Board members
Meet the members of the Regulatory Standards Board
Mr Paul Ridley-Smith
Chairperson
Mr Ridley-Smith has a background in law and business and has held senior leadership roles at HRL Morrison & Co/Infratil (investment management), Contact Energy Limited (general counsel and head of regulation and government relations), Buddle Findlay, and Linklaters in Hong Kong and New York (both law). He has extensive governance experience including as the Chair of Manawa Energy Limited (previously Trustpower Limited), Snapper Services Limited and iSite Media Limited.
Mr Ridley-Smith has a thorough understanding of regulation and will bring an impartial and balanced perspective as chair of the Board. He has a strong focus on customer and consumer relations, government relations, regulatory risk, commercial law, financing, investment banking, real estate development, and aged care provision. Mr Ridley-Smith holds an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington and an MBA with honours from Columbia University in New York City.
Dr Nicola Swain
Dr Nicola Swain is an experienced governor and regulatory leader with expertise across health regulation, ethics, tribunal decision-making, and public sector governance. She is Deputy Chair of the Medical Sciences Council and currently chairs both the Medical Sciences Secretariat and ADL, a youth mental health and wellbeing organisation. She also serves on the Health and Disability Ethics Committee and undertakes work for the Human Rights Review Tribunal.
Dr Swain has extensive experience in governance and regulatory decision-making frameworks across the health and community sectors, with particular interests in public trust, regulatory systems, wellbeing, and equitable access to services. She is also an Associate Professor at the University of Otago, where her work has included teaching, research supervision, and health workforce development. Dr Swain holds a BSc(Hons) and PhD.
Mr Carl Hansen
Mr Hansen is an experienced leader in organisational change, with a strong background in economics and regulatory theory. He has significant experience chairing and advising electricity industry groups and boards, as well as developing policy and advising Ministers and government agencies on a wide range of issues. Mr Hansen’s current roles include Member of the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Strategic Advisor to the Meridian Energy Board and Management, and Executive Director of Capital Strategic Advisors (his consulting firm).
Mr Hansen’s previous roles include Chief Executive of the Electricity Authority and various positions at M-co New Zealand Limited. He holds a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Social Sciences with First Class Honours in Economics from the University of Waikato.
Ms Julie Hardaker
Ms Hardaker is a lawyer specialising in employment law and independent investigations for workplace and local government issues. She has significant public sector experience, including crown entity roles, and was the Mayor of Hamilton for six years.
Ms Hardaker currently holds several board roles, including Director at Water Services Authority - Taumata Arowai, Deputy Chair at Bay Venues Limited, and member of the Charities Registration Board. She was previously the Chair of Governance New Zealand Inc, Chair of the Environmental Protection Authority and Deputy Chair at Auckland Transport. Ms Hardaker is a Chartered Fellow of the global Chartered Governance Institute and holds an MMS (Hons) 1st Class and an LLB (Hons) 1st Class from the University of Waikato.
Professor Ananish Chaudhuri
Professor Chaudhuri is a Professor of Experimental Economics and former Head of the Department of Economics at the University of Auckland, specialising in behavioural and experimental economics. He has held various academic positions, including Visiting Professor of Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School and Visiting Research Scholar at the University of Munich.
Professor Chaudhuri is a leading inter-disciplinary researcher with an extensive record of policy engagement, and public commentator. He has published articles in leading scholarly journals and is the author of four critically acclaimed books including two textbooks, one in economics principles and another in experimental economics that are used globally. He is a member of various professional organisations and has been involved in significant service roles, including consulting for MinterEllisonRuddWatts and testifying in the New Zealand High Court. Professor Chaudhuri has a Ph.D. and M.A. in Economics from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, an M.A. in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, and a B.Sc, in Economics from Presidency College, Calcutta University.
Mr Ian Chamberlain
Mr Chamberlain is an experienced governance professional and small business owner with a background in carpentry and joinery in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. He has held board and chair positions in national industry associations and community organisations, including New Zealand Certified Builders.
Mr Chamberlain is currently a member of the P3604 Timber Framed Buildings Review Committee at Standards New Zealand and has served in various capacities at the Building Officials Institute of NZ. He is a member of several professional organisations, including the Institute of Directors, Building Officials Institute of NZ, and Passive House Institute NZ.