Our Management Team

Todd McLeay

Chief Executive Officer

Todd was appointed Smart’s new CEO on 1 July 2019 and specialises in helping organisations optimise their performance in times of change.

His philosophy is that business should focus on delivering effortless experiences to customers. He has previously held sales and marketing leadership roles at Vodafone and NZ Post, was CEO of Lotto NZ and ran an integrated digital design and advertising group.

Lee Babe

Chief Operating Officer

Lee has recently joined the Smart team, as our National COO. Previously CEO of Nelmac he comes from 25 years of contracting experience ranging from Parks and Reserves to Solid and Special Waste. His career to date has been characterised by one of strong leadership, business development/growth, relationship building, and the restructuring of businesses to achieve optimal and sustainable earnings, all within a complex and high risk operating environment. Lee has worked on all facets of business from HR, H&S, financial and business development within multiple markes to retail, commercial, local and central government departments.

Benjamin Day

GM Digital & Marketing – MBA, MPhil, BAv

Ben has joined Smart Environmental in early 2017 after a decade in senior roles within local government. His last role was as Deputy Chief Executive of the Thames-Coromandel District Council. Ben leads the Auckland kerbside contracts and the Digital and Marketing Teams at Smart Environmental. He is a member of the Senior Management Team and also undertakes projects to mobilise contracts and improve business and customer outcomes.

Please direct all media enquiries to Ben; bday@smartenvironmental.co.nz.

Blair Griffiths

GM Relationships & Growth – MBA, PGDM

Blair has over 24 years experience in infrastructure contracting and has worked on open space contracts in New Zealand, United Kingdom and America. He is a strong relationship builder, who strives to find the best solutions for clients, the community and the environment. Blair as a member of the company’s Senior Management Team, is responsible for leading the development and execution of Smart Environmental’s long term Municipal Growth and Partnership Strategies.

Brent Murgatroyd

Chief Financial Officer – BCom, CA

Brent has been with the company since 2008 and holds complete oversight of Smart’s finances.  A commercially-astute Financial Controller, Brent provides commercial, financial and business leadership to ensure Smart continues to meet its growth targets. Brent is a forward-thinking and mission-orientated individual with over 30 years’ fiscal and operational knowledge. A pivotal member of the Senior Management Team, Brent brings over 30-years financial experience, astute commercial and strategic judgement, innovation, superior intellect and decisiveness skills to the team.

Layne Sefton

Waikato and BOP Regional Manager

Layne leads the teams responsible for the Commercial and Council kerbside recycling and rubbish collections for Tauranga, Thames Coromandel District Council, Matamata Piako District Council, Hauraki District Council and Waipa District Council. He is also responsible for the Parks and Reserves Contract for Thames-Coromandel District Council.

Yuri Schokking

National Resource Recovery Manager – B.Eng

Yuri oversees Smart’s Resource Recovery operations including five Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) across our network. Before this role, Yuri was the Upper South Island Regional Manager. Yuri has a BE (Forestry) and has significant senior management experience including management of up to several hundred staff and contractors. He has very strong operational, compliance, logistical and technical skills.

Tim Hodgson

Upper South Island Regional Manager

Tim’s primary objective at Smart is to manage and grow all company business interest in the Upper South Island, while also maintaining oversight of his previously managed area of the Manawatu/Rangitikei districts. Tim has been with Smart Environmental since 2010.  Prior to this Tim worked in operational and intelligence analysis roles within NZ Police and Ministry of Fisheries for over 15 years. He is also a trade qualified engineer and builder. Tim has strong organisational and leadership qualities with a focus on quality customer service and contract management.

Ricci Peyroux

Queenstown Area Manager – Dip. Man

Ricci’s role is to manage Smart’s business interests in Queenstown Lakes District. He has a background of over 20 years’ experience in manufacturing and operations management. In the past 10 years he has been involved with the waste and recycling industry, ranging from contract management of kerbside collections to managing a state of the art materials recovery facility. 

Scott Brown

Central North Island Regional Manager

Scott joined us in June 2017 where he had been Area Manager for NZ’s largest locally owned scrap metal Recycling company  based in the Waikato/Bay of Plenty for 16 months. Prior to that position he was Managing a Waste Company who he had been  employed with for the last 15 years, previous to  that he worked for the Justice Department in the Courts Division also for 15  years. He has experience in and sales and  management, strategic planning, and business development. He brings with him a desire to succeed and an emphasis on business improvement and ensuring we make the Smart Environmental experience a positive one for all of our customers and stakeholders.

Mike Savage

Northern Area Manager

Mike is responsible for Smart’s contracts with Auckland Council and Waikato District Council operating from our depots located at Silverdale and Taukau. Mike has decades of experience in the waste and logistics industries and is one of our most experienced Managers. Mike has also worked for Envirowaste and Manco Engineering.

Jonny Dick

Bay of Plenty Area Manager

Jonny joined Smart Environmental in 2017 looking after our Tasman operations. In late 2018 Jonny, moved North to mobilise and lead our new Tauranga City Council kerbside glass contract. He also in our Area Manager for two Parks contracts we delivery for Tauranga City Council. Bringing a range of skills developed in a career of ski area management and earth moving including sales, management and operations.  He takes pride in building relationships with clients, suppliers and staff.

Murray Pharaoh

National Fleet Manager

Murray is Smart Environmental’s National Fleet Manager. He comes to us from Kopine, where he was Engineering Manager for 5yrs bringing with him knowledge in plant systems and maintenance, and asset management. Prior to this he was CEO of Pacific Engineering for two years, where he managed strategic processes and programs, and conducting negotiations and presentations at the most senior Government and Corporate levels in New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, and Samoa eventually progressing to Pacific Area Manager and relocating to Samoa where he spent a further 5yrs. Murray also spent extensive time in the NZ Defence force, having held a number of positions in the RNZAF, where he developed invaluable leadership and management skills.

Jason Harvey

Compliance Manager – BSc(Tech), CPIM

Jason is responsible for the development and maintenance of Smart Environmental’s effective compliance systems in health and safety, quality, environmental and fleet management. Jason has extensive experience in supply chain and operations management in the manufacturing and recycling industries including in-house Compliance, Health, Safety and Environmental systems, Project Management and Quality Systems.

Gary Bartlett

Parks & Reserves Manager Coromandel

Gary is responsible for the current Thames-Coromandel Parks and Reserves Contract. Having been with Smart since 2000 Gary has worked his way up from hands on parks operations to manager. He has a high focus on integrity and community, while growing Smart’s opportunities through partnering with Local Council, Companies and Event Management. Gary has  18 years’ prior experience in production manufacturing, coupled with 15 years in general parks maintenance operations which range from chemical applications, turf and traffic management to  sanitation and general horticulture. The industry experience is also utilised to support other Open Space management operations within Smart and to foster the Health and Safety focus of the company