Our People
Our People Behind the Scenes
Our people are dedicated specialists who come together to make SWE the success it is today. Behind the scenes is a team of people who provide input into the management and operations at SWE, because better never stops.
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- Automation
- Design and Application
- Electrical Services
- Logistics and Yard Team
- Management Team
- Mechanical Engineers
- Office Team
- Project Team
- Service Division
- Winery Division
Stephen Leitch
Management Team
Managing Director
B.Hort, Grad Dip Ed (Agriculture)
Stephen Leitch has been designing and project managing pumping and dairy and vineyard irrigation installations in Marlborough for nearly two decades. His focus on excellent design and return on investment for clients is combined with honesty and integrity in his business relationships. When you book your first consultation, it will probably be Stephen who comes to call.
Mike Cooper
Management Team
General Manager
MBA (Dist), NZ Cert Eng (Civil)
Mike has a Civil Engineering background as well as considerable management experience. He brings a wealth of operational, technical, and strategic skills to the business. Mike also champions our Health and Safety focus, ensuring our track record in this area remains impeccable. He is a self-confessed perfectionist on behalf of our clients, and is always looking for ways we can do things better. Mike heads up our team of professional staff.
Kath Langton
Management Team, Office Team
Administration Team Leader
Kath expertly manages the back office function for SWE, coordinating service schedules and invoicing, and making sure our projects run smoothly. If you’ve got any query at all, if Kath doesn’t know the answer, she’ll know where to get it for you.
Jasmine Wilson
Office Team
Administration Assistant
Jasmine works closely with Kath to assist in the smooth running of the office. Jasmine is likely to be the friendly voice on the other end of the phone when you ring us.
Bradley Duncan
Design and Application, Office Team
Design and Application Engineer
Diploma in Business
Bradley has worked in the water industry for 10 years now - and this hands-on experience with SWE complements his position as Design and Application Engineer. Bradley provides technical support and expertise to our clients, and enjoys working alongside our clients to provide full design details and systems appropriate for their individual requirements.
Dean Marshall
Office Team
Business Development Manager
Dean's people skills come to the fore as he works closely with SWE's new and existing clients to identify needs - and opportunities. Dean has a keen eye for products and technological solutions which enhance our clients' businesses.
Phil Hughes
Electrical Services
Industrial Electrician and Electrical Team Leader
EWRB NZ Practising Licence
Our resident qualified electrician, Phil expertly installs, troubleshoots and maintains equipment and systems for our clients – from minor repairs to full industrial installations. Phil is committed to providing our clients with the highest quality electrical workmanship.
Hayden Giles
Electrical Services
Industrial Electrician
EWRB NZ Practising License, Level 4 Electrical Engineer
Hayden is a key member of our electrical team, bringing to the table experience with new commercial installations, as well as winery maintenance and electrical maintenance for the aquaculture industry. Hayden works closely with Phil to deliver state of the art electrical installations and a proactive maintenance and development service.
Jared Silcock
Electrical Services, Service Division
Field Technician / Electrical Apprentice
Jared is a highly capable Field Technician at SWE, fully committed to delivering the best for our clients. He's a Star-in Training in our team, having recently also begun his electrical apprenticeship here.
Zak Hayward
Automation, Electrical Services
Systems Integration Engineer
National Certificate Electrical Engineering Level 4, Schneider Electric Alliance Integration Partner
Zak’s wide industry experience includes industrial and commercial projects throughout wineries and vineyards, as well as the marine, industrial, consumer, forestry, mining, recycling and refrigeration fields. His experience in instrumentation, process design, PLC/SCADA software development, electrical design, commissioning and diagnostics is second to none – and he helps us deliver sustainable system solutions for our clients. We call him our 'techs-pert', especially when it comes to automation and architecture.
John Ihaka
Service Division
Service Team Leader
John heads up our Service Team and is responsible for the smooth coordination of all our service work.
Bill Clamp
Mechanical Engineers, Service Division, Winery Division
Service Engineer
Diploma in Viticulture and Wine Production, NZ Trade Cert in Automotive Engineering
Bill's strong mechanical background coupled with his wine industry experience and qualifications makes him uniquely positioned to assist our winery clients. Having worked in award-winning wineries for a number of years, he truly understands the unique requirements of a well-functioning winery and is able to help keep things ticking over smoothly. Bill's our 'go-to' guy for all winery-related projects.
Daryl Richardson
Project Team, Service Division
Field Technician
Daryl has been installing irrigation here in Marlborough since he was 20. It’s fair to say there are very few properties he hasn’t worked on over the years. Friendly, rarely seen without a smile on his face, Daryl’s focus is always on delivering quality workmanship for our clients.
Tony Mason
Project Team, Service Division
Field Technician
Experienced in all types of on-site field work and irrigation installation Tony's strengths include problem solving and his attention to detail, with a special interest in pumping. Tony keeps projects moving, and is a core part of the team assisting existing clients with current projects.
Tony McConaghey
Project Team, Service Division
Field Mechanical Engineer
Fitter Welder
Tony is SWE’s fitter/welder and mechanical engineer - with broad experience in engineering, mechanical and heavy diesel industries. Tony can fix pretty well anything; look at it, pull it apart, put it back together and it will work. You might say he’s our resident problem-solver. Tony’s expertise enhances our ability to complete fabrication work in-house.
Tony Thoms
Service Division
Contractor Representative & Field Supervisor
National Certificate in Water Reticulation Services; National Certificate in Civil Works and Services; National Certificate in Road Opening (Trenching and Water Services); Site-Safe Certification; and Electrofusion Operators Registration Certificate.
Contractor representative and field supervisor Tony partners with Brent to look after our onsite team, managing individual projects and their progress. Tony monitors quality control and provides technical support to keep everything running smoothly and on time, and embraces our company philosophy of continual improvement.
Jeff Sewell
Service Division
System Auditor
Jeff is our Auditor Extraordinaire - handling SmartAudits for clients. Jeff's meticulous attention to detail, system knowledge, and commitment to getting the best outcome for clients, makes him an invaluable member of the SWE team.
Peter Clark
Logistics and Yard Team
Logistics and Yard Team
Peter works closely with Malcolm, our Logistics Coordinator, to ensure the yard at SWE HQ runs at optimum efficiency. Peter cheerfully keeps things in tip top shape around the place, and running like a logistical dream.
Malcolm Clemett
Logistics and Yard Team
Logistics Coordinator
Malcolm ensures the smooth running of all logistics and stock here at SWE – at every stage in the process from ordering and distribution of parts for all our projects. He keeps the yard organised and makes sure all our Field Techs have what they need to get the job done. You can think of him as our ‘Mr Efficiency’.
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