Andrea Midgen

Andrea joined Blind Low Vision NZ in January 2024 as Chief Executive, bringing in-depth experience in organisational leadership & strategic development, financial acumen, and stakeholder management. Andrea’s leadership principles are ‘to be curious and to be kind, it is all about He tāngata He tāngata He tāngata.’

Andrea is a proven leader, with a wealth of CEO and senior executive experience in the not-for-profit and corporate sectors. Throughout her career, she has consistently demonstrated a clear sense of vision, mission, and purpose.

Andrea served as Chief Executive Officer of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) for seven years. During her tenure, she unified forty-two independent societies into ‘One SPCA,’ significantly improving animal welfare, income streams, fundraising initiatives, and growing sustainable income streams through the national expansion of Op Shops.

Before joining the SPCA, Andrea was Group Strategist and CFO for Southern Cross Group. Prior to her role with Southern Cross, she held various senior executive roles at Vodafone. At Vodafone, she culminated her career as Director of Customer Operations and gained valuable governance experience as Chair of the Vodafone New Zealand Foundation. Her earlier roles included Financial Controller and Executive Sponsor for a $500 million multi-year Australia/New Zealand system replacement.

Andrea’s career began in an accounts office while she pursued her Chartered Accountant (CA) qualification from Unitec Te Pūkenga. Her career and leadership journey included leading finance teams in New Zealand’s building insulation and road transport industries and England’s air cargo industry. Returning to New Zealand, Andrea joined Ericsson Cellular as GM Operations during the early days of mobile phones.

Outside of work, Andrea enjoys hiking, yoga, volunteering, reading, jigsaws, and spending time with her husband, son, family, and friends.