Our People

Get to know the team leading Wellington Airport.
Matt Clarke

Matt Clarke

Chief Executive

Matt has over 20 years’ experience in the airport industry having first joined Infratil’s airport team in Europe after serving as the Chief Executive of Rotorua Airport. He has been at Wellington Airport since 2010 as Chief Commercial Officer, playing a key role in the strategic development of the business before taking over as Chief Executive in 2022.  He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Canterbury and has completed post-graduate studies at Melbourne Business School and the New Zealand Institute of Directors.

Ayolt Wiertsema

Ayolt Wiertsema

General Manager Aeronautical Operations

Ayolt Wiertsema is responsible for airport operations and joined the Wellington Airport team in 2011. He has significant aviation experience with 12 years at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Ayolt also has a background in service management consultancy and marketing.

Jackie Holley

Jackie Holley

General Manager People and Culture

Jackie has over 15 years of HR experience, having worked in various HR roles for a diverse range of organisations, including PwC, AXA, Intergen and ACC. Jackie has a Masters in Psychology and her most recent role at ACC was as the Deputy Head of Assurance Services.

Nick Petkov

Nick Petkov

General Manager Infrastructure and Development

Nick is responsible for the master planning, infrastructure development, and facilities at Wellington Airport. He has a strong background across aviation and the airports sector, including airport operations, technical standards and planning, and over the years has driven the successful delivery of some of the airport's critical infrastructure.

Jenna Raeburn

Jenna Raeburn

GM Corporate Affairs

Jenna joined the Wellington Airport team in 2019 and is primarily responsible for regulatory and legal compliance, government and community relations, communications and sustainability. Her background is in politics with a foundation in law and economics. She also has extensive government relations experience across a range of sectors including transport, technology, e-commerce and infrastructure.

Martin Harrington

Martin Harrington

Chief Financial Officer

Martin joined the Wellington Airport team in 2008. Prior to this he held a number of senior finance roles within various industry sectors, including transport, tourism and financial services. He is responsible for financial and management reporting, taxation, treasury, risk management, insurance and regulatory services for the business.

Richard Dalby

Richard Dalby

General Manager Commercial

Richard is responsible for managing the retail, property and transport functions of the airport. He is a Chartered Accountant and has over 12 years’ experience within the aviation industry having held numerous roles at Wellington Airport and with British Airways in the UK.