NZX Chief Executive Mark Peterson to depart in April 2026

Thursday 24th July 2025

24 July 2025 – NZX advises that Chief Executive Mark Peterson has resigned and will depart at the end of April 2026, following NZX’s annual general meeting.

Mr Peterson was appointed as NZX Chief Executive in April 2017. Prior to that he was NZX Acting-Chief Executive from January 2017, after joining in late 2015 as Head of Markets.

“Over the last nine years as Chief Executive my focus has been on NZX successfully developing and delivering our growth strategy which included executing new opportunities across our businesses that provide long-term returns for our shareholders and help grow New Zealand’s economy,” Mr Peterson says.

“When the Board last extended my term in August 2023, my focus was on delivering key initiatives that further developed our business. These included launching our anonymous mid-point trading venue, NZX Dark, and the S&P/NZX20 Index equity futures, alongside growing the Smart and NZX Wealth Technologies businesses. By April next year, I expect all these initiatives will have been achieved.

“The company is in a strong position financially – including NZX Wealth Technologies now being cashflow positive from external client activity. NZX has an experienced and talented senior management team, is operating up-to-date and secure technology infrastructure and has a positive organisational culture and relationships with customers, stakeholders and shareholders.

“This demonstrates the time is right for me to stand down and for the NZX Board to appoint a new chief executive to lead NZX into the future and continue to deliver its strategic priorities. By announcing my departure now, I wanted to ensure a smooth transition by giving the Board plenty of time to search for a new chief executive who will continue the positive momentum and growth opportunities in front of NZX.”

NZX Chair John McMahon says Mr Peterson has been an exceptional leader of NZX and will leave a strong legacy. “He is a highly effective all-round performer who has calmly and ably led the NZX Group through some challenging and volatile times,” Mr McMahon says.

“Since delivering a revised strategy in late 2017, NZX’s operating earnings have increased from $28.6 million to $48.5 million; Smart’s funds under administration has increased from $2.9 billion to $13.7 billion; NZX Wealth Technologies’ funds under administration has grown from $2 billion to $17.2 billion and is now cashflow positive on external client activity; and volume traded under our dairy derivatives partnership with SGX has almost doubled.

“Mark has also built strong relationships in New Zealand and internationally, in particular the business partnerships we have with the Singapore Stock Exchange and the European Energy Exchange. In addition, NZX has built strong relationships with the New Zealand Government and regulators in developing appropriate initiatives and market regulatory settings to encourage investment and boost liquidity. We look forward to changes being progressively rolled out. In June, it was pleasing to see the Financial Markets Authority in its annual market operator obligations review acknowledge the work Mark and his team have done to ensure fair, efficient, and transparent capital markets.

“On behalf of NZX, we thank Mark for his first-class leadership and long service to the business and New Zealand’s capital markets.”

Mr McMahon says the Board will conduct an internal and external search, including internationally, for a new chief executive.

ENDS

NZX Chief Executive Mark Peterson to depart in April 2026

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