Our team of innovative, tenacious, passionate, and highly skilled individuals thrive on developing a better future for New Zealand through robust, fit-for-purpose, and industry-leading solar energy solutions.
We’re committed to best-in-class, first-to-market while optimising assets we and our clients can be proud of.
Working with our colleagues from Infratec, WEL Networks, external stakeholders and valued communities, every step is a moment we can be proud of. With individuals hailing from 12 different countries and cultures in the company, we’re proudly diverse. We believe this gives us powerful perspective as we grow.
Management Team
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David Barnett
Acting Chief Executive Officer
David Barnett
David has a strong background in finance, risk management, markets and supply chain across the banking, FMCG and electricity sectors, culminating in being appointed Group CFO at Infratec’s parent company WEL Networks in 2019. During this time, he was appointed a founding Director of Infratec New Zealand Limited and sister companies NewPower Energy Services Limited and NewPower Energy Limited and more recently transitioning to a key member of the NewPower / Infratec Advisory Group.
In February 2025 David was appointed Acting CEO and brings with him a strong focus on delivering quality outcomes for our customers while growing New Zealand’s renewable resource.
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Bharti Patel
GM Engineering Services
Bharti Patel
Bharti has 13 years of experience in the energy industry, working in New Zealand and in the UK for local and international clients. Her experience includes working for Transpower and consultancies including AECOM (NZ) and TNEI Services (UK).
Bharti developed a passion for renewable and low carbon network projects while working in the UK. Her work involved feasibility of development projects and included a focus on power system studies to enable connection of renewable generation.
While at Transpower Bharti worked for the System Operator as an operations engineer. In this role she was responsible for planning outages on the system by assessing power system and market impacts to meet regulatory requirements. She then moved to a project management role where she delivered strategic and tactical projects which included forging new ways of working within the business.
Joining Infratec in October 2021 she is excited to be leading the engineering team to build innovative solar and battery projects in NZ and the Pacific.
In her spare time, you’ll find Bharti gardening or on walks in Wellington’s town belt.
Training & Qualifications:
- Bachelor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Bachelor of Commerce, Operations Management
- Prince 2 Practitioner
- ICAgile Certified Professional
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Ricky Smith
GM Generation
Ricky Smith
Ricky has 30 years’ experience in the NZ electricity industry. Starting out with New Zealand Electricity with the Clyde hydro power station construction, Roxburgh hydro substation refurbishment, the HVDC Pole 2 hybrid project at Benmore. Later, he worked for Meridian Energy as a Diagnostic and Performance Engineer, optimising hydro generation maintenance. Ricky was involved with the construction and commissioning of Te Apiti Wind Farm and lead electrical engineer for West Wind.
He worked for Transpower in Wellington for 12 years, having several roles, including project managing the Haywards’ synchronous condenser refurbishment and closing out and operationalising the Siemens HVDC Pole 3. As a Senior Manager, he went on to lead specialist engineering teams, responsible for the maintenance and operation of Transpower‘s assets, including HVDC converter stations and Cook Strait cables, synchronous condensers, STATCOMs, static VAR compensators, transmission and substation primary equipment, protection and automation.
Training & Qualifications:
- BE (Hons) Electrical & Electronic Engineering, University of Canterbury
- Trade Certificate Electrical Fitting
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Jamie Aitken
Chief Financial Officer
Jamie Aitken
Jamie has over 20 years’ experience in finance roles across several industries, from media and newspapers in the UK to more recently the energy sector in NZ. Jamie has previously had senior management and finance roles with Pioneer Energy and Meridian’s Energy for Industry (EFI) customer Build, Own Operate heat and power business, as a subsidiary, and then a successful on-sale to Pioneer Energy. With Pioneer he was Finance Manager of the retail and energy solutions business and led the successful transition of Pioneer becoming a Tier 1 electricity market participant and Trader. Jamie joined Infratec in June 2021.
When not working, Jamie can be found chasing after his young son who has recently learnt to cycle, snowboarding on fair weather days and DIY and gardening around the house.
Training & Qualifications:
- BCom, Accounting and Business Management
- Chartered Accountant Australia and New Zealand, CAANZ
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Paul Kirkham
Commercial Director
Paul Kirkham
Paul has a career spanning more than 40 years in the electricity generation, transmission and distribution sectors, telecommunications, rail transportation and industrial industries across New Zealand, Australia and Pacific Islands.
Paul’s career commenced at Electrix Limited (now Omexom), in engineering, project and programme management and business development roles. The second career step was with Alstom New Zealand Limited (who over the 11 years of employment, changed its name five times, ending with Transfield Services New Zealand Limited), in project and programme management, business development, commercial management and general management roles. The third career step was with Transpower New Zealand Limited, in commercial management and procurement roles.
The fourth career step is with Infratec/NewPower Energy Services New Zealand, in a commercial management role. Through these various roles, Paul has participated in many of New Zealand’s largest construction projects, including as commercial manager for Transpower on the NZ$785M upgrade of the 1400MW HVDC link between the New Zealand’s North and South Islands. Paul has also played a key role in outsourcing of utility infrastructure maintenance, and as strategic commercial manager for Transpower, lead the procurement of replacement outsourced contracts associated with maintenance and enhancement of the New Zealand national electricity grid, with contracts collectively valued at >NZ$2.5B over the 10-year term.
Outside of work, Paul is busy with his wife, Susan, in supporting his four children and one grandchild.
Training & Qualifications:
- BE (Hons) Electrical Engineering, Auckland University (1980)
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Chris Service
GM Development and Delivery (Acting)
Chris Service
Chris is the GM Development and Delivery for Infratec. He is passionate about making a positive impact and specialises in shaping sustainable energy solutions that match the needs of his clients, in what are often remote and challenging conditions.
Chris joined Infratec in 2018 and spent the previous decade conducting new business development activities in renewables across Africa and Europe. In Europe, Chris was responsible for new market entry for Sungevity International, driving the company’s international growth strategy and expansion into Italy and Belgium. In Africa, Chris supported the growth of rural Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) in rural off-grid communities in Uganda, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, and Burkina Faso and bringing solar energy services to remote communities for the first time.
When not pushing for impact with renewable energy, Chris is always up for a mission just for the fun of it, be it setting up a mini-golf team for the sole purpose of attending a World Cup or convincing his kids cycling in the rain is fun.
Training and Qualifications:
- PGDipTech – Energy Management, Honours with Distinction (RE System Design, Remote Access Power Supplies), Massey University (2012)
- BA – Environmental Management (2005)
- Social Returns on Investment Certificate (2013)
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Kitty Garden
Stakeholder Relationship Manager
Kitty Garden
Kitty Garden has over 16 years of international experience in projects related to climate change, energy access, renewable energy, and sustainability more broadly. Fluent in six languages, she has managed capacity-building programmes, organised high-level international events, and carried out complex cross-cultural stakeholder engagement programmes.
Kitty leads stakeholder engagement activities at NewPower, including mana whenua engagement, and runs the group’s sustainability programme. She previously managed the New Zealand – Maluku Access to Renewable Energy Support (NZMATES) programme in Indonesia, living for two years in Ambon, Maluku.
Before joining Infratec she worked on implementing a new Code of Conduct for New Zealand’s international development NGOS, promoting good practice standards in programming, accountability, transparency, safeguarding, public engagement, organisational governance and management.
When she’s not at work you will most likely find Kitty biking around the windy bays of Wellington, playing guitar and singing at open mic nights, or getting into the outdoors with her family.
Training and Qualifications
- Diploma in Te Pīnakitanga ki te Reo Kairangi Level 7, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa (2023)
- Master in Development Studies, specialisation in Sustainable Development, from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva (2013)
- Bachelor of Arts, University of Auckland (2006)
