Our People

TIMBERLANDS draws on a solid foundation of knowledge and experience in the forestry industry. The combined expertise of our carefully selected Senior Leadership team covers the full spectrum of forest management including forest information, forest establishment, tending, harvesting, log manufacturing, marketing of logs and residues, as well as financial reporting, health & safety, environmental and compliance services. Many of our people have spent their working life in forestry and are recognised as experts in their field. TIMBERLANDS Limited employs approx 150 staff and manages approximately 1,000 contractors.


OUR SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM

RYAN CAVANAGH

Chief Executive Officer 

Ph.D Chemical Engineering, 
BEng (Hons) Chemical Engineering & Minerals Engineering, University of Birmingham, UK

Ryan joined our team as CEO in 2020 bringing global leadership experience along with his trademark energy and commitment to developing people, culture and high-performance outcomes.
With 17 years in lead roles at Rio Tinto, in locations ranging from Invercargill to London and Zimbabwe and as Senior Vice President for global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, Ryan has worked for multiple large organisations in different capacities.
As part of McKinsey’s Global Transformation team, Ryan was often seconded into client executive teams as a Chief Transformation Officer coach to lead and execute sustainable change.
Earlier in his career, he was responsible for all Rio Tinto affairs in New Zealand and General Manager for Gove Operations in the Northern Territory.


Pauline is our Chief Financial Officer at Timberlands and leads the financial management of accounts receivable, accounts payable, treasury, taxation, audit, insurance, and management accounting for all business units.
With 38 years of experience in the forestry sector and over 20 years with Timberlands, Pauline is a respected forestry veteran in her field. Pauline has wide-ranging experience and expertise in transport, harvesting, tree crops and shipping.  She cares deeply about the people and the community who work in forestry.
Prior to joining Timberlands, she held many positions within Fletcher Challenge Forests joining them in 1985, when they were Tasman Forestry, as a contractor payment clerk and finishing in 2003 as a shipping accountant. She studied extramurally during this time and became a Chartered Accountant and member of the Chartered Accountants, Australia and New Zealand in 1993.
Pauline has an extensive understanding of our forestry operations and the history of Timberlands. She leads a committed finance team at our main office.

PAULINE VAN DEN KERKHOF

Chief Financial Officer

       Chartered Accountant & Member of the CAANZ


DEAN WITEHIRA

Chief Operations Officer 

BForSc (Hons), University of Canterbury
New Zealand Certificate in Forestry, Waiariki Polytechnic
General Management Programme, Harvard Business School
Diploma in Te Ara Reo Māori, Te Whare Wānanga o Aotearoa. 

Dean is our Chief Operations Officer and has worked in and around the Kaingaroa Forest Estate for over 35 years. Dean started his career as a forestry worker while still at school and now leads the Genetics, Tree Crop, Harvesting and Marketing operations.
Dean has extensive experience in managing large-scale commercial forests, high-risk environments, the marketing and sale of logs and residues, harvesting and distribution, tree crop investment, tree improvement and nursery operations.
Developing people and relationships is central to how Dean builds safety awareness and forest productivity at Timberlands.
His previous work includes being a Director and shareholder of Timberlands Limited and Timberlands Pacific PTY Ltd, Australia. Dean is currently the Vice President of the NZ Forest Owners Executive, Chairman of Forest Genetics and is a Director of Forest Growers Research.
Ko whakapapa ia ki te Tai Tokerau. Tana Iwi ko Ngapuhi me Ngai Tawake te hapu. Tana ingoa whanau ko Whautere Witehira no Mataraua, Kaikohe.


Colin joined Timberlands in 2003 and is a recognised forest industry expert in the disciplines of sustainability and forest operational management.
As the GM of Sustainability, Colin is responsible for environment, iwi and community relations, fire and security, forest communication, enterprise risk, biosecurity and operational land matters.
Colin is committed to the seven core Restorative Development Goals for Timberlands and leads initiatives to support the reduction of carbon emissions across the supply value chain. 
Colin represents the company and the forestry sector in numerous domestic and international forums, including NZ Forest Owners Association Committees, the Central North Island Wood Council and as a delegate to the Forest Stewardship Council.

 

COLIN MAUNDER

General Manager Sustainability 

Bachelor of Forestry Science 
Masters in Environmental Sciences (Hons), Canterbury University, New Zealand


 

 

IAN BARRETT, GM OHS Partnering

Ian leads safety initiatives and compliance for Timberlands to manage risk and prevent injuries and harm inside our forest supply chain. He works closely with our people, frontline leaders, and forestry sector agencies. 
Prior to joining the Senior Leadership Team at Timberlands, he was the National Environment, Health & Safety Manager for Fletcher Construction. He has worked for several large-scale, high-risk industries, including oil and gas, construction, manufacturing and the primary sector. 
Ian is deeply passionate about keeping our kaimahi sfe and supoorting frontline leadership. 
HAZOP Leader Graduate Dip OHS, Massey University NZ,
NZ Institute of Safety Management, 
Worley Parsons New Zealand CEO Award

 

KRISHAN TOPIWALA, GM People, Culture & Transformation
Krishan has over 10 years’ experience in design and delivery of transformative people strategies to support business growth. Prior to joining Timberlands, Krishan held human resource positions across a range of industries including government, shipping, aviation, and professional services in the UK, Europe, Middle East, and New Zealand. Krishan has a LL.B from the University of Reading, UK.

IAN HINTON, GM Strategy & Innovation
Ian has over 30 years of industry experience with a career focus in resource modelling, forest valuation, research and development (R&D) and land management. Ian currently leads the team responsible for managing TL’s strategic planning, R&D, valuations, and resource management as well as leading our digital transformation. Ian has a BForSc (Hons) from the University of Canterbury, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Management from University of Waikato and is a member of the NZ Institute of Forestry.

STUART HICKMAN, Group Legal Counsel
Prior to joining Timberlands in 2017, Stuart held legal positions in both private practice and inhouse. Stuart has broad experience in the property, commercial, and environmental law fields. Stuart has an MA(hons) and LLB from The University of Auckland.

 

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