Our People
At Aerowork, our strength is in our people. From our skilled pilots and engineers to our dedicated ground crews and support teams, every member of our organisation plays a part in keeping New Zealand’s rural communities thriving. We’re proud of the expertise, passion, and commitment our team brings to every job — and we’re even prouder of the relationships they build with the farmers and families we serve.
Meet the people who keep Aerowork flying.
Management Team
Harald Hendel
Chief Executive
Harald Hendel brings over 30 years of international aviation experience to Aerowork, including senior leadership roles at Airbus and serving as Chief Accident Investigator for the New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission.
As CEO, he leads Aerowork’s pilots, engineers, and ground crews with a strong focus on safety, operational excellence, and collaborative leadership. Harald is committed to ensuring Aerowork delivers reliable, high-quality aerial application services that support farmers and rural communities across New Zealand.
Mark Tocher
Chief Pilot
Mark has been part of Aerowork for more than 22 years. From an Area Coordinator role in the Wairarapa to loader driving he achieved his ambition of becoming an agricultural pilot — a passion sparked at age eight when a topdressing pilot invited him up for a ride.
Since 2022, Mark has served as Aerowork’s Chief Pilot. He leads and supports our pilot team, oversees flight safety, compliance, and keeping pilots current through annual checks. Mark also manages flight training of new trainee pilots, helping ensure Aerowork’s continued safe delivery of aerial application across rural New Zealand.
Matthew Andrews
Aircraft Engineering & Maintenance Manager
Matthew Andrews leads Aerowork’s aircraft engineering and maintenance team, bringing a strong Air Force background and more than seven years’ experience in his current role. He is responsible for all scheduled and unscheduled aircraft maintenance across the fleet, operating under Aerowork’s CAA Part 145 certified capability.
Matthew also oversees the supply of aircraft parts and Aerowork’s unique in-house manufacturing capability under CAA Part 148, giving the business flexibility and speed in maintaining aircraft availability. Working alongside a highly skilled team of engineers, Matthew ensures aircraft are returned to service safely, efficiently, and reliably—keeping Aerowork flying and supporting farmers when it matters most.
Colin de Plessis
Safety & Wellbeing Manager
Colin du Plessis brings extensive health, safety, and risk leadership experience from roles across the NZ Defence Force, GNS Science, the Ministry of Health, and other complex operational environments. Targeting a practical approach, he builds strong relationships and turns safety strategy into real-world action.
Colin oversees safety across aircraft maintenance and operations. His work strengthens Aerowork’s safety culture and supports safe operations for teams and customers across rural New Zealand.
Glen Russell
Operations Manager
Glen Russell brings extensive aviation engineering and leadership experience from his senior roles in the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
As Aerowork’s Operations Manager, he oversees day-to-day operations across all bases, ensuring loader trucks, vehicles, facilities, and ground assets are ready to support flying safely and efficiently. Glen works closely with the Chief Pilot and engineering teams to coordinate aircraft movements and maintain high operational standards.
Emma Rowe
Finance Business Manager
Steph Laird
Product Manager Precision Application
Based in Whanganui, Steph brings a long and varied career with Ravensdown to her role as Product Manager for Precision Application at Aerowork. Her focus is on ensuring Aerowork’s precision application technology continues to evolve and delivers practical value for both pilots and farmer shareholders.
A graduate with a Bachelor of Applied Science and the 2003 recipient of the Hugh Williams Scholarship, Steph combines technical knowledge with hands-on farming experience.
Outside of work, Steph can often be found on the sidelines supporting her children’s sport, taking dinner out to the paddock, or lining up for parkrun on a Saturday morning.
Emma Rowe brings over 20 years of financial leadership and management accounting experience to Aerowork, following senior roles across WPI’s sawmill and pulp mill operations. She leads Aerowork’s financial accounting and reporting, providing clear, timely insights that support strong commercial decision-making and long-term business performance.
Emma works closely with the CEO, and operational staff, turning complex information into practical guidance that strengthens both governance and day-to-day operations.
Emma and her husband Peter also farm in the Waimarino, giving her a genuine understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the rural communities.
