Greg O’Connor

Greg O’Connor is a highly experienced chief executive and governance leader with more than 25 years operating at the intersection of strategy, regulation, and complex service delivery. A Chartered Accountant and Member of the Institute of Directors, Greg brings deep expertise in leadership, financial stewardship, risk oversight, and organisational transformation across regulated, safety-critical, and infrastructure-like environment

Greg recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Vehicle Testing New Zealand (VTNZ), a subsidiary of global organisation DEKRA SE, where he led the business through a period of sustained growth and transformation.

At a governance level, Greg has contributed internationally as a Director on the DEKRA Global Project Portfolio Board, providing oversight of large-scale digital transformation and investment programmes across 28 countries. His experience includes capital prioritisation, enterprise risk, cybersecurity, AI-enabled systems, and performance assurance at scale.

Earlier in his career, Greg held senior executive roles including CFO, COO & CIO, where he developed strong capability in translating strategy into execution, embedding governance frameworks, and strengthening organisational performance and accountability in complex stakeholder environments.

Greg is recognised for his values-based leadership style, independent judgement, and ability to both support and constructively challenge CEOs and executive teams. He brings a practical, experience-led approach to leadership development, grounded in real-world insight across governance, growth, risk, and transformation.

As a Syndicate Chair with The CEO Institute, Greg is passionate about creating a trusted environment where leaders can step back from the day-to-day, reflect openly, and gain perspective from peers. He is committed to helping CEOs strengthen decision-making, build resilient organisations, and deliver sustainable long-term value for their stakeholders and communities.