Our Team
Our dedicated team of sustainability experts, business leaders and fierce advocates all share a common kaupapa: protecting Aotearoa’s environment for future generations.
With our diverse backgrounds, we are united by our unwavering commitment to the planet and its people.
Alex Eddington
Chief Executive
Over that time Alex held numerous leadership and project roles, and was a process improvement designer, mentor, trainer and certified environmental auditor. Alex first started his career with Auckland Council, working on waste minimisation projects, following on from his environmental technology degree.
Keeli Gregory
Operations Manager
Keeli is the first port-of-call when making contact with our office. She’s often endearingly referred to as ‘Keeli-pedia’ due to her institutional and general knowledge.
Keeli’s attention to detail and systems and processes, ensure the ecolabel runs smoothly.
As a mother of two, Keeli is passionate about protecting our planet for future generations.
Dr Andrea Edwards
Head of Standards
Andrea is in charge of ensuring our standards continue to meet the highest level of environmental assurance. With a PhD in Environmental Science from the University of Auckland, she has vast knowledge on ISO14024 and works closely with our Technical Advisory Panel.
In 2022, she joined the Working to End Racial Oppression (WERO) programme; conducting a study on the drivers and impacts of environmental injustice on ethnic communities in Tāmaki Makaurau.
Outside of her environmental work, Andrea is a programme facilitator with the Peace Foundation; responsible for teaching conflict resolution skills to secondary students.
Andrea is eager to collaborate with businesses and communities on developing innovative sustainable solutions.
Prasanna Nara
Head of Industry Partnerships
Prasanna leads our work with businesses and industry, helping more products and services achieve Eco Choice certification and ensuring our Ecolabel Partners get the most from being part of our community. She also connects people and businesses to create opportunities that extend the reach and impact of the Ecolabel.
Before joining Eco Choice in 2024, Prasanna spent three years building her own communications studio, Conscious Copy. Running her own business gave her first-hand experience of what makes a great client experience and how to create and nurture relationships that last.
She holds a Master’s Degree in English and New Media and describes herself as a “quiet disruptor”, driven by a desire to use business as a force for good.
Gautami Bhor
Certification Advisor
Gautami works closely with businesses going through Eco Choice certification, helping them understand what’s required and navigate the process with confidence.
With a knack for making complex information easier to understand, she helps bridge the gap between the technical detail behind our standards and what businesses actually need to know.
She has extensive experience working as a Sustainability Consultant, engaging with larger corporations in Aotearoa and working with them on sustainability strategy, impact assessment and various reporting standards and frameworks. She is also a co-founder of Planet Pact, a global community focused on building capability in sustainability across geographies.
Originally from India, Gautami moved into sustainability from an IT engineering background to pursue her passion for climate action and sustainable development.
Our Board
The Eco Choice board members have significant leadership experience in their respective industries and are committed to creating a more sustainable future.
Each of them offer valuable insights that shape the way we approach our mission.
Andy Hill
Chairperson
Andy joined the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment in 2020 as Director Auckland.
With 15 years at the Ministry for Primary Industries focusing on policy and natural resource management, and 9 years in marine research, he offers a holistic view of environmental sustainability.
His diverse experience includes roles at the Department of Conservation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as serving as Private Secretary to a Minister.
Andy holds advanced degrees in environmental and marine science, as well as engineering.
Huia Iti
Stakeholder Representative
Huia has been the driving force behind Ecostore’s product development since 2007, turning the company’s sustainability vision into a reality by shifting the brand’s packaging from petrochemical plastic to sugarcane-based plastic.
With a BSc in Chemistry from Auckland University and prior roles in industries like building and dental care, he brings a nuanced perspective to sustainability. Huia not only understands the challenges of adopting sustainable practices in business but has also successfully navigated them.
His thoughtful, holistic approach has been key in maintaining Ecostore’s status as the most recognised sustainable brand for five consecutive years (Colmar Brunton Better Futures Report, 2014-2018).
Andrew Gair
Board Member
Andrew is Director of Movida NZ Ltd, a brand marketing consultancy. He has 25 years’ experience in strategic branding, marketing consulting and management leadership roles. He has worked with local and international companies across a broad spectrum of industries, assisting them in rethinking their brands and developing their strategic and creative roadmaps.
Andrew has a Bachelor of Business Studies from Massey University, has lived abroad for many years and is passionate about Aotearoa’s potential as a model for sustainable performance and as a catalyst for a global change for good.
Gael Ogilvie
Board Member
Gael brings four decades of governance and executive leadership in environmental stewardship and sustainability, both in New Zealand and internationally.
She has held key roles in various organisations including Auckland Council and AECOM, and has led large-scale projects focused on climate action and community education. Gael has also been involved in several governance roles with organisations like the Sustainable Business Network and the Resource Management Law Association.
As a social entrepreneur, she founded the Tread Lightly Caravan, an initiative which has successfully educated thousands of New Zealand school children to consciously change their lifestyle for the betterment of the planet. She is currently in the process of launching a new business venture to highlight and celebrate New Zealand’s native flora and fauna.
Chloe Van Dyke
Board Member
Chloe Van Dyke is the founder and director of Chia Sisters; an innovative, sustainable, and health-focused beverage business, and co-founder of Businesses For Climate Action; an organisation that brings industries together in Te Tau Ihu to collectively work on their environmental impact.
Chloe is an Edmund Hillary Fellow, Asia Pacific Obama Leader, SheEO Venture, and Asia New Zealand Foundation member, showcasing her strong international ties in social and environmental entrepreneurship.
She was a finalist for EY Entrepreneur of the Year and won the Deloitte Fast 50 Regional Rising Star award. With a Bachelor of Science and a Post Graduate Diploma in Neuroscience, Chloe also has a keen interest in business ethics, sustainable systems, collaborative models, and intergenerational thinking.
Saia Latu
Board Member
Born in Tonga and raised in South Auckland, Saia Latu left school at 14 and faced significant challenges before becoming the Founder, CEO, and General Manager of TROW Group.
With over 20 years in deconstruction, civil infrastructure, and maintenance, Saia aims to foster a circular economy that benefits Maori and Pasifika communities by providing support and opportunities they often lack. Under his leadership, TROW Group has received numerous awards, including the 2022 Westpac “Community Contribution Award” and the 2021 Zero Waste Awards “Excellence in Innovation.”
Saia continues to lead the industry in sustainable practices and inspire others to adopt more sustainable practices.
Martin Workman
Board Member
Martin leads Tūmatakōkiri (Māori Rights and Interests, Policy and Science, Treaty Settlements and Partnerships) at MfE. He has been at Manatū Mō Te Taiao since 2016, working on such exciting things as improving the health of our waterways and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the agriculture sector.
Before working at MfE, Martin worked on freshwater policy for the Ministry for Primary Industries and held roles at the Ministry of Fisheries, Nelson City Council, Tasman District Council, and Northland Federated Farmers, focusing on environmental management. Martin grew up in Kaitaia and affiliates with Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa.
Alice O'Connor
Board Member
Alice is currently Director of Finance at the Auckland Theatre Company, bringing with her a diverse background in Commerical Finance. She is a Chartered Accountant by trade, having qualified with the ICAEW as part of a graduate scheme with PwC London.
Our Technical Advisory Panel
Our Technical Advisory Panel brings together independent experts from across industry and academia to provide advice and feedback on our standards. They ensure our standards remain scientifically robust, credible, commercially feasible and informed by current industry and regulatory developments.
Greg Percival
Resene
Greg Percival has been employed in the global paint industry for over 45 years predominantly 22 years with Rohm and Haas Company USA working in over 20 countries and receiving the Otto Haas Award for Technical Excellence in 1997. For the last 17 years, Greg has been employed by Resene Paints Ltd and has led the NZ Paint Manufacturers Association since 2017.
Greg has lectured on Paint Technology at universities in New Zealand and Singapore with core interests of modelling paint performance properties and rheology. Reducing toxicity of paint ingredients and improving the safety of paint application has been a focus throughout Greg’s career.
Stefan Rüegg
Proxima Consulting
Stefan Rüegg is an experienced sustainability strategist with more than 25 years of expertise in advancing social and environmental impact across international business contexts. Educated as an environmental scientist, he has advised prominent companies on corporate responsibility, sustainability strategy, and reporting.
He possesses in-depth knowledge of standards and frameworks, having served as a Senior Advisor to AccountAbility and as an accredited trainer for the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards. Stefan’s work combines technical rigour with strategic acumen, supporting organisations to embed transparency, accountability, and resilience at the heart of their operations.
Elizabeth Lu
SLR Consulting
Elizabeth Lu is a Senior Consultant in the Corporate Sustainability – Climate Change and Net Zero Strategy team at SLR Consulting.
She currently works with organisations across Asia Pacific on climate-related financial disclosures (e.g. AASB S2), climate scenario analysis, and carbon accounting. Elizabeth began her sustainability career in New Zealand with Toitū Envirocare where she supported New Zealand organisations to achieve carbon certifications, later moving to PwC as a Senior Associate in the Sustainability, Climate and Nature team where she advised clients on the New Zealand climate standards, ESG reporting software, and carbon markets.
She has since expanded her work into Australia and the wider APAC region to gain international insights and experience across diverse regulatory and market contexts. Elizabeth is passionate about supporting organisations in their transition to a low-carbon, nature-positive future.
Louise Nash
Circularity
Louise Nash is the founder and CEO of Circularity, a circular design and transformation consultancy helping organisations rethink the way products, materials and resources move through our economy. With more than 20 years of experience spanning strategy, design and innovation, Louise has worked across business and government to turn circular economy principles into practical action.
Israel MacDonald
New Zealand Steel
Israel is the Sustainability and Market Development Manager at New Zealand Steel. Having worked through the entire steel value chain from raw irons and mining, iron & steel processing, rolling mills in the steel market with customers and stakeholders, Israel brings a broad view on the practical challenges and opportunities in this unique manufacturing sector.
Working closely with electric arc furnace project team, and operational staff, Israel is able to connect this historical change to local steelmaking with the significant impact on the wider infrastructure & construction sector.
Phoebe Moses
BECA
Phoebe Moses is a structural engineer turned sustainability specialist, bringing a practical understanding of how the materials we choose shape the carbon footprint of our built environment. After six years as a structural engineer at Beca, she moved into a Carbon Navigator role, working with building design teams to reduce carbon emissions and navigate the very real trade-offs between environmental outcomes and cost.
Ryan Phillip
Daikin New Zealand
Ryan Philp is a sustainability leader with more than a decade of experience across the HVACR and construction industries. His work sits at the intersection of building performance and decarbonisation, with particular expertise in refrigerants, energy efficiency and the role technologies such as heat pumps can play in reducing emissions. Ryan also leads embodied-carbon initiatives across the Asia-Pacific region and experience supporting Daikin UK’s Environmental Product Declaration programme.
Sara Walton
University of Otago
Professor Sara Walton has spent more than 20 years exploring how businesses can respond meaningfully to climate change and sustainability. As Professor of Sustainable Business at the University of Otago, her work spans sustainability reporting, carbon inventories, organisational change, climate and nature-related disclosures, and the circular economy. She has also contributed to policy work involving MBIE, MPI and the XRB, bringing academic research into conversations with government and industry.
As a Science Leader for Āmiomio Aotearoa, a research programme focused on the circular economy, Sara has also been involved in exploring how we can rethink systems of production and consumption and develop more sustainable business models.
Sara brings that research-driven, systems-level thinking to our Technical Advisory Panel, helping bridge the gap between sustainability theory and what businesses can actually put into practice.
Manu Rastogi
Kathmandu
Manu Rastogi brings more than 20 years of experience in the textile industry, having worked across textile mills, factories, brands and retailers in four countries. As Head of Product Innovation & Sustainability at Kathmandu, his experience extended deep into the supply chain, spanning responsible materials, sourcing, quality assurance, chemicals management, traceability and global compliance.
Throughout his career, Manu has worked with supply-chain partners from Tier 1 manufacturers through to upstream chemical suppliers to introduce more sustainable technologies into the outdoor and fashion industries. He has also participated in multi-stakeholder initiatives covering areas such as responsible wool, materials and industry sustainability.
Tim Kleier
Concrete NZ
As Sustainability and Policy Director at Concrete NZ, Tim is leading the cement and concrete sector’s transition towards its 2050 Net Zero Carbon roadmap. His work brings together data transparency, life-cycle thinking, regulatory policy and standards, with a focus on finding practical pathways to lower-carbon construction that work within real-world commercial constraints.
Tim also represents Concrete NZ on the committee of the Life Cycle Association of New Zealand (LCANZ), bringing another important connection between industry knowledge and life-cycle approaches to environmental performance.
On Eco Choice Aotearoa’s Technical Advisory Panel, Tim brings deep heavy-industry experience and a practical understanding of the challenges involved in decarbonising hard-to-abate building materials.
Saul Chambers
UniServices
Saul Chambers is a sustainability and climate leader whose career has spanned infrastructure, government, consulting and international standards. His work has focused on turning complex environmental challenges into practical strategies, with experience across climate action, biodiversity, sustainability, health and safety, and resilient communities.
As a Climate Advisor to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Saul reviewed standards across the building, construction and transport sectors and provided recommendations on how climate science could be incorporated into their revision. He has also worked as Transport Lead for the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), managing work to develop standards covering air, land, sea and logistics transport.
Saul brings a broad perspective on how environmental standards connect with climate science, infrastructure and the practical realities of implementing sustainability at scale.