Governance news bites
A collection of governance-related news snapshots that you might have missed in the past two weeks.
The Institute of Directors is proud to announce it is joining the Climate Governance Initiative as the host of Chapter Zero New Zealand.
This initiative will connect directors with a global and national network to share knowledge and promote the adoption of effective climate governance on their boards.
With chapters now in over 20 territories worldwide, the Climate Governance Initiative is founded on the World Economic Forum’s Principles of Effective Climate Governance. The principles are designed to increase directors’ climate awareness, embed climate issues into board structures and processes and improve navigation of the risks and opportunities that climate change poses to business.
The session will included:
A thought-provoking panel discussion featuring:
Kirsten Patterson MInstD
Kirsten (KP) is the Chief Executive of the Institute of Directors. She is a qualified lawyer and a Distinguished Fellow of the Human Resources Institute of New Zealand, Co-deputy Chair of the Global Network of Directors Institutes (GNDI), Chair of the Brian Picot Ethical Leadership advisory board and was previously Chair of the Wellington Homeless Women’s Trust. With extensive governance and leadership experience, she is actively involved in community initiatives. A strong advocate of diversity, KP was also a founding member of Global Women’s ‘Champions for Change’, a group of senior executives and directors who commit to diversity in the workplace, and a founding member of WiSPA, an organisation promoting women in sport, and mentors a number of business leaders.
Dame Therese Walsh CMInstD
Dame Therese Walsh is Chair of Air New Zealand Ltd and ASB Bank Ltd, and a Director of Antarctica New Zealand. She is a former Director of Contact Energy Ltd, Television New Zealand Ltd, NZX Ltd., Save the Children NZ, the Wellington Regional Stadium Trust and New Zealand Cricket. She was Pro Chancellor of Victoria University of Wellington from 2018 to 2021 and served on the Council since 2016. In her professional capacity, Dame Therese was Head of New Zealand for the ICC 2015 Cricket World Cup, Chief Operating Officer for Rugby New Zealand 2011 Ltd and CFO for New Zealand Rugby. For her services to sport, she was made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2015. She was named the supreme winner of the Women of Influence Awards 2013 and awarded a Sir Peter Blake Trust Leadership Award in 2014. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors.
Hon James Shaw MInstD
Hon James Shaw is the Minister of Climate Change and Associate Minister for the Environment with responsibility for Biodiversity. Prior to becoming an MP, James had a successful career in management consulting and has diverse experience working for large multinational organisations through to local start-ups, social enterprises and community organisations, across Europe, in New Zealand and around the world. He first ran for Parliament in 2010 and was elected in 2014, becoming Green Party Co-leader in 2015. In 2017 James led the Green Party into its first ever term in Government with Ministers and was appointed Minister for Climate Change, Statistics and Associate Minister for Finance. James holds a Master’s in sustainable development and business leadership from Bath University and is a Member of the Institute of Directors.
Karina Litvack
Since CoP21 in 2015, Karina has worked to build a global network for fellow board directors that became the Climate Governance Initiative (CGI), home of the World Economic Forum’s Principles for Effective Climate Governance, where she chairs the Governing Board. Karina serves on the boards of Italian Oil & Gas major Eni S.p.A., where she chairs the Sustainability & Scenarios Committee and the CFA Institute, home of the professional qualification for investment management professionals, where she chairs the ESG Working Group of the Investment Sub-Committee and serves on the Governance Committee. Previously, Karina had a 25-year career in Finance, latterly running the Governance and Sustainable Investment activities of UK asset manager F&C Investments (now BMO Global Asset Management).
Abby Foote CFInstD
Abby Foote is a professional director with over 12 years’ governance experience, including publicly listed and Crown companies. Abby is currently the Chair of Z Energy Limited and a Director of Freightways Limited, Sanford Limited and Kathmandu Holdings Limited. Abby’s previous governance roles include TVNZ, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Transpower New Zealand, Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC) and the New Zealand Local Government Funding Agency (LGFA). She also served as the Gambling commissioner from 2011-2014. Abby holds qualifications in both law and accounting with a professional background focused on corporate finance and commercial transactions. Abby is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors.
Julia Hoare CMInstD
Julia Hoare is a professional independent director and the current President of the Institute of Directors Council. She is Deputy Chair of the a2 Milk Company Limited, and Director and Chair of the Audit and Risk committees of Auckland International Airport Limited, Port of Tauranga Limited, and Meridian Energy Ltd. She was previously a Director of New Zealand Post, AWF Madison Group and Watercare Services and formerly a member of the External Reporting Advisory Panel and the New Zealand Sustainable Finance Forum Leadership Group. Julia was a Partner with PwC NZ for 20 years where she sat on the Government’s review into the emissions trading scheme, and also set up and led PwC’s local sustainability and climate change services practice. Julia is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors.
Laurissa Cooney CMInstD
Laurissa Cooney currently serves as the Chair of Tourism Bay of Plenty, and is a Director for Air New Zealand, Goodman Property Ltd, Accordant Group Ltd and Aotearoa Circle and the Audit & Risk board of Ngā Tāngata Tiaki. She is also a Trustee on the Charitable Investment Trust for Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki and was previously a committee member for the Institute of Directors Bay of Plenty Branch. Laurissa has previously held senior manager, auditing and consulting roles with Deloitte in New Zealand and Deloitte Touche in London and was the Chief Financial Officer for Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi. She was a 2017 recipient of the Institute of Directors Emerging Director Award. Laurissa is a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants, and a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors in New Zealand. She is of Te Āti Hau Nui a Pāpā Rangi (Whanganui) descent.
Phil Veal MInstD
Phil Veal is a private investor and business leader with over 25 years of experience across a wide range of industry sectors. He is currently the Chair of New Zealand’s global talent network, Kea, and Magic Memories, as well as a Director of Natural Habitats Landscapes and Skyline Aviation Ltd. Previously, Phil has been an investor in and director of several other iconic New Zealand companies including Hellers, Tuatara Brewing, Bio-Strategy Ltd and Rainbows End. He is the Managing Director of private investment company ForthCo, formerly the Chief Executive of Rangatira and ran New York-based M&A consulting company PIPC. A qualified civil engineer, Phil started his career as a construction manager working on infrastructure projects in Europe and Asia.
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