Stephen O'Keefe

Stephen O'Keefe has a wide range of work experience in various leadership roles. Stephen started their career at Saudi New Zealand Milk Products Co Ltd as a Financial Controller from 1997 to 2000. Stephen then moved on to Fonterra (USA) as a Senior Vice President of Finance from 2000 to 2002, followed by a role as Regional Finance Director at Fonterra (Africa, Europe, Middle East) from 2002 to 2004.

From 2005 to 2006, O'Keefe worked as a Senior Financial Controller at ANZ National Bank, ANZ Retail Business Unit. Stephen then joined Fonterra Brands (New Zealand) as the Chief Financial Officer from 2006 to 2010. Subsequently, they took on the role of GM Business Transformation at Fonterra (ANZ) from 2010 to 2012.

At KiwiRail, O'Keefe served as the Head of Corporate Finance from 2012 to 2014, followed by a position as the Group General Manager of Strategy and Business Transformation from 2014 to 2015. Stephen then transitioned to the Ministry of Health New Zealand where they worked as the Chief Financial Officer from 2016 to 2018, and later as the Acting Director of Critical Projects from 2018 to 2019.

Currently, O'Keefe is employed at KiwiRail. Stephen has held various roles at the company, including Acting GM Policy and Funding from 2019 to 2019, iReX Programme Director from 2019 to 2022, iReX Commercial and Assurance Director from 2022 to 2022, and currently holds the position of Finance Director - iReX and Interislander as of December 2022.

Stephen O'Keefe attended the University of Canterbury from 1981 to 1983, where they pursued a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) degree with a major in Accounting.