Michael is a qualified Chartered Accountant with a Business Management degree. After beginning his career in accounting at Ernst & Young, he worked for several major investment banks internationally.

Over the past decade, he has worked as both a CFO and CEO for fast-growing entrepreneurial companies, including an NZX listed utility enterprise software company, before heading up retirement village developer Vision Senior Living, which he then helped merge into Metlifecare.  He is experienced in private equity and institutional capital raising and applying financial and management discipline to growth companies to maximize shareholder returns and drive sustainable performance.

Brandon is responsible for directing Avertana’s lab and pilot-scale R&D, as well as project management of commercial deployments of the company’s technology.

Brandon previously worked at Cristal Global, then the world’s second-largest titanium pigment producer. As a Business Development and Project Manager of their Growth Programs, he managed the delivery of titanium ore smelting and metal production projects in Saudi Arabia. Before this, he worked for 14 years with global resources major Rio Tinto, predominantly managing large, complex capital projects in East Asia, South Africa, North America and Western Australia.

James brings strong analytical, strategic and sustainability focus to Avertana’s marketing, planning, product development, and external relations.

After completing a Science degree focused on Environmental Management, he began his career in mid-market M&A, corporate finance and strategic advisory at Cranleigh Merchant Bankers, where he worked on more than $400m in transactions. In 2010, he joined LanzaTech’s Business Development team, where he supported the senior executive in the company’s Auckland and Chicago offices.

Andrew represents K1W1 on the Board and lends his considerable skills and experience in heavy manufacturing, corporate finance, major capital projects and governance.

Andrew was previously GM of the Building Products division of Fletcher Building then worked as CEO of Rank Group’s Evergreen Packaging and Reynolds Group holdings for several years. He is currently Chair of the NZ Shareholders Association.

Chris represents a US-based private investor on the Board and manages their interests in New Zealand.  He holds several board advisory and contract executive roles across sectors ranging from start-up FMCG to mature agriculture businesses.

Chris is an experienced entrepreneur and investor in his own right, with particular expertise in strategy, growth and business development following a career in large New Zealand corporates.

Ivan works closely with Avertana’s executive team to support the development of key relationships with potential end-users of Avertana’s technology, as well as the products of its process.

He has over 30 years’ experience in the chemicals industry, working initially as a paint chemist then for the last 20 years with one of Australasia’s leading chemical distributors. His career in chemical distribution included co-ownership of Polychem following an MBO, the sale of Polychem to Nuplex (a leading chemical company), then as Vice President and Group General Manager of the Specialties division of Nuplex. Ivan brings a wealth of experience within Avertana’s target industry sectors and an established network of contacts within key consuming customers globally.

Barnaby is an entrepreneur and investor who represents Icehouse Ventures on Avertana’s Board. He brings extensive experience in technology investing, capital raising, and commercialization to the team.

Barnaby began his career as the co-owner of I Love Ugly, where he helped grow the brand from obscurity to global recognition between 2011 and 2017.

In 2017, he joined Icehouse Ventures as a Partner. Under his leadership, Icehouse Ventures expanded its funds under management from $15 million to over $450 million, becoming one of New Zealand’s most recognized venture capital firms.

Barnaby leads Icehouse Ventures’ investment team, with a portfolio that includes companies such as Dawn Aerospace, Basis, Narrative, Timescapes, Ideally, and Avertana.

He is also the co-founder and owner of New Ground Coffee, a specialty RTD coffee innovation partner and manufacturer, producing for some of the world’s top coffee brands.