Our leadership team
Six Deputy Chief Executives report to our Chief Executive. Find out more about our leadership team and the work that they are responsible for.
Chief Executive
Debbie Power
Debbie took up her role as Chief Executive, Ministry of Social Development (MSD), in February 2019.
She was previously the Statutory Deputy State Services Commissioner, at the State Services Commission.
Debbie started her public service career in 1980 as a frontline case manager at the then Department of Social Welfare.
Service Delivery
Viv Rickard - Deputy Chief Executive
Viv leads our Service Delivery group, which provides services to over one million New Zealanders.
His group is responsible for:
- providing entitlements and services
- designing and developing services
- optimising channels
- delivery of programmes
- developing the regions
- and managing service integrity.
Transformation
Nic Blakeley - Deputy Chief Executive
Nic leads the team responsible for the design and implementation of MSD’s Te Pae Tawhiti programme, delivering a new service approach to meet the needs of clients and whānau.
This group includes the capability to ensure change activity is managed across MSD, as well as the Improvement, Systems and Technology group.
Strategy and Insights
Sacha O’Dea – Deputy Chief Executive
Sacha heads the Strategy and Insights group which leads the development and implementation of MSD’s strategy by:
- creating insights for effective decision making
- focusing resources on the right investments
- and understanding and evaluating performance.
Policy
Simon MacPherson - Deputy Chief Executive
Simon leads the Policy branch. The branch provides policy advice on welfare system change and wider social development, as well as other areas including: income, employment and housing support; regional working; issues faced by seniors and people with a disability; child and youth-related policy; and international policy.
People and Capability
Nadine Kilmister - Deputy Chief Executive
Nadine leads People and Capability, which is responsible for providing corporate services (people, finance, procurement, property and facilities) that provide capability to MSD and shared corporate services for other agencies, and for hosting services for Historic Claims, the Independent Children’s Monitor and Te Kāhui Kāhu Social Services Accreditation.
Nadine is the sponsor for MSD’s 800-strong women’s network and oversees our Pā Harakeke (wellbeing at MSD) and flexible working programmes.
Organisational Assurance and Communication
Melissa Gill - Deputy Chief Executive
Melissa leads the Organisational Assurance and Communication group which is responsible for ensuring the overall integrity of MSD’s operations by making sure:
- there is ongoing compliance with legislation and policy
- communication with the public and stakeholders is effective
- Ministers are supported.
Māori, Communities and Partnerships
Marama Edwards – Deputy Chief Executive
Marama leads the Māori, Communities and Partnerships group which is responsible for:
- building capability across the organisation to support the aspirations of Māori
- connecting and collaborating to build effective partnerships and community approaches that achieve better outcomes for those who most need our support.
Office of the Chief Executive
Lena Sapunova – Acting Director, Office of the Chief Executive
Lena leads the Office of the Chief Executive, which provides high level strategic, organisational and operational advice, and manages key external relationships across the social sector as well as across the entire state sector.
Business Integration
Liz Jones – Acting Deputy Chief Executive
Liz and her Business Integration team are building a co-ordinated plan that ensures that the team supports the delivery of MSD’s integrated work programme.
