Our People

"When my father Bill Senior started this company he probably hadn't even heard of the word innovator, but that never stopped him from being one."

Sir William is renowned, recognised and rewarded for his skills as a motivational, pragmatic and hands-on businessman in and outside of the industry, in New Zealand and abroad. And while we realise that achievements are not judged on awards alone, they are indicative of Sir William's leadership qualities.

His reputation both as a dynamic leader and one of NZ’s most astute businessmen springs from the way in which he conducts his business – and therefore his working relationships – with customers and staff.

Sir William is in regular contact with customers in the 130 countries in which Gallagher products are sold. He spends up to 150 days a year on the road representing the company and its philosophies, communicating across language and social barriers, while also emphasising the ethics and integrity of his professional and personal dealings. The belief that strong relationships with our business partners help them achieve their business goals is one that has contributed to our success so far. It’s also how we continue to build strong partnerships with our global partners.

Sir William also forges strong working relationships with his staff, nurturing a working environment built on coaching and pragmatism. As well as being involved in the day-to-day running of the business, he attends and presents at seminars, training sessions and field days, inspiring and motivating all who come into contact with him. 

Sir William’s achievements have also been officially recognised by a string of awards, the latest to mark his commitment to enterprise and leadership skills being his Knighthood in the 2011 New Year’s Honours List. He was also the 1996 winner of the prestigious Excellence in Communication Leadership award, the first time in its history that it had been awarded outside of North America. He also received an MBE in 1987 followed by a New Zealand Order of Merit in 1998.

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  Dairy Award Recognises Contribution of Sir William Gallagher

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  Businessman Bill Gallagher becomes Sir William

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Steve Tucker says his goal at Gallagher is to explore and understand every part of the operation to “help deliver the message of what can be achieved with Gallagher.”

Steve’s partnership with Gallagher began March 1994 – armed with an extensive career in financial accounting, management accounting and financial strategy, his passion for continuous improvement resulted in a move to Executive Director of Operations with further promotion in 2003 to Deputy CEO. He now guides the group’s day to day operations and as Board Executive Director he maintains a greater responsibility with input into the Group's strategy and governance.

Steve says to successfully lead members of the Gallagher team you need an understanding and appreciation of ‘how’ we do things throughout the business. His background has provided that knowledge.  

"The most important thing in business is to continually challenge the status quo and encourage people to explore opportunities which redefine what’s possible for our customers.”

Steve holds a Bachelor of Management Studies (B.M.S.) from University of Waikato and is a 
Chartered Accountant (C.A.) and a member of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants.

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  A Global Technology Brand

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Margaret Comer is unwavering about what creates success at Gallagher.

"It’s the people. It’s the relationships we develop with our staff, our distributors, end-users and our suppliers that are critical to our success and that always takes priority."

Margaret ‘s professionalism and dynamic personality have seen her play an integral role in the company’s growth and in particular it’s HR strategy since her first role as PA in 1985. From recruitment, development and implementation of policy and training, to conferences and seminars, and all aspects of corporate facilities management - it’s a far-reaching role but one which excites her.

“Our staff play a huge role in the company’s growth. They are key to our future success and they show everyone how we do it the Gallagher Way.” Her passion for people is not reserved for staff. “Our customers are the catalyst for everything we do. By listening to and learning from them, we build the understanding and insight required to design unique solutions.

Margaret is:

• a Justice of the Peace,
• a Director of the Waikato Rugby Union and
• Chairperson of the Employers and Manufacturers Association - Waikato.

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  Innovative Aristocrats Around the Globe

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Although John Gallagher has retired from the day to day management at Gallagher, he is still actively involved in many community based projects.  John's commitment to Gallagher and the local region includes 12 years as a City Councillor including a term as Deputy Mayor.  He also spent 20 years on the Univeristy of Waikato Council including a term as Chancellor.

John's other accolades include:

• Order of St John - Knight of Grace
• the Companion of New Zealand Order of Merit (2002)
• Honorary Doctorate from the University of Waikato (2008)
• and the Freedom of Hamilton City (2008)

Geoff Copstick began his partnership with Gallagher as the group's Chief Financial Officer, contributing ten years to the role.
Joining the Board of Directors in 2009 he now chairs the audit subcommittee.

As Deputy Chairman of the Board, Bruce brings extensive experience in agri-tech businesses to Gallagher including a directorship with the New Zealand Wool Board.  His commitment to Gallagher extends to his role as Chairman of Gallagher Europe (Veldman & Diijkstra) in the Netherlands.

As Gallagher redefines what's possible for its customers the company is fortunate to have secured the services of professional Company Director, Richard Janes.  Delivering more than 25 years of international brand marketing experience to the board room his portfolio includes commercialisation of new technologies and product lines.  Richard has been part of the Gallagher team since 2000.

Curtis' objective at Gallagher is clear: “To provide our customers with better product, services and information to deliver their business profitability.” 

Curtis joined Gallagher in 2005 following a career of senior management roles for international brands focusing on marketing and business development.  As general manager of Gallagher’s global security business unit, he says he’s inspired by Gallagher’s commitment to developing enduring partnerships.

“Every decision we make is focused on improving our customer experience, whether it’s creating better products, delivering a better user experience or through quality interaction with our business.  That commitment enables our team to achieve our objective” 

Curtis says another advantage of working at Gallagher is the commitment his team makes to their projects and the company because “it’s the Gallagher Way.”

“It’s exciting to lead an innovative team who are passionate about providing world leading solutions.  Our staff are willing to make hard decisions in the best interest of the company and its stakeholders but they do that in line with our Gallagher values.  

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  Under the Wing of a Great Leader

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Simon says his inspiration at Gallagher is working in an environment that “motivates staff and empowers them to do their best.”  

“We have a dynamic team of Executives and staff with a desire to achieve, and there’s a commitment to provide support for fellow work mates.  That makes it a brilliant place to work.” 

He joined Gallagher in 2008 with solid experience in finance roles, system implementations and organisational change for large New Zealand companies and offshore subsidiaries.  His key objective is to deliver financial solutions in a way the business will understand the complete picture and ultimately drive the right behaviour.

“It’s invigorating to work in an organisation that is relentless in innovation, can develop and deliver solutions to customer problems, some of which they didn't believe could be solved.”

Gallagher is renowned for its enduring partnerships and Simon says this certainly has its advantages in his role. “I am fortunate to have direct access to Gallagher’s previous CFO’s, Geoff Copstick and Steve Tucker.  Their support gives me the confidence to manage a professional global finance team which delivers outstanding quality.”

Mark Harris is a prime example of the relentless innovator in Gallagher’s leadership team.

He’s constantly exploring ways to make animal management simpler and more profitable for Gallagher customers and he encourages his team to do the same.

“My role is to facilitate the creation of animal management solutions that delight our customers and make them incredibly happy with their Gallagher product.”

How does he do that?  “By investigating the opportunities we’re presented with. We talk to a lot of people and we ask a lot of questions.  But we make sure we ask the right questions and we welcome feedback.”

Mark’s contribution to Gallagher isn’t limited to team management.  Having grown up on a dairy farm he now owns and maintains a 200 hectare dairy farm in Waikato which, he says, is ideal for in-house training or product assessment.  

This practical knowledge, combined with Mark’s mechanical engineering degree, offers a unique end-user perspective and certainly helps Gallagher deliver quality animal management solutions.

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Brent’s philosophy is to inspire his team and challenge them to explore opportunities, just as he has been doing since joining Gallagher in 2001.

His first role with the company was a customer services manager followed by a move to logistics and later to the supply chain.  His company knowledge and leadership ability resulted in his progression to the current role of Group Operations Executive.  

He says his growth is indicative of the opportunities available at Gallagher.

“The knowledge and experience I gained from each new role enabled me to take the next step in the company.  That knowledge was enhanced by the support and encouragement I received from my supervisors and staff.”

“It’s the Gallagher Way.  We’re encouraged to accept a challenge, discover new ideas, think about opportunities and then just get on with it.  My goal is to share that knowledge and opportunity with my team so they can learn and increase their skills too.”

As the leader of Strategic Business and Product Management teams, Kahl holds responsibility for business strategy, research and development strategic direction, and competitive strategy. He has held various roles at Gallagher since joining 13 years ago, ranging from software engineering, business analysis, marketing and product management, and now sits on the Executive Leadership team for Gallagher Security.

Kahl’s key successes include overseeing the research, development and commercialisation of multiple generations of security platforms, spanning access control, intruder alarms and perimeter technologies. His array of experience provides a well balanced technical and commercial experience base to deliver business relevant, high performing solutions that solve real world problems.

He believes using a customer centric and design thinking approach is Gallagher’s key to innovative success. “I’m on a mission to break free of the traditional security mind-set and business practices to deliver more tangible, business relevant value than any security company has ever achieved,” he says.

Helen has more than 16 years marketing and brand experience working with globally respected brands like LEGO®. She uses this unique blend of brand ‘science’ and practical commercial application to find the edge that will drive increased brand loyalty and market share growth for Gallagher.

“My passion lies in leveraging our outstanding brand to act as the glue that builds a globally cohesive culture. If all our 1000+ worldwide Gallagher internal team members ‘get’ our common cause and what it means for them in their day to day working lives, then our customers will really see the benefit and so will our brand loyalty!

But it’s critical to balance these less tangible, longer term aspects of building a brand; with the very real commercial reality of connecting to our customers through marketing communication ideas that sell.

And here lies my second obsession. What really motivates me are those light bulb moments when we’ve successfully translated those core brand messages into our designs; seeing concepts come to life in a very tangible way be it our web, brochures, packaging or any marcomms aspect; everyone starts to get excited about what the future could hold.”

Stephen Hoffman has the exciting role of delivering Gallagher innovation in Animal Management products to the group's worldwide distributor network and their customers. But despite over 20 years in the company, he still gets excited about the new opportunities his team can offer.

Stephen joined Gallagher as a territory manager in 1989 and has been part of significant growth in the company including the acquisition and introduction of the Franklin Machinery range. This is enhanced by the growth in sales of Gallagher Animal Management products around the world.

During his time at Gallagher one highlight was being instrumental in taking the relationship with international distributors from a supplier relationship to a mutually beneficial partnership, which is a philosophy close to Stephen's heart. "A true partnership is where both parties defend the interests of the other. Organisations and individuals who adopt that philosophy are more likely to survive in the future."

Stephen has a strong affinity with the Primary industry, having grown up in an agricultural environment, born in rural New Zealand and educated in the Wairarapa has led to a natural progression into the primary industry.

Julian Phillips has a background of Quality and Mechanical Engineering and Software Development, 20 years experience in IT management roles around the world including Germany, Slovenia, Italy and South Africa. But he’s still “humbled” by the fact he works for a privately owned Kiwi company which he says “leads the world in many aspects with its technology.”
He joined Gallagher in 2005 with a goal to provide a secure IT environment developing internal capabilities which deliver cost effective, scalable and value driven solutions in line with business objectives.  Of course making a commitment to deliver outstanding quality can present its challenges however Julian appreciates the opportunities it presents his Gallagher team.
“I manage an incredibly talented team of individuals who confidently deal with frequent and very technically challenging duties. But we know our challenges are because we’re part of an organisation which constantly drives for improvement in all facets of its business, from individual business units to support teams.”
“We are fortunate that our executive guidance promotes confidence to attempt new approaches or investments, and this is supported by a great team spirit bridging all levels of the organisation."

Rob’s message is clear: “Innovation is not an R&D activity, it is a business activity”. In other words, all parts of the business need to work together to identify opportunities and new possibilities, contribute to the generation of new ideas, and take responsibility for their respective roles in the realisation of new products and solutions.

Rob stepped into the R&D Executive role at Gallagher in 2008 after holding a variety of senior R&D management positions in New Zealand-based global technology companies.

“In order for our products to be truly innovative in the customers’ eyes, the products need to solve real-world problems. Therefore, innovation cannot be successful unless we truly understand our customers.”

And to enable customer-centric innovation, improved structures and processes have been developed and implemented.  Rob is an experienced Executive with extensive international experience in operations and R&D management. With his unique combination of Engineering and International Business Strategy qualifications and experience, Rob specialises in aligning Research and Development activities with business strategy and developing Research and Development as a strategic capability for sustainable growth and competitive advantage in International Business.

Wayne joined Gallagher in 2002 as Operations Executive following a fifteen year career as a Senior Executive in the New Zealand Dairy Group as the Group General Manager - Information Technology. As Operations Executive for Gallagher's Global Security business Wayne looks after all the day to day issues relating to Global Technical Support, Product Supply and Engineering and Professional Services.

Wayne says the high level of satisfaction and positive feedback from our Channel Partners and end customers, with respect to our service levels from particularly our Technical Support service, is something Security Operations is particularly proud of.