Sarah Blackie, Founder & CEO
Sarah Blackie is a strategist, change-maker, and recognised leader in procurement and business partnerships. As the founder and driving force behind Esby & Co, she helps organisations unlock commercial value through faster procurement and stronger partnerships.
Sarah brings deep expertise, honed over 20 years leading commercial teams and projects across New Zealand, the UK and in other global markets. She built Xero’s award-winning global procurement function, earned the company’s prestigious CEO Award for outstanding commercial results, and has served as a Director on a number of Boards for NZ technology and FMCG export companies.
Through Esby & Co, Sarah partners with clients who need to move swiftly and articulate clear outcomes. Her approach blends sharp strategic thinking with disarming honesty, agility, and heart – driving tangible results in even the most complex commercial environments.
Sarah founded Esby & Co in 2019 with a clear vision: to redefine how procurement and partnerships fuel success. Today, she is proud that Esby & Co gets to work with executives who value not just expertise and accelerated delivery, but a bold ‘can do’ mindset.
Ipy Yip – Associate Principal
Ipy Yip is a delivery leader with over a decade of experience guiding transformation, change, and complex programmes across banking, financial services, and highly regulated environments in New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region.
Ipy’s internal experience spans digital platform delivery, supplier operating model change, regulatory uplift, and enterprise-wide transformation in highly regulated environments. Shaped by her ‘Big 4’ consulting career in Hong Kong, Ipy has a strong focus on customer. She knows what good client engagement looks like – clear rhythms, consistent delivery, no surprises. Her highly collaborative approach – leading cross-functional teams, aligning senior stakeholders is a significant advantage to our ability to execute complex projects and programmes for our clients.
Ipy’s calm and highly efficient delivery discipline is the engine room that helps our clients and projects operate at pace.
Lisa Skinner – Senior Commercial & Procurement Advisor
Lisa Skinner is a highly respected procurement and commercial leader with over 20 years of experience across ICT, digital services, banking and insurance. She has held senior and leadership roles at leading New Zealand brands, including ASB Bank, Spark New Zealand, and Tower Insurance, where she delivered transformative commercial strategies and fostered innovative supplier partnerships.
Renowned for her expertise in complex technology sourcing and negotiations, Lisa has led high-impact engagements with global partners such as AWS, Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, Cisco, Infosys, IBM Spotify, Netflix and Live Nation. She has led significant initiatives, including enterprise-wide procurement transformations, Supplier Relationship Management programs, and multi-country Procure-to-Pay rollouts.
Lisa’s approach is underpinned by her sharp commercial acumen and a deep commitment to culture and people.
Halle Evans – Operations & Projects Coordinator
Halle Evans brings a breadth of commercial and operational experience to her role at Esby & Co, supporting the delivery of complex projects and client success running smoothly. With a background in brand marketing, project management, and business ownership, Halle is known for her strong organisational skills, focus on customer, proactive mindset, and ability to calmly navigate fast-paced, high-pressure environments.
Before joining Esby & Co, Halle founded and ran her own hospitality business – overseeing everything from operations and finance to marketing and team leadership. She has also operated in brand and commercial marketing roles in the US and UK, including at global e-commerce company The Hut Group, where she led the US portfolio of skincare and beauty brands. These experiences have shaped her ability to build strong client relationships, and ensure Esby & Co delivery supports our client’s objectives.
