Z Energy takes premier title at Deloitte energy awards

MEDIA RELEASE: 18 AUGUST 2011

Z Energy takes premier title at Deloitte energy awards

* Special award for Roger Sutton

The Deloitte Energy Excellence Awards were held last night in Auckland to recognise achievement and excellence in the New Zealand energy sector.

Over 650 guests attended the black-tie event at the Langham Hotel.

The Acting Minister of Energy and Resources, Hon Hekia Parata, was the guest of honour and keynote speaker at the event. The minister congratulated all the winners and finalists. "Recognising those who achieve excellence in any field of industry is an important part of a successful country," she says.

Z Energy won the Overall Energy Company of the Year award. The company, born out of the sale of Shell's service station business and associated infrastructure to Infratil and the New Zealand Superannuation Fund, had a stellar year according to the judging panel. The company successfully re-branded and localised an otherwise decentralised operation - a challenging task in its own right, returning a healthy earnings lift in the process.

Roger Sutton received the Energy News editor's award for outstanding contribution to the sector. Sutton was chief executive at Canterbury lines company Orion from 2003 until this year when he left to become chief executive of the newly established Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority.

Energy News editor Gavin Evans said that while Sutton's performance at Orion during the earthquakes was outstanding, his biggest contribution to the industry was in the culture and professional rigour he harnessed and developed at Orion since becoming chief executive in 2003.

Contact Energy's James Kilty won Young Energy Executive of the Year and Patrick Strange from Transpower won Energy Executive of the Year.

Contact also received the inaugural Innovation in Petroleum award for the development with Origin Energy of the Ahuroa gas storage facility in Taranaki.

Over 60 entries were received across the 10 categories. Chairman of the Judging Panel, Peter Griffiths, says that the calibre of entries was very high. "The judging panel has been in the privileged position of seeing the work of New Zealand's best energy businesses and learning of their successes," he says. "It was a real challenge to select finalists and ultimately winners from the diversity and high quality of entries."

The principal sponsor for the event is Deloitte.

Deloitte partner and energy sector leader Paul Callow congratulated all the winners in this year's Deloitte Energy Excellence Awards.

"Deloitte is thrilled to again be associated with recognising the best and brightest in the energy sector, and the valuable contribution they make to New Zealand's economy. The entries in this year's awards were outstanding, and clearly showed that innovation and striving for excellence is well and truly alive in the sector."

The MC for the evening was TV newsreader Michael Wilson. Half-time entertainment was provided for with a surprise visit from Peter Feeney playing Beau Tyler.

The event was attended at an executive level within the energy sector across the electricity, gas and petroleum disciplines.

The event is run annually by Freeman Media, publisher of online news and information service Energy News.

THE WINNERS:

Innovation in Electricity Award - sponsored by Gentrack

Powerco - Leading Innovation

Innovation in Petroleum Award - sponsored by ITL

Contact Energy & Origin Energy - Ahuroa gas storage facility

Excellence in Health & Safety Award - sponsored by Siemens

MB Century - The Path to HSE Excellence

Environmental Excellence Award - sponsored by PEPANZ

Meridian Energy - Project Te Uku - Premier Wind Farm Development

Young Energy Executive of the Year - sponsored by Minter Ellison Rudd Watts

James Kilty - Contact Energy

Energy Executive of the Year - sponsored by Transfield Worley

Patrick Strange - Transpower

Lines Company of the Year - sponsored by TE Connectivity

Powerco

Energy Retailer of the Year - sponsored by Deloitte

Mercury Energy

Overall Energy Company of the Year - sponsored by Port Taranaki

Z Energy

Editor's award for outstanding contribution to the sector - sponsored by EECA

Roger Sutton

ENDS

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