decades in commercial and corporate law. She has held senior leadership roles including Deputy Chair of KiwiRail and Chancellor of the University of Canterbury, bringing expertise in infrastructure, dispute resolution, and leading large, complex organisations through change.
Peter Alexander #
Peter Alexander has held senior executive and governance roles across major organisations, including Kiwi Property Group, Auckland Airport and AMP Capital. He has extensive experience in investment strategy, asset management, large-scale development and delivering complex property programmes.
Appointments to new school property Board | Beehive.govt.nz
Message from the Chair#
We are committed to building meaningful relationships with the schools that will be served by the New Zealand School Property Agency.
