Our People

Meet the people who make up our global leadership

Scott is a truly global organisation, with over 600 employees across twelve countries. Meet the people leading our highly skilled team in transforming industries through automation and robotics.

Executive Leadership

Mike Christman CEO

Mike Christman

Chief Executive Officer

Mike joined Scott as CEO in late 2024, coming from Vanderlande B.V., a global leader in logistics automation, where he served as Global Executive Vice President of the Parcel segment starting in April 2021. In that role, Mike oversaw a team of approximately 2,000 FTEs and managed annual revenues exceeding NZ$800 million. He played a pivotal role in shaping Vanderlande's global market strategy and led growth initiatives focused on R&D technology roadmaps, global people development, and long-term customer service agreements, which contributed to sustained growth and market leadership.

Previously, Mike held several leadership positions at Vanderlande, including Managing Director for both the UK and Singapore, where he led significant transformations and achieved key milestones, such as securing the largest order in Vanderlande Airports’ history.

Mike is a Chartered Engineer, holds a Master of Science from the University of Glasgow, and is PMP Certified.

Aaron Vanwalleghem EU

Aaron Vanwalleghem

President Europe & North America

Aaron joined Scott in 2013 (then Alvey). Responsible for sales, engineering, operations and services in material handling, BladeStop and appliances for the European Market. Aaron was a key part and shareholder of the Alvey Group and joined Scott alongside the acquisition in 2018. During his time with Alvey, and now Scott, he has held many key positions within the company, including Project Manager, Head of PMA, Service Manager and Operations Manager. Aaron has a Master in Economics from the University of Leuven (BE).

Casey Jenkin 24

Casey Jenkins

Group GM – People, ESG, Marketing & President Scott Mining

Casey joined the company in 2014 and manages the global Marketing and People functions of the Group. Responsible for the delivery of the overall Marketing, Communication and HR strategies for the Scott Group including all subsidiary companies and brands.

Casey’s role as Marketing Director includes communications, branding and marketing strategy. Her role also extends to cover the People side of the business, focusing on building a high-performance organisational culture, team values, employee branding and communication.

Prior to joining Scott, Casey held marketing roles in various business-to-business and consumer branded companies, including R&R Sport and Icebreaker.

Anthony Wesney 24

Anthony Wesney

Interim Co-Chief Financial Officer

Anthony Wesney was appointed interim Co-Chief Financial Officer of Scott Automation in April 2024. He brings significant experience in leading business transformation and improving organizational performance through Data and Insight.

Anthony has held numerous senior financial and commercial leadership roles with prominent companies in the UK and New Zealand, including Brand Developers Ltd, Australasia’s leading Direct Response Television company, Sealord, and Pret A Manger. His expertise in financial strategy and commercial operations has been instrumental in driving performance improvements and business growth.

He holds a Bachelor of Business Studies from Massey University. Anthony’s deep understanding of financial management and data-driven decision-making makes him an invaluable asset to Scott Automation’s leadership team.

Mark Omalley 24

Mark O'Malley

Interim Co-Chief Financial Officer

Mark O'Malley was appointed interim Co-Chief Financial Officer of Scott Automation in April 2024. With a robust background in commercial finance leadership, Mark brings a wealth of experience from some of New Zealand’s leading listed companies, including Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, Fletcher Building, and Auckland Airport.

Mark is a skilled finance leader, adept in setting strategy, business planning and performance, commercial operations, and managing risk. His strategic acumen and operational expertise have consistently driven financial excellence and business growth in his previous roles.

He holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting from the University of Canterbury and is a Chartered Accountant. Mark's comprehensive financial knowledge and leadership capabilities make him a pivotal part of Scott Automation’s financial leadership team.

Cathy Zhang

Cathy Zhang

Regional Director - China

Cathy joined Scott in 2007 and manages the operation of SSQ. Responsible for the sales, manufacturing and service of the sheet metal forming machine within China, and meanwhile providing the cost-saving parts and assembly for the Group.

Andrew Arnold Leadership

Andrew Arnold

General Manager - New Zealand

Andrew Arnold is responsible for the development and commercialization of Scott Automation’s meat processing technology. Actively involved since the technology's inception seven years ago, Andrew has been instrumental in developing the patented solutions recognized as world-leading in the field.

With over 30 years of experience working with automated machinery at Scott Technology, Andrew brings unparalleled expertise and innovation to his role. His leadership has been pivotal in advancing Scott’s cutting-edge meat processing technologies.

In addition to his role at Scott, Andrew serves as a Director of Robotic Technologies Limited and NS Innovations Pty Limited, further contributing to the industry with his extensive knowledge and experience.

Damian Lucas Leadership

Damian Lucas

General Manager – Australia

Damian joined Scott Technology New Zealand as National Service Manager in November 2021.

Previously from Otis Elevator in Christchurch, Damian led the Christchurch earthquake construction projects team, providing leadership to several key infrastructure projects during the city’s rebuild.
With 30 years of service, operations, and construction management experience in several international markets across the office automation, vertical transport, and cellular phone industries, Damian has a proven track record in developing and leading high-performance teams that deliver operational and financial excellence while creating value-added, customer-centric solutions.
Damian now resides in Melbourne, Australia.
Mark Host

Mark Host

Vice President of Sales – Global Protein

Mark Host joins bringing a proven track record of sales growth, market and product development, and team leadership. He has over 25 years of experience across multiple food processing categories where he has helped processors implement solutions to increase worker safety, improve processing yields, and grow profitability.

Mark comes to Scott from Pearson Packaging Systems, a market leader in secondary packaging and robotic automation, where he was the VP of Sales. Prior to that, Mark served as VP of Global Sales at Bettcher Industries, a global protein processing supplier, where he led the acceleration of the business, the launch of new products, and growing both direct and distributor markets. Mark has held additional commercial leadership roles at TOMRA Food and FOSS. Mark and his family reside in the Twin Cities of Minnesota.

Global Leadership

John Dalzell Leadership

John Dalzell

Director - Appliances

John began his career with Scott in 1994 as a design cadet. Contributing to the design, commissioning and installation of many automation systems, John went on to be a Production Manager at an automation company in the baking industry before becoming their Operations Manager. In 2004, He returned to Scott to focus on growing bespoke automation sales and establishing our service business. John has worked alongside some of the worlds largest and most successful manufacturers over his 25+ years within our appliance business. As the Director of Appliances, He is responsible for the business development and growth of the appliance sector globally.

Frédéric Hermier EU

Frederic Hermier

Director - Materials Handling & Logistics

Frederic has been involved in the Alvey business since 1995 in different sales positions. He is now responsible for the business development of Materials Handling & Logistics for the Scott Group globally.

Michael Crombie Leadership

Michael Crombie

Head of Finance

Michael joined Scott in 2019 and is responsible for planning, implementing, managing and controlling all financial-related activities within the Scott group. Michael has gained a wide range of financial and business experience from working in a number of different industries and locations throughout his career to date.

Kasia Liu

Kasia Liu

Group Health & Safety Manager

Kasia joined Scott in January 2023 as Group Health and Safety Manager; she is experienced across a range of industries in both private and public sectors and has worked in various diverse and complex global corporations. She brings her strong business acumen and a wealth of Health, Safety and Wellbeing experience from within manufacturing, engineering, warehousing, facilities management, retail/sales and corporate environments.

As the Group Health and Safety Manager, she is responsible for leading and driving the Scott Global Health and Safety strategy to ensure continuous improvement in all health and safety aspects via an authentic and people-centred culture that continues to thrive. Kasia holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Human Resource Management and is NEBOSH qualified.

Steve Henshaw Leadership

Steve Henshaw

Director - Project Management

Steve has been a member of the Scott team for 19 years. Joining the company as a Project Manager in 2002, he has delivered many large-scale projects for geographically dispersed customers for the Appliance business.

Within Scott, Steve has had various roles including, Manager of Special Projects, Christchurch Operations Manager, Projects Director and now Group Manager – PMO. This role focuses on Project Management best practices while providing leadership and mentoring to the Project Management team. Steve also plays a key role in facilitating the company’s Work Force Planning activities which ensures project commitments are achieved.

Werner Conradie1

Werner Conradie

General Manager - Rocklabs

Werner started with Scott in July 2021, he is a proficient professional renowned for his expertise in strategy formulation, thorough implementation, and focusing on cultivating of a thriving organisational culture. With an impressive track record of collaborating with numerous large multinational enterprises throughout New Zealand and Australia, Werner brings a wealth of experience to the table.

Currently serving as the General Manager of Rocklabs, a global division of Scott Technology, Werner leads with a hands-on approach, steering the company towards growth and success through innovation and strategic execution. Rocklabs specialises in offering cutting-edge products and semi-automated solutions in the mining sample preparation industry. Werner’s ability lies in devising strategic blueprints that guide companies on the path of progress, executing plans with tact, and nurturing an atmosphere of inclusivity and cooperation within workplaces.