Meet our team

Matt Shanks
Managing Director and Co-founder

Matt has more than 10 years’ experience in transmission, distribution and power generation in the Asia Pacific region, including offshore solar projects. He knows New Zealand has the capability and resources in place to deploy solar at scale to meet our energy and carbon zero targets, and is inspired by the opportunity to bring local talent and innovation to bear in the pursuit of these goals.

Matt’s areas of specialty are power system earthing, HV power cables, HV substations, project and engineering management. He is passionate about building great teams, making things happen, getting things built, and being part of New Zealand’s solar story.

Matt holds degrees in electrical engineering and jazz music. Alongside his successful engineering career, Matt fills many of his weekends and evenings as a sought-after bass player.

Sean Tobin
Managing Director and Co-founder

Sean has a background in construction, property development and project management. Lightyears Solar was the result of his desire for a new challenge where he could combine this expertise with his passion for sustainability.

Throughout his career, Sean has thrived in managing complex projects through to completion, including being in charge of large budgets, leading teams and liaising with local government. Seeing a project come together and something being built is what gets him up in the morning.

Sean has a degree in Accounting and Employment Relations, as well as qualifications in finance, marketing and real estate. In his down time, Sean enjoys running, skiing and spending time with family and friends.

Callum McKain
CFO

Callum has 20 years’ experience in the banking industry here and in the UK, with a focus on corporate finance, financial markets, and structured lending. Most recently he was the Head of Financial Institutions and Healthcare in the Institutional team at Westpac.

Callum enjoys dealing with people and creating innovative funding structures. As renewables surge, he uses his experience to improve how we fund projects in New Zealand. He is motivated by being part of a team with a joint purpose and sees major opportunities to grow the renewable energy sector.

Outside of work, you’ll usually find Callum playing, coaching, supporting, or watching sports.

Glen Jacobsen
Director of Development

Glen has more than 15 years’ experience both as an electrician and electrical engineer, across transmission and distribution, MV/HV underground cables, generation and HV/LV industrial electrical design projects. He has worked on both green and brownfield sites across New Zealand, Australia, and the Pacific, in varied roles including project manager, DM, electrical and commissioning engineer.

He's motivated by seeing great electrical designs come to life and perform as intended. Working in renewable energy, at the forefront of innovation, allows Glen to contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable future, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.

Outside work, Glen enjoys heading outdoors with his family, especially tramping and fishing.

Sanj Singh
Senior Solar Development Engineer

Sanj studied science and engineering, and has worked as a mechanical designer and manager for nearly 20 years. She led a drawing and design team in the steel manufacturing industry and oversaw complex design projects.

She’s inspired by smart, future-proofed design, and the use of technology to create efficiencies for design delivery and operations. Sanj values doing something beneficial for the environment at Lightyears and enjoys being part of an industry that promotes the positive use of our natural resources through clean, renewable energy.

Outside of work, Sanj enjoys exploring nature, fishing and hiking, and cooking and socialising with friends and family.

Abin Thomas
Senior Electrical Engineer

Abin is an electrical engineer with experience in Australia and New Zealand in the design of both high-voltage and low-voltage systems. His work has spanned applications including substations, industrial and critical care infrastructure, and battery energy storage systems.

Abin is excited to work in the renewable energy field, an innovative and evolving industry where new technologies are being implemented. He’s also inspired by playing a part in moving humanity towards a more sustainable future, through reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.

In his free time, you’ll find Abin spending time with friends and family, and staying active through soccer, the gym, and judo.

DJ Unnikrishnan
Electrical Engineer

Dhananjay (DJ) was one of the first employees at Lightyears, coming from a background as a mechanic on electric scooters. At Lightyears he works on solar farm design and layouts, and the simulation and analysis of our solar models. DJ enjoys the challenge of the work, as well as the opportunity to work on projects that change New Zealand for the better.

DJ holds a Bachelor of Engineering Technology, specialising in electrical engineering and computer-aided design. Outside work, he loves to visit places of natural beauty, and plays basketball, football and video games.

Aidan Rigby
Design Drafter

Aidan is qualified in CAD (computer-aided design) and has previously worked in this field in a consultancy.  In his role at Lightyears, Aidan assists the engineering team with detailed design of our solar farm projects around Aotearoa.

He is inspired by using design to find a solution to a challenge and to see a project come to life on the screen before it’s built on the ground. He also enjoys working in a field that is having a positive impact on the environment.

When he’s not in the office, you can find Aidan spending time with friends, gaming or trying his hand at baking.

David Madjar
Director of Solar Farm Operations

David has 15+ years’ experience as an engineer working across generation, transmission/distribution, and communications. His extensive experience includes primary substation design, MV/HV cable undergrounding, lightning protection studies, electrical site/safety assessments, detailed LV AC electrical design, construction monitoring and commissioning.

David is passionate about strengthening renewable energy generation in Aotearoa and being involved in a small but growing industry. Having the opportunity to solve new engineering challenges as renewables grow and adding diversity to the generation market are big drivers for him.

David holds a bachelor’s degree (Hons) in Electrical and Electronics Engineering. Outside work, he spends his time with his family, going sailing when the time and weather allow.

Sam Rowsell
Programme Manager

Sam is a mechanical engineer and project manager with 14 years’ experience in complex engineering projects across Aotearoa and in Australia. He has managed projects across all phases, from proposal development to handover to operations and maintenance. 

Sam manages the construction programme across multiple solar farms, working closely with site contractors and stakeholders to ensure quality and efficiency.  

Sam holds a Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Design and most recently earned a Diploma of Project Management. He is a Chartered Professional Engineer. Outside work, Sam can be found enjoying the outdoors or making furniture in his workshop.

Tom King
Construction Manager

Tom is an experienced builder and carpenter who has worked in construction for more than 20 years across commercial and residential sites, large and small. He managed Health and Safety on many of these large sites and does the same for Lightyears Solar, ensuring project installation is carried out safely and liaising closely with landowners.

Tom is a Licenced Building Practitioner, specialising in carpentry, and finds huge satisfaction in creating and building something and seeing the finished result. He has been interested in solar power since designing a solar project for an engineering course and is excited to be able to put his skills to use in the renewable energy sector.

Deborah Riley
Legal Counsel

Deborah has strong experience and expertise in local government and resource management law. As a lawyer in this field, she assisted councils on issues including resource consenting large projects, managing appeals and district plan development. She has also worked in local government and for the Ombudsman in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, dealing with investigations, contracts and planning law.

Deborah is interested to see how law and policy is adapting to enable renewable energy projects and is motivated by making plans to bring projects together, problem solving along the way, and working with people to cater for different perspectives and priorities.

Outside of work, Deborah loves to write, read, and take long bushwalks with her family.  

James Coe
Director of Business Operations

James’s role is help make our business scalable by bringing in systems and processes that let people concentrate on improvement, innovation and excellence. He oversees functions ranging from People & Culture to IT, and from logistics to marketing.

He has spent his career working with software, people and business processes across higher education, emergency services, and sales and distribution.

In real life, James enjoys gardening and regenerating native bush, wine, reading, and entertaining his young family.

Amanda Peart
Communications Lead

Amanda is an experienced communications professional and journalist with a strong history of public sector communications, specialising in stakeholder engagement, environmental communications and behavioural change.

With her interest in the environment and renewable energy and her communications experience, Amanda manages our communications plan and handles community and stakeholder engagement.

Outside work, Amanda loves spending time with family, friends and her dog, music, reading and the beach.

Jasmine Urquhart
Business Operations Lead

As Business Operations Lead, Jasmine’s operational expertise and cool head help to take on a range of operational processes, then investigate, improve and automate them.

Jasmine has developed a solid understanding of renewable energy through working in administrative roles in the solar industry and studying Marketing and Environmental Studies.

Outside of work, Jasmine loves spending time at the beach, playing tennis, occasional skiing and spending time with her family.