Patrick Strange

Biography

Dr Patrick Strange was appointed to the Transgrid Board in 2023.

Patrick has spent 35 years working principally in the New Zealand and international electricity and infrastructure sectors.

He led Mercury Energy's response to the 1998 Auckland Power Crisis and was appointed Chief Executive in 1998.  He formed Vector, New Zealand’s dominant electricity distribution company.

Patrick was appointed Chief Executive of Transpower, New Zealand in 2007, where he successfully executed a major, multi-billion dollar reinvestment in the grid. He was also responsible for New Zealand’s System Operator.

Since retiring from Transpower, Patrick has been a director of Mercury Energy, the NZX, NSW Networks, Essential Energy, Worksafe New Zealand, Chorus, and Auckland International Airport. He was also chair of Chorus, developer of New Zealand’s fixed line fibre network, until retiring in 2022. Currently, he remains on the Mercury board and is chair of Auckland International Airport.

He was named New Zealand Energy Executive of the Year in 2011, led Transpower to being Energy Company of the Year in 2013, has twice been a finalist in the Executive of the Year awards, and was New Zealand Chair of the Year in 2022.