Wai Hononga Board appoints Brent Manning as Chief Executive

The Board of Wai Hononga Water Services Limited has appointed Brent Manning as the company's enduring Chief Executive.

Brent will start in the role on 1 September 2026, leading the organisation through to its go-live on 1 July 2027 and beyond.

Brent is an experienced water engineer and senior executive with a career spanning New Zealand and the Pacific.

He has served as establishment Chief Executive of To Tatou Vai in Rarotonga, undertaken consulting engagements across the Waikato and Manawatū regions, and worked with the Department of Internal Affairs during the national water services reform programme.

A former senior manager at New Plymouth District Council, Brent has lived in Taranaki throughout his career, travelling for his national and Pacific roles while remaining rooted in the district. He brings a deep understanding of its networks, people, and communities.

Board Chair Anthony Wilson said the appointment marks a significant milestone in the establishment of the new water services organisation.

"Brent brings a rare combination of technical depth as a water engineer, proven executive leadership, and first-hand experience of both establishment environments and the national reform programme. Just as importantly, he knows this region, has experience working with iwi and hapū and knows the district’s water infrastructure intimately.

“The Board is confident we have secured the right leader to take Wai Hononga from establishment into enduring operation," Mr Wilson said.

The appointment follows the planned transition from the establishment phase, which has been led by Establishment Chief Executive Neil Holdom.

Under Neil's leadership, Wai Hononga has put in place its governance and risk frameworks, organisational design and values with a founding commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, laid the foundations of the partnership with mana whenua, communications and engagement strategy, commercial due diligence programme, and the foundations of its water services strategy.

Mr Wilson said the Board was delighted that Neil would remain with the company through to late 2026, moving into a dedicated delivery role focused on the Regulatory and Customer functions.

"Neil has done an outstanding job standing this company up from a blank sheet of paper. The establishment role was always designed as a distinct phase, and Neil and the team have delivered it with real pace and rigour. This structure gives us the best of both worlds: enduring leadership in place, and our establishment expertise retained as we progress preparations for the Company’s Go Live," Mr Wilson said.

Incoming Chief Executive Brent Manning said he was honoured to take on the role in the place he calls home.

"Taranaki is my home and having spent my career working on water services here and around New Zealand and the Pacific, the chance to lead this organisation for my community is a genuine privilege.

Wai Hononga has been built on strong foundations, and I am excited to lead it into its next chapter. Water is a taonga, and our partnership with mana whenua will be at the heart of how we care for it. I look forward to working with the Board, the team, iwi and hapū, New Plymouth District Council, and the wider community to deliver safe, reliable water services for generations to come," Mr Manning said.

Holdom said he was pleased to hand over the organisational leadership to Manning.

"Brent is one of the people who convinced me to move from the private sector into local government, with a focus on lifting asset management maturity and investment in water, waste and transport infrastructure, for the long term to serve the people of New Plymouth and I can’t think of a better person to take on the role of enduring CE,” he said.

Wai Hononga Water Services Limited is the council-controlled water and wastewater organisation being established by New Plymouth District Council that will commence operations on 1 July 2027.