ExxonMobil New Zealand

• Business / Trading Name: ExxonMobil New Zealand Ltd – primarily operates in NZ as Mobil Oil New Zealand Limited (MONZ), the local ExxonMobil subsidiary.

• Company Number: 7815 (NZ Companies Office registration).

• NZBN: 9429040952963 (New Zealand Business Number).

• Entity Type: NZ Limited Company (Ltd).

• Business Classification: Petroleum product wholesaling and retail fuel distribution (ANZSIC code 3321).

• Industry Category: Energy – Oil & Gas (downstream fuel supply sector).

• Year Founded: 1952 (incorporated 10 September 1952); predecessor companies of Mobil established presence in NZ in 1896, making it NZ’s oldest oil company.

• Addresses:

  • Head Office (Physical): Building B, Level 2, 8 Nugent Street, Grafton, Auckland 1023.

  • Registered Office: c/o Russell McVeagh (law firm), Vero Centre, 48 Shortland Street, Auckland 1140.

  • Postal Address: PO Box 1709, Shortland Street, Auckland 1140.

• Website URL: Mobil New Zealand – https://www.mobil.co.nz (consumer site). Corporate info is also on ExxonMobil’s site – https://corporate.exxonmobil.com.

• LinkedIn URL: ExxonMobil Australia and New Zealand – https://www.linkedin.com/company/exxonmobil-aus/ (no dedicated NZ-only page).

• Company Hub NZ URL: CompanyHub profile – https://www.companyhub.nz/companyDetails.cfm?nzbn=9429040952963 (Mobil Oil NZ listing with registration details).

• NZ Companies Office URL: https://app.companiesoffice.govt.nz/companies/app/ui/pages/companies/7815

• Social Media URLs: Mobil New Zealand maintains an official Facebook page (e.g. Facebook – @MobilNewZealand) for public outreach. (No active NZ-specific Twitter/X account identified.)

• Ultimate Holding Company: Exxon Mobil Corporation (U.S.) – the American parent corporation (global oil major). Exxon Mobil Corp is the ultimate owner controlling ExxonMobil’s NZ subsidiaries.

• Key Shareholders: The immediate parent is ExxonMobil New Zealand Holdings (NZ Unlimited Company), which holds 100% of Mobil Oil NZ’s shares. ExxonMobil NZ Holdings in turn is wholly owned by Mobil Petroleum Company Inc. (incorporated in Delaware, USA) – a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corp. (This structure was established in 2007, when share ownership transferred from Mobil’s U.S. entities to the NZ holding company).

• Leadership: Wayne Ellary – Chairman & “Group CEO” of ExxonMobil’s NZ operations (Mobil Oil NZ). Ellary assumed leadership in 2023, succeeding Andrew McNaught (who was long-time Lead Country Manager up to May 2023). Directors of Mobil Oil NZ include ExxonMobil executives such as Cameron M. L. Taylor, Timothy A. Duguid, and (formerly) Andrew McNaught. Company directors are a mix of local managers and overseas appointees (e.g. Duguid and others have Australian affiliations via ExxonMobil’s Australasian operations).

• Staff (with previous government roles): No publicly known senior Mobil NZ staff have held prior political or government office. Unlike some lobby firms, Mobil tends to employ career industry professionals. (No evidence was found of ExxonMobil NZ executives coming directly from government roles – e.g. Wayne Ellary’s background is in the energy business, and others are ExxonMobil career staff.) Mobil’s public and government affairs advisors are typically communications professionals rather than former politicians. (Notably, Mobil has direct access to officials through in-house lobbying, obviating the need to hire ex-Ministers as lobbyists.)

• Past Employees: Andrew McNaught – Lead Country Manager for over a decade (2011–2023), known for representing Mobil in industry forums and ministerial meetings (e.g. he was the Mobil executive who met with Ministers on policy issues). George R. Garner III – Country Manager in the early 2000s, remembered for overseeing Mobil’s long-running “Mobil Song Quest” sponsorship. Most past country heads have been overseas-trained ExxonMobil managers on rotation. There is little public record of Mobil NZ staff leaving to take up prominent government roles or vice versa.

• Clients: (Not applicable in the conventional sense of a consultancy.) As an operating company, Mobil’s “clients” are its fuel customers. These include ~170 Mobil service stations nationwide (about 121 are Mobil-owned or leased, others operated by independent franchisees), as well as commercial fuel buyers. Mobil supplies fuel to independent resellers (e.g. Allied Petroleum, part of HW Richardson Group) and bulk customers in aviation, marine, and industrial sectors. In effect, Mobil represents the retail and wholesale fuel sector rather than having external “clients” for lobbying services.

• Industries / Sectors Represented: Mobil (ExxonMobil NZ) represents the downstream petroleum industry – i.e. fuel importation, refining (historically), distribution and marketing. It is a key player in the oil & gas sector’s influence network, often aligning with industry associations to speak for fossil fuel interests. Through its activities and memberships, it speaks for the petroleum and energy sector in New Zealand, particularly on matters of fuel supply, pricing, and climate/emissions policy.

• Publicly Disclosed Engagements: ExxonMobil NZ (Mobil) has engaged in policy consultations and public processes, although disclosures are limited. Notably, Mobil has lodged formal submissions to government on energy and climate policies – for example, on the proposed Biofuels Mandate (July 2021) and on Emissions Trading Scheme reforms (2019). The company’s executives have appeared in front of select committees or working groups when invited (often under the umbrella of industry groups). Mobil also joined the sector lobby group Energy Resources Aotearoa in 2022, an engagement it publicised jointly with that group. Additionally, ministerial diaries (released under OIA) reveal meetings between Mobil and Ministers – for instance, Mobil’s country manager met with the Energy Minister at Parliament on 15 April 2021, and Mobil’s Chair (Ellary) met with Transport officials/Ministers on 15 Feb 2024, indicating direct lobbying activity. Publicly, Mobil representatives participate in panel events and briefings (e.g. speaking at an industry forum on energy security, or hosting a policy briefing on fuels). However, New Zealand’s lack of a lobby register means many engagements are not proactively disclosed by the company.

• Affiliations: Energy Resources Aotearoa (ERA) – Mobil NZ is a member of this peak oil and gas advocacy group (Mobil became the first retail fuel company to join ERA in 2022). Through ERA, Mobil collaborates with upstream and downstream petroleum companies to present a united lobbying front. Mobil executives (e.g. Wayne Ellary) even sit on ERA’s board, representing the “large producers” category. Mobil is also associated with BusinessNZ initiatives (the company interacts with the BusinessNZ Energy Council, though Mobil is not listed as a formal member, it coordinates with broader business lobbies on energy policy). Historically, Mobil was part of the industry infrastructure consortium (with BP and Shell/Z) that jointly ran the Marsden Point Refinery and fuel distribution network. It also works with sector groups on operational issues (e.g. the Oil Industry Environmental Working Group, and cooperative arrangements for fuel emergency responses). Global affiliations: As an ExxonMobil subsidiary, it aligns with the American Petroleum Institute (API) positions via its parent, and has connections to global industry groups through ExxonMobil’s membership (Exxon has been involved in bodies like API and others, which trickle down influence to subsidiaries).

• Sponsorships / Collaborations: Mobil NZ is known for community-oriented sponsorships. It has a flagship partnership with KidsCan (charitable trust) since 2018, providing funding for child poverty relief – for example, Mobil donates a portion of coffee sales to KidsCan and has become a major partner in school nutrition programs. In the past, Mobil was a prominent arts sponsor: it founded and sponsored the Mobil Song Quest (NZ’s premier opera singing competition) from 1956 until 2004. (Mobil handed over the Song Quest to a trust in 2004 as it refocused its community efforts to education, environment and safety causes.) Mobil also collaborates with civil defence/emergency services when needed – e.g. working with government during the 2017 Auckland fuel pipeline outage crisis. Industry collaborations: Mobil frequently works alongside BP and Z Energy in industry initiatives, such as joint fuel terminal operations and infrastructure sharing, and it sponsored the annual Petroleum Conference via ERA/PEPANZ. These collaborations often double as lobbying opportunities (presenting a unified industry voice).

• Events: Mobil Oil NZ does not widely publicise its own events aimed at political influence, reflecting a strategy of behind-closed-doors engagement. However, it takes part in industry events and occasionally hosts briefings: for instance, ExxonMobil’s Global Fuels Policy Executive delivered a “sustainable fuel policy” briefing in NZ to an audience of industry and officials, in an event hosted by ERA with Mobil’s involvement. Mobil has also co-organised panel discussions on energy issues (such as an energy outlook forum where Mobil’s country manager shared insights). Community-wise, Mobil holds local events like volunteer days with KidsCan and promotional events at service stations (but these are PR-focused). No known political fundraising events are hosted by Mobil, and any government relations meetings are informal (e.g. private meetings at Parliament or ministry offices rather than public events). Mobil’s influence activities are thus more through meetings, submissions, and third-party forums than through open events.

• Political Donations: None disclosed. A search of New Zealand Electoral Commission records shows no donations from “ExxonMobil” or “Mobil Oil NZ” above the public disclosure threshold. The company appears not to donate directly to political parties or candidates in NZ (at least not in reportable amounts). This aligns with ExxonMobil’s global policy of making limited direct political contributions outside the US. (It is possible small donations or indirect support occur via industry associations, but there is no public record of Mobil NZ funding NZ political campaigns.) The absence of declared donations suggests ExxonMobil NZ exerts influence primarily through lobbying and advocacy rather than campaign funding.

• Controversies: ExxonMobil NZ/Mobil has been embroiled in a number of controversies:

  • Climate Policy Obstruction: Mobil NZ publicly opposed the Kyoto Protocol on climate change. In 2001, Mobil’s NZ country manager stated the company “does not support the Kyoto Protocol” and claimed it was “seriously flawed,” mirroring ExxonMobil’s global stance against binding emissions targets. This stance drew protests (Greenpeace targeted Mobil in 2001 for Exxon’s climate lobbying) and highlighted a pattern of ExxonMobil undermining climate initiatives – an ethical cloud that hangs over its NZ arm.

  • Environmental Cleanup Dispute: Mobil fought a legal battle with Auckland authorities over toxic soil cleanup at its former tank farm in Wynyard Quarter. After leasing waterfront fuel storage sites for over 50 years, Mobil left behind heavy hydrocarbon contamination when its lease ended in 2011. Waterfront Auckland (the public development agency) sued Mobil to pay for a NZ$10 million remediation. Although the High Court initially sided with Mobil, the Court of Appeal ruled Mobil was liable – Mobil then appealed to the Supreme Court. In 2016, the Supreme Court overturned the cleanup order in Mobil’s favor, meaning taxpayers (via the council) bore much of the cleanup cost. Mobil’s aggressive denial of responsibility for pollution it helped cause was widely criticised as putting profits over the environment.

  • Fuel Pricing and Competition: Mobil – along with fellow oil majors – was found to be making persistently excessive profits from NZ consumers. A 2019 Commerce Commission market study concluded that the dominant fuel companies (Mobil, BP, Z) had “been making persistently higher profits over the past decade than we would expect in a workably competitive market,” leading Kiwis to pay more at the pump. The study noted Mobil and its peers share infrastructure and have long-term supply lock-in with resellers, which weakens competition. Mobil’s participation in what was effectively an oligopoly drew public ire and a government crackdown (new regulations in 2020–21 to increase wholesale competition). While not an illegal act, this situation is a controversy of public interest, as Mobil’s business practices were shown to hurt consumers and necessitated regulatory intervention.

  • COVID-19 Wage Subsidy: Mobil Oil NZ received government wage subsidies during the 2020 COVID lockdown. (While specific figures aren’t publicly confirmed in this report, Refining NZ’s disclosures indicate Mobil and others benefited from subsidies to maintain staff.) Unlike some companies that later returned subsidy funds, there was no publicized repayment from Mobil. This drew some criticism in retrospect, given that oil prices and margins subsequently rebounded sharply – raising questions about whether Mobil truly needed taxpayer support or should have returned it.

  • Global Reputational Issues: As the local arm of ExxonMobil, ExxonMobil NZ is implicated by association in Exxon’s global controversies – from decades of climate change denial and disinformation funding (the infamous “Exxon knew” scandal) to major oil spills internationally. In NZ, environmental groups have occasionally targeted Mobil in protests as a proxy for ExxonMobil’s misdeeds. For example, Greenpeace’s 2001 protest at Mobil’s Wellington office directly tied Mobil NZ to Exxon’s anti-climate lobbying in the US. Such incidents highlight the reputational risk and public distrust Mobil faces due to its parent company’s record.

(Overall, these controversies paint ExxonMobil NZ as a company frequently at odds with environmental responsibility and consumer interests, necessitating scrutiny.)

• Other Information of Note: Mobil Oil NZ is structured as an “unlimited” liability company via ExxonMobil NZ Holdings. This structure means it has no requirement to file public financial statements in New Zealand, reducing transparency about its profits and tax contributions. (Critics point out this as a form of opacity – the public cannot easily see ExxonMobil’s NZ revenues or how little it invests in low-carbon solutions here.) Mobil was historically a part-owner (17% share) of NZ’s sole refinery at Marsden Point, but with the refinery’s closure in 2022 the company transitioned fully to importing refined fuel. ExxonMobil New Zealand has also ventured into oil exploration: in 2007 it formed ExxonMobil New Zealand (Exploration) Ltd and won a government permit for offshore exploration (a 90% interest in an offshore Taranaki block). However, it later withdrew from that exploration effort, and ExxonMobil currently has no active oil/gas production in NZ. Lastly, it’s notable that ExxonMobil NZ’s influence often flies “under the radar” – it conducts a great deal of government engagement directly (through meetings, submissions, and via law firms like Russell McVeagh) without public fanfare, which is exactly the kind of hidden influence The Integrity Institute’s register aims to document.

• Recipient of Wage Subsidy Scheme: Yes – Mobil Oil New Zealand Ltd received COVID-19 wage subsidies in 2020 (during the government’s Wage Subsidy Scheme to retain jobs). This is a matter of public record via the Ministry of Social Development’s subsidy database. Mobil qualified due to the sharp drop in fuel sales in lockdown, though the exact amount was not disclosed here. Notably, Mobil NZ was not among the companies that volunteered to repay subsidies later in 2020–2021. The acceptance of public subsidy, despite ExxonMobil’s global profitability, was commented on in media as part of the wider debate on big businesses and Covid aid. (Critics argue this exemplifies “privatising profits and socialising losses.”) Mobil has not publicly addressed this beyond confirming it met the criteria at the time.

Sources:

1. Mobil Oil New Zealand Limited – Business Profile, BizDb, https://www.bizdb.co.nz/company/9429040952963/

2. Mobil Oil New Zealand Limited – NZBN Company Listing, NZLBusiness (Companies Office data), https://www.nzlbusiness.com/company/registered/Mobil-Oil-New-Zealand-Limited

3. “About Mobil New Zealand” – Mobil NZ official website, Mobil.co.nz, https://www.mobil.co.nz/en-nz/about-us

4. “Mobil Joins Energy Resources Aotearoa,” Press Release – Energy Resources Aotearoa (via Scoop News), 28 Mar 2022, https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU2203/S00257/mobil-joins-energy-resources-aotearoa.htm

5. Energy Resources Aotearoa – Our Board (membership list), energyresources.org.nz (accessed 2025), https://www.energyresources.org.nz/about-us/our-board/

6. Wayne Ellary LinkedIn Profile – “Chairman & Group CEO, ExxonMobil New Zealand”, LinkedIn.com, https://nz.linkedin.com/in/wayne-ellary-29527513

7. “KidsCan and Mobil New Zealand partnership helps Kiwi kids in need,” ExxonMobil News (Australia/NZ), 22 Nov 2024, https://corporate.exxonmobil.com/locations/australia/australia-newsroom/mobil-community-outreach/2024/kidscan-and-mobil-new-zealand-partnership-helps-kiwi-kids-in-need

8. ClientEarth – The Greenwashing Files: ExxonMobil (analysis of ExxonMobil’s climate claims vs. reality), clientearth.org, 2021, https://www.clientearth.org/latest/documents/the-greenwashing-files-exxonmobil/

9. NZ Commerce Commission – “Retail fuel market study recommends changes to benefit competition and consumers” (Executive Summary), 5 Dec 2019, comcom.govt.nz, https://comcom.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/191634/Executive-Summary-Retail-Fuel-Market-Study-2019.pdf

10. Hon Megan Woods – Ministerial Diary (Energy & Resources), April 2021 – entry for 15/04/2021 meeting with Mobil Oil NZ Ltd (Andrew McNaught), Beehive.govt.nz, https://www.beehive.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2021-06/Energy%20and%20Resources%20-%20April%202021.pdf

11. Ministerial Diary – Multi-Minister (Transport) Diary Summary, Feb 2024 – entry 15/02/2024 meeting: Wayne Ellary, Mobil Oil NZ, Beehive.govt.nz, https://www.beehive.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2023-03/Transport%20-%20February%202024.pdf

12. “Greenpeace Protest” – Mobil Oil NZ press release re: Kyoto Protocol, Scoop Info, 12 June 2001, https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0106/S00042.htm

13. MBIE Consultation – Mobil Oil NZ submission on Sustainable Biofuels Mandate (July 2021), Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment, 2021 (PDF), https://www.mbie.govt.nz/dmsdocument/24244-mobil-increasing-the-use-of-sustainable-biofuels-in-aotearoa-new-zealand-july-2021

14. MfE Consultation – Mobil Oil NZ submission on ETS reforms (Fixed Price Option increase), Oct 2019 (PDF via MfE), https://mfe-past-consultations.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/consultation_id%3D2/pdfFiles/140%20Mobil%20Oil.pdf

15. Bryce Edwards, “What business is lobbying government for” – Political Roundup column, NZ Herald, 5 Mar 2018, (overview of corporate lobbying in NZ), https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/what-business-is-lobbying-government-for-bryce-edwards-political-roundup/JN5ONDVFPRFGVMMRET3NF7FBYQ/

16. Bryce Edwards, “Energy Resources Aotearoa” – Integrity Institute (Democracy Project Substack), 1 Aug 2022, (analysis of ERA’s lobbying role), Substack @democracyproject, (archived)

17. BusinessDesk, “Supreme Court overturns Mobil’s $10M Wynyard Quarter cleanup order,” by Pattrick Smellie, 12 Aug 2016, (Mobil not liable for cleanup after appeal), https://businessdesk.co.nz/article/supreme-court-overturns-mobils-10m-wynyard-quarter-cleanup-order

18. Storage Terminals Magazine, “Auckland clean up case goes to Supreme Court,” 23 Nov 2015, (Mobil given leave to appeal $10m cleanup liability), https://storageterminalsmag.com/auckland-clean-up-case-goes-to-supreme-court/

19. Scoop News, “ExxonMobil Confirms Successful Acreage Bid Off NZ,” 11 July 2007, (ExxonMobil NZ (Exploration) Ltd wins offshore oil block), https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0707/S00199.htm

20. Ministry of Social Development – COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Employer Search database (2020), msd.govt.nz, (Mobil Oil New Zealand listed as subsidy recipient) https://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/newsroom/2020/covid-19/covid-19-wage-subsidy-employer-search.html

21. NZ Herald, “Covid-19 wage subsidies: The top 10 company repayments to the Government,” by John Weekes, 1 Aug 2023, (Mobil not listed among major repayments), https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/covid-19-wage-subsidies-the-top-10-company-repayments-to-the-government/HJDBP6KFQBBH7EQOGCJDUDWFRI/

22. Katalyst Business Profile – ExxonMobil New Zealand Holdings, KatalystBusiness.co.nz, 2025 (excerpt via free trial), https://www.katalystbusiness.co.nz/business-profiles/686625.html

Exxon Mobil Corporation 2023 Form 10-K – List of Significant Subsidiaries (includes Mobil Oil New Zealand Ltd), ExxonMobil IR, Feb 2024,

Spot anything in this entry that is wrong? Please either leave a comment at the end or email, in confidence: bryce@democracyproject.nz