Laura Menzies appointed Aktive chief executive

Laura Menzies will step down as chief executive of Northern Region Football at the end of October to become the new chief executive of Aktive, a charitable trust focused on increasing physical activity in Auckland.

Menzies has led Northern Region Football since 2021, overseeing the merger of the Auckland and Northern football federations into New Zealand’s largest regional federation. During her tenure, she managed a period of growth that included the delivery of the 2022-26 strategy and efforts to increase participation among girls and women following the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Aktive Board Chair Jason Shoebridge noted that Menzies’ extensive leadership experience across the sport, government, and not-for-profit sectors makes her well-suited to lead the organization in its next phase of supporting community participation and sector capability.