Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, November 2025 — Port of Tauranga Limited, New Zealand’s largest and most efficient port, has announced the appointment of Allan Lightbourne as its new Chief Information Officer (CIO). Bringing more than 25 years of leadership experience in digital transformation, public sector innovation, and enterprise technology, Allan will spearhead Port of Tauranga’s technology strategy to support its continued growth as the country’s premier trade gateway.
In his new role, Allan will lead the port’s technology vision, digital operations, and innovation roadmap, aligning strategic IT investments with business performance and customer value. He will oversee initiatives focused on building resilient, data-driven, and future-proofed digital infrastructure to support the port’s ongoing expansion and sustainability goals.
Before joining Port of Tauranga, Allan served as Chief Digital Officer at Hamilton City Council, where he led the city’s digital services transformation, enhancing customer and employee experiences and implementing agile, innovation-driven governance models. Earlier, as Chief Digital Officer at Tauranga City Council, he played a pivotal role in developing and executing smart city initiatives, advancing digital strategy, information management, and citizen-centric innovation.
Allan’s career also includes senior technology leadership roles at Mercury NZ (formerly Mighty River Power), where he led the company’s ICT transformation and cloud migration strategy — including the world’s first SAS migration to AWS Cloud. His earlier roles at Datacom, PlaceMakers, Fletcher Building, and Unisys NZ further established his expertise in ERP implementation, IT architecture, and enterprise change management across complex operational environments.
Alongside his corporate leadership, Allan has contributed significantly to New Zealand’s digital ecosystem. He has served as Vice President at ALGIM, Tech Leaders Executive at NZTech, and Advisory Board Member for the Future Leaders Programme at the University of Auckland, reflecting his commitment to advancing technology leadership and mentoring emerging professionals in the industry.
About Port of Tauranga Limited
Port of Tauranga Limited is New Zealand’s largest and most efficient port, handling 32% of the nation’s cargo, 37% of exports, and 41% of all shipping containers. The port serves as the country’s primary international freight gateway, with the unique ability to accommodate the largest container vessels entering New Zealand waters. Through strategic investments in ports, inland freight hubs, logistics networks, and cargo handling operations, Port of Tauranga delivers world-class supply chain solutions, contributing to national productivity and regional prosperity. Its operations span Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton, Timaru, and Christchurch, positioning it as New Zealand’s Port for the Future.
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