Mike Bennetts is best known as the founding Chief Executive of Z Energy, having transitioned the company from its previous global owners in 2010. In thirteen years at the helm of Z, Mike led significant corporate events like launching Z as a brand, an IPO, $3 billion of M&A deals, debt and equity raises, and a takeover response. In 2016, Mike and Z were respectively CEO and Company of the Year in the Deloitte Top 200. Mike was the founding Convenor of the Climate Leaders Coalition from 2017 to 2022, reflecting his commitment to the energy transition and the challenges around environmental and social sustainability.

Mike developed cross-cultural leadership experience by working in Africa, Asia and Europe between 1992 to 2008. He has held governance roles since 1999 in joint venture, private and public companies in South Africa, China, Singapore and New Zealand. Mike is currently the Chair of Punakaiki Fund Limited, a $100-million venture capital fund, having started with an initial equity of $1.5 million in 2016.

Across his two decades of experience as a CEO, Mike is known for his transformational leadership style and commitment to the development of the people he works with. This is reflected in his new venture as an Executive Coach (Kaiārahi) at Taumata Advisory Limited. Mike’s stated purpose is to ‘realise individual and organisational potential’ through his work as an author, speaker and mentor.