Festival staff include chief executive David Inns who started in 2009 working previously at the [[New Zealand Festival of the Arts|New Zealand Festival]] in Wellington. Inns was also was instrumental in the annual music festival [[World of Music, Arts and Dance|WOMAD]] being in [[Taranaki]], and was the director of the [[Taranaki Arts Festival]] from 1998 to 2002.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Twelve Questions with Auckland Arts Festival chief executive David Inns|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/twelve-questions-with-auckland-arts-festival-chief-executive-david-inns/QY3AB2RMKRFB7IIJ3LMDN2L574/|access-date=2021-02-02|website=NZ Herald|language=en-NZ}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2012-12-20|title=Festival head seeks to wow|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/east-bays-courier/8099704/Festival-head-seeks-to-wow|access-date=2021-02-02|website=Stuff|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2009-01-31|title=Auckland arts job for Inns|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/742890/Auckland-arts-job-for-Inns|access-date=2021-02-02|website=Stuff|language=en}}</ref> Robbie Macrae commenced as Chief Executive in August 2022.
