Sara Norrie appointed CEO of FIRST Security
Marking historic milestone for the business and the sector
as New Zealand’s first female CEO in the physical security industry
Monday 28th July 2025, Auckland – FIRST Security, one of New Zealand’s leading security providers with over 30 branches from Invercargill to Kaitaia, has today announced the appointment of Sara Norrie as its new CEO.
Norrie’s appointment marks an historic milestone for both the organisation and the wider industry, being not only the first female CEO of FIRST Security, but also the first woman to lead a physical security organisation in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Norrie joins FIRST Security from Wilson Parking New Zealand, where she has spent the last 18 years building a strong operational foundation and earning a reputation for people-focused leadership, customer-focused delivery, and innovation in complex environments.
She brings rich experience from service-driven organisations, with earlier roles in the Metropolitan Police in the UK and Qantas, further strengthening her ability to lead large, distributed teams with operational complexity.
Wilson Group CEO Jose Da Silva said, “Sara’s appointment as CEO is testament to her strong leadership, proven capability and consistent delivery across the business. As our first female CEO, her progression is also indicative of our ongoing advancement in building greater diversity across our executive and our commitment to developing strong talent across our Group.”
“As a leader, Sara is deeply committed to building inclusive, high-performing cultures and is passionate about uniting people behind a common purpose as FIRST Security enters its next phase of growth. We are confident that under her leadership, we will continue to deliver exceptional service to our customers and communities across Aotearoa.”
Norrie said on her appointment, “I am excited to take on this new challenge in an industry that aligns closely with my experience. FIRST Security is a strong business with great people and innovating at pace. Their philosophy of protecting people first and fostering genuine client relationships and authentic partnerships is something that definitely connects with my principles as a leader. I am looking forward to working with the team to build on that foundation.”
Norrie will replace outgoing CEO Tim Covic who is moving on to a new opportunity after seven successful years with the business—during which he played a pivotal role in driving growth, innovation, and operational excellence.
Da Silva concluded, “Tim leaves FIRST Security in a strong position, and we thank him for his outstanding leadership and dedication. We now look forward to this next chapter under Sara’s leadership.”
Sara Norrie will begin her new role this week.
