Peter Mersi
Commissioner and Chief Executive of Inland Revenue
Peter Mersi was appointed Commissioner and Chief Executive of Inland Revenue in July 2022.
Prior to this, Peter was the Secretary and Chief Executive for Transport (2016-2022), Chief Executive of Land Information New Zealand (2012-2016) and spent six months as the Acting Secretary and Chief Executive of the Department of Internal Affairs (2011-2012).
Peter has held senior leadership roles in Inland Revenue and the Treasury, where he spent 14 years primarily working on social policy and the public management system. He has also worked for the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Department of Labour, the Department of Trade and Industry, and the Bank of New Zealand.
Peter has an economics degree from Victoria University of Wellington.
Along with Gaye Searancke, the Chief Executive of Land Information New Zealand, Peter is the Co-Chair of Papa Pounamu, an initiative by Public Sector Chief Executives to support and grow diversity and inclusion in the public sector.
Mary Craig
Deputy Commissioner, Enterprise and Integrity Services
Mary has had an extensive and varied career as a public servant, predominantly with Inland Revenue.
As Deputy Commissioner Enterprise and Integrity Services, Mary facilitates integrated business architecture and design, intelligence and insights, data and analytics and prioritisation and investment across Inland Revenue.
Mary’s group also ensures the delivery of specialist services and advice to safeguard the integrity and reputation of Inland Revenue.
Mary has held several senior roles within Inland Revenue including Deputy Commissioner Service Delivery and Deputy Commissioner Corporate Integrity and Assurance.
Mary led the He Kōtuitui cross-organisation programme, which brought together organisational design work, embedding new ways of working and leading and governing the transformed Inland Revenue.
Mary has also contributed widely across the public sector, current examples include, being a member of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Risk and Assurance Committee and providing commentary on Government Department Investment business cases to the Treasury.
Between April 2025 and January 2026, Mary spent 10 months on secondment with Stats NZ Tatauranga Aotearoa as Government Statistician, Government Data Steward and Acting Chief Executive.
A passion for Mary is organisational coaching. She is a certified coach through the IECL programme and uses those skills throughout Inland Revenue and with others in both the public and private sector.
David Carrigan
Deputy Commissioner, Policy
David has held a number of positions within the tax policy function of Inland Revenue since joining the department in 1996. He has an extensive knowledge of tax policy and a deep understanding of the frameworks that underpin tax systems. David has led a number of reforms, most recently leading the policy work to support Inland Revenue’s Business Transformation.
With a background in law and languages, David holds a BA and LLB degrees from Auckland University.
Lisa Barrett
Deputy Commissioner, Customer and Compliance Services - Business
Lisa Barrett joined Inland Revenue in July 2023.
Prior to this, Lisa was Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Secretary Strategy, Performance and Engagement, Corporate and Shared Services at The Treasury Te Tai Ōhanga.
Lisa is passionate about the public service and serving the people and businesses of Aotearoa New Zealand. She has held a broad range of senior public sector leadership roles, including at Land Information New Zealand, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, and the Ministry of Economic Development.
As Deputy Commissioner, Customer and Compliance Services – Business, Lisa works to ensure businesses are supported to pay their tax at the right time. Her group also provides advice around complex and global tax issues.
Lisa lives in Wellington and holds a Bachelor of Laws from Victoria University of Wellington.
James Grayson
Deputy Commissioner, Customer and Compliance Services – Individuals
James has been with Inland Revenue for almost 20 years and has worked in a variety of roles, including leading large operational groups and making a significant contribution to Business Transformation.
Prior to Inland Revenue’s transformation, James was involved in a number of significant social policy reform programmes including child support and Working for Families. He has strong experience in delivering and managing large and complex change activities and with turning strategy to action within business groups.
Before joining Inland Revenue, he worked in a number of small businesses as an operational manager.
Michelle Redington
Chief Tax Counsel
Michelle Redington joined Inland Revenue as the Chief Tax Counsel in March 2021.
Michelle has more than 20 years professional taxation experience, including a range of senior leadership roles, primarily in the private sector.
Before joining Inland Revenue, Michelle held a number of positions at Air New Zealand, including General Manager, Group Shared Services and Taxation. Michelle was a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers New Zealand and co-leader of its international taxation team.
She has been a member of the Tax Advisory Group of the Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ) and was also a member of the Government’s 2018 Tax Working Group.
Michelle has a Master of Laws (LLM) in international taxation and is a barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand.