Mercury NZ has announced the appointment of senior energy executive Catherine Thompson as its new chief sustainability officer, effective from 28 July 2025.
Thompson brings more than 30 years of experience across the energy and legal sectors, having held executive positions at leading New Zealand energy companies Contact Energy and Manawa Energy. Her expertise spans corporate affairs, sustainability, consenting, strategy, and risk management, Mercury said in a statement.
Mercury chief executive Stew Hamilton described the role as critical to positioning the company as a leader in New Zealand’s electrification journey amid a highly complex and evolving external environment.
“I’m delighted to be welcoming someone of Catherine’s calibre, with strong values and the ability to build deep stakeholder relationships,” Hamilton said. “These qualities are key in a sector as interconnected as ours.”
He added that Thompson’s experience in driving transformation, fostering a positive culture, and building high-performing teams would be essential as Mercury continues to navigate significant change across the business, the sector, and the wider energy system.
Prior to her appointment, Thompson served as regulatory and risk general manager at Manawa Energy and was previously chief corporate affairs officer and general counsel at Contact Energy. She has also held private practice and in-house legal roles in both the United Kingdom and New Zealand.
Mercury confirmed that its current chief sustainability officer, Lucie Drummond, will remain in her role until June 2025 to support the transition.
