Management Team

Denise Mackay joined AQA and MinEx as Chief Executive in September 2026. She brings extensive executive  leadership experience across local and central government, public affairs, stakeholder engagement, advocacy, strategic communications, governance, and organisational transformation. As Chief Executive, Denise leads the strategic direction of AQA and MinEx, working closely with members, industry partners, key stakeholders, and government to promote a safe, sustainable and thriving quarrying and extractives sector.

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Mike Chilton hails from Sydney and gained his mining engineering qualification there but always wanted to live in the country. He met his wife Susannah in Sydney and in 2004 they returned to her family’s roots in the Manawatu. Mike worked first for contracting company Infracon around the lower North Island before moving to Higgins as Aggregates Operations Manager and later Technical Engineer. Mike now runs his own consultancy firm, specialising in the aggregates’ industry and says nothing beats working with the innovative people who make a living out of lower-value extractives. Mike previously served on the Technical Committee and now engages for it with industry, councils and Government.

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A former newspaper Editor and political journalist, Brendon had a term as an MP in Christchurch through the earthquakes, before returning to home base in Marlborough in 2012 with his wife Philippa. One of his first jobs back in communications was producing an edition of Holcim’s quarterly newsletter. He has since worked with a range of organisations including AQA and MinEx since 2015, the Marine Farming Association and on a project to connect marine farms to sensors. Brendon earlier worked for AQA in 2007/8.

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Email Sarah

Email Renata