Chris Deere is the Owner and Director of The Alternative Board – Auckland South, where he facilitates peer advisory boards and provides strategic and one-to-one coaching for business owners, CEOs, directors, and emerging leaders.

He also leads Supportlab Ltd, which he founded in 2017 to deliver leadership, strategy, and operational support to the attractions industry and wider business sector.

Previously, Chris served as CEO of Rainbow’s End Theme Park for 10 years, following five years as Operations Manager. Under his leadership, the park achieved significant growth, overcame major challenges, and received multiple national and international awards.

A Certified Attractions Executive (ICAE) with the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), Chris has been a regular speaker, panellist, mentor, and judge at IAAPA Expos across the U.S., Asia, and Australia. He also served on IAAPA’s Human Resources Committee (2015–2017) and Asia-Pacific Education Committee (2018).

Earlier in his career, Chris spent seven years as a New Zealand Police Officer, qualifying as a Youth Aid Officer and co-founding Pro-Active Ventures, a rehabilitation programme for high-risk youth offenders supported by Police and community agencies.

He currently serves as a Board Member of the Attainable Trust, supporting inclusion and employment opportunities for people with disabilities.