New Zealand’s Rise In Online Harm Drives Key Appointments For Netsafe

Netsafe has created a new leadership and advisory team to help improve New Zealander’s online experience.

Leading the team is new CEO Brent Carey who previously served as the domain name commissioner.

Carey says, "I am delighted with the depth of experience and continuity in our leaders, the new, continuing, and temporary appointments we are announcing today.

The appointments coincide with over $13 million dollars of scam losses reported last quarter to Netsafe up from just over $5 million dollars a year ago. Further figures from the quarter are at https://netsafe.org.nz/the-kit/fy22q4/

Chief Executive Officer Brent Carey says the online safety agency is evolving alongside technology advancements and changing patterns of harm to continue protecting New Zealanders.

“We needed to introduce fresh ideas and perspectives to online safety. It was key to fill these leadership roles with the expertise and experience that Leanne, Michael and others bring.”

Mrs Ross joins Netsafe from the New Zealand Game Developers Association (NZGDA) where she was Executive Director, managing 3000 members and 60 studios that generated over $276m in exports last year.

“To help meet this ongoing demand we created the new role, and it was key to have someone on board with the expertise and experience that Leanne brings to lead the growth and enhancement of our team.”

Also joining Netsafe is Michael des Tombe. He has recently returned from the United Kingdom where, for the past 18 years, he worked in a number of legal roles in the public sector. He was most recently Deputy Director at Cabinet Office Europe Legal Group and was a core member of the UK team successfully negotiating the UK’s post-Brexit trade and security relationship with the EU.

Mr des Tombe was awarded Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for public service in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2021.

Māori leader Amokura Panaho is Netsafe’s contracted cultural advisor assisting with the establishment of Netsafe’s Māori cultural capability and Māori online safety development efforts.
 

Amokura is descended from tūpuna and iwi across Aotearoa Te Atiawa, Taranaki, Ngā Ruahinerangi, Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Apakura, Ngāti Kahungungu me Rangitane ki Wairarapa, Ngai Tahu ki Kati Huirapa, Kati Mamoe, ngā iwi.

“A 2022 finalist in the Māori Business Women’s Awards and an appointee to the Government’s tangata whenua ministerial advisory group for family and sexual violence prevention, Amokura is going to be invaluable to Netsafe moving forward,” says Carey.

Former Data Ventures Executive Director Drew Broadley has come on board temporarily as our Virtual Chief Data Officer to establish Netsafe’s data and insight function.

Rounding out the team are three experienced employees who have all been with the organisation for several years in multiple roles.

In his eighteenth year at Netsafe, Sean Lyons becomes Chief Online Safety Officer and will continue as the media spokesperson.

Former General Manager Andrea Leask steps into the new role of Chief Operating Officer, the successor role to her General Manager position which she has held for nearly two years. She will be leading our organisation's performance and transformation functions.

Finally, Sarah White moves into the position of Chief Digital Harms Officer. She leads a team of dedicated case management staff using their expertise in dispute resolution to help New Zealanders experiencing online safety harm.

Carey says the new additions, along with Sean, Andrea, and Sarah make up a tremendous leadership team filled with experience and a great depth of knowledge.

“We are constantly finding responsive ways to keep pace with the potential threats posed by technology and bridge regulatory gaps. Everyone deserves to be safe online and our new leadership team will be instrumental in making that happen.”

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