Celebrating our people: Lodestone hosts its inaugural Annual Staff Awards Event
Recently the Lodestone team, gathered to celebrate Lodestone’s inaugural Staff Awards, taking time to recognise the people behind our successes.
It’s been a huge few years of growth and change for Lodestone, culminating in the company’s listing on the NZX on the 22 October 2026. Delivering every stage of growth and expansion are our people. We’re a comparatively small team who have pushed the boundaries. The progress we’ve made towards our vision of a solar farm in every community comes down to a high performing team and their commitment and willingness to go above and beyond.
Our awards evening gave us the chance to celebrate the breadth of talent across the business, thank the wider team for their efforts, and recognise individuals whose outstanding contributions have brought our cornerstones to life. The Lodestone Cornerstones are the values that guide how we work and what we stand for: Lighting the way, Bold action, Good energy and Lasting legacy.
In recognition of our long serving staff the evening began with the Long Service Awards, marking five years with Lodestone. Congratulations to Chris Jewell, Peter Apperley and Daniel Cunningham, along with board members Jack Matthews (Chair), Susan Paterson and Joanna Perry. They’ve been with Lodestone from the early days and have been instrumental in shaping Lodestone into the company it is today.
Congratulations to our 2026 Award winners.
Supreme Lodestone Award 2026: Patrick Timmins, Senior Legal Counsel
The Supreme Award recognises an exceptional overall contribution to Lodestone. Gary described Patrick as a “quiet overachiever”: modest, unassuming and extremely diligent. He brings precision, sound judgement and a strong work ethic to everything he does, and stays calm and practical under pressure. Patrick doesn’t just solve today’s problems – he builds relationships and puts arrangements in place that will make Lodestone stronger for years to come.
Leadership Award 2026: Brad Henderson, Development & Connection Manager
Brad has become a respected voice both within Lodestone and across the wider electricity industry. He represents us on industry committees and is regarded as a real thought leader. When hard problems come up, Brad is one of the first to put his hand up, even when the work sits well outside his day-to-day role. His knowledge, sound judgement and collaborative approach build respect and strengthen Lodestone’s standing in the industry – a great example of bold action.
Delivery Excellence Award 2026: Peter Apperley, GM Engineering & Technology
Peter takes on every challenge believing there’s always a solution. He’s deeply committed to meeting deadlines, doesn’t shy away from difficult work and steps in wherever problems arise across the business. What sets him apart is how he does it: with warmth, good humour and a real willingness to help others succeed, even under pressure. Peter’s contribution captures the spirit of good energy.
Innovation Award 2026: Justin Holden, GM Wholesale
Justin has a knack for seeing how things could work better, then quietly making it happen. He’s brought technology, data and new tools, including AI, into almost every part of Lodestone – from retail and wholesale trading to financial reporting, generation performance, weather forecasting and customer problem-solving. Much of how we now see and manage our performance comes from his work, and people across the business make better decisions because of the tools he’s built. It’s a strong example of lasting legacy.