Thomas Hamill

Thomas Hamill is a senior arts executive and strategist with more than 15 years’ experience leading performing arts organisations and education programmes in Aotearoa New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

Since 2017, he has worked at the Auckland Philharmonia first as Director of AP Connecting and now as Senior Director of Strategy and Engagement. In this work Thomas leads business planning, strategic development, and community engagement for one of New Zealand’s largest performing arts companies. His leadership is central in supporting the orchestra’s ongoing and sustained multi-year funding from Creative New Zealand, and Auckland Council (through ARAFAB), while advancing the orchestra’s community engagement, education, and accessibility initiatives.

Thomas has also worked with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, first as Head of Community Engagement (from 2021) and now as Operations Advisor, supporting long-term planning and cross-sector partnerships. He has lectured in Music Business and Industry at the University of Auckland, helping prepare the next generation of arts leaders and been a CNZ peer assessor.

Before relocating to New Zealand, Thomas spent over a decade teaching in the UK, including six years as Head of Performing Arts at Merchants’ Academy, Bristol, where he built nationally recognised music and drama programmes. Under his leadership, the department won the National Best Music Department Award (2016), and Thomas was commended for his innovative and inclusive approach to arts education.

A Board Member of the Tironui Trust and Advisor to the Board of Sistema Aotearoa, Thomas combines strategic acumen with a lifelong belief in the arts as a catalyst for creativity, learning, and social connection.