Greg Knowles (chair)
Greg rejoined the Yachting New Zealand Board in 2023, having previously served as chair and president. A retired senior partner and former board director at KPMG New Zealand, he advised on some of the country's largest mergers and acquisitions during his professional career. As a sailor, Greg and Murray Jones finished fifth at the 1988 Seoul Olympics in the Flying Dutchman and fourth in Barcelona four years later. Having served 10 years in total, Greg will retire from the Yachting New Zealand Board at the October 2026 AGM.
Sarah Bacon
Sarah is a former lawyer, a business owner, and mother of three sailors. She practised law for more than 20 years, 10 of those as a partner, and in 2017 founded the successful skincare brand Velettà. She is a director of three construction-focused companies, a trustee of the Barnardos Foundation, a founding trustee of the Boat and Beach Wise Trust, and a member of Worser Bay Boating Club, where she served for several years as secretary of the general committee.
Catherine Brown
Catherine brings over 20 years of marketing and customer engagement experience across financial services, health insurance and pharma in New Zealand and internationally. She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health and an arts honours degree from Otago. Recent roles at Southern Cross include acting head of marketing and retention and engagement lead for around one million customers, alongside senior roles at BNZ and ANZ.
Nik Burfoot
Nik is a CFA charter holder with 20 years' global experience in the technology and finance industries. A former ILCA 7 (Laser) world champion, he was a dominant force in the class through the 1990s. More recently, he has led the centreboard division at Tauranga Yacht and Powerboat Club, overseeing the annual Tauranga Regatta, one of the country's largest multi-class events.
Nick Gillies
Nick is a commercial litigation and construction lawyer and the managing partner of Hesketh Henry. Originally from Otago, he is a lifelong sailor and a member of Wakatere Boating Club, with experience racing dinghies and keelboats in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. He is a sailing parent to three children and was a campaign adviser to New Zealand's silver medal-winning 49er team at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Nicola Harrison
Nicola is an associate at Beca and an experienced project and programme manager specialising in risk, design management and governance within the construction industry. She brings extensive experience guiding complex projects through design and delivery, with a particular focus on risk management, strategic reporting and providing clear advice to senior leaders and governance boards. Nicola is an active sailor with a strong interest in increasing female participation in sailing and has previously held governance and committee roles within the Tauranga Yacht and Powerboat Club and Women on Water.
Jason Shoebridge
Jason is chief executive of the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research. A chartered accountant with an MBA and Bachelor of Commerce from Auckland, he's a Fellow of CAANZ and Institute of Directors member. His governance experience spans chair of Aktive, deputy chair of Sport NZ, and director of NIWA. He previously led Kantar Insight NZ and Kantar TNS as chief executive and had responsibility for Kantar's Asia-Pacific data analytics practice.
Nigel Skeggs
Nigel brings 20+ years of maritime, tourism and infrastructure leadership across New Zealand and the Pacific. A Nelson City councillor, he formerly led Nelson Marina Management, driving its shift to a council-controlled organisation and a $120m masterplan. He spent 14 years growing Fiji's Port Denarau Marina into a top superyacht hub and holds governance roles including NZ Marina Industries Association vice president. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) from Otago.
Bridget Winstone-Kight
Bridget is an organisational development consultant and workforce strategist with domestic and international experience. She holds an MBA from London Business School, bachelor's degrees in law and science (psychology), and executive coaching certifications. A former member of the New Zealand women's hockey team, she is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors, and has governance experience in national sports organisations in New Zealand and the UK.
