Lian Butcher appointed as next EPA Chief Executive

Lian Butcher has been appointed as the next Chief Executive of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), effective 1 July 2026.

Ms Butcher joins the EPA from Greater Wellington Regional Council, where she has been Group Manager of the Environment Group, her second tenure with Greater Wellington.

Originally from the United Kingdom, Ms Butcher holds a Master of Science in Fisheries and Shellfish Biology and a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from the University of North Wales.

She began her career with the Environment Agency in Wales in 2001, working on the European Union’s Habitats Directive, before moving to New Zealand in 2010 to join the Ministry for the Environment.

Lian Butcher will join the EPA in June to support a transition into the Chief Executive role, formally commencing on 1 July 2026.