Tautua Pasifika Mentoring Programme

Dame Dr Teuila Percival, DNZM QSO MInstD

Dr Teuila Percival is a paediatrician and researcher who has been a strong advocate for Pacific children’s health in New Zealand and the wider Pacific region for 30 years.

Dr Percival is a founding member and Deputy Chair of South Seas Healthcare (SSH), a community health service providing care to Pacific peoples in Auckland since 1999. She chaired SSH from 2014 to 2022, growing the healthcare provider to be the largest of its kind in Ōtara and Papatoetoe, providing services to more than 120,000 people.

She was a founding member of the Pacific Medical Association (PMA) in 1996 and is a past president. Through SSH and PMA, she was a leading clinician for the 2009 Samoa tsunami disaster response and provided paediatric support in Vanuatu following Cyclone Pam in 2015 and the 2019 measles outbreak in Samoa. She helped create the Mana Kids clinics at 88 primary and intermediate schools in Ōtara, Māngere, Manurewa, Franklin and Papakura, with SSH a registered clinic based in the nine largest South Auckland schools.

She served as a member of the World Health Organisation’s Emergency Medical Teams Maternal Newborn Child Health Technical Advisory Group between 2017 and 2019. She has been the Director of Moana Connect, researching and advocating for Pacific women’s and children’s health in New Zealand and the Pacific region. Dr Percival was a Board member of the Health Promotion Agency from 2018 to 2022 and chaired the Auckland DHB Community and Public Health Advisory Committee from 2020 to 2022.

Dr Antony Vriens, CFInstD

Dr Antony Vriens is an experienced professional company director with a governance career spanning more than 15 years, in a variety of sectors including transport, finance, insurance, leadership, health and retail. These roles have been in publicly listed companies, private entities, statutory boards, and the for-purpose sector. 

Antony is a qualified medical doctor, and has also worked in financial services in executive roles across Asia, Australia and New Zealand, specialising in operations, risk assessment and risk management, but now devotes all his time to governance. He has special interests in technology, innovation, sustainability and risk. 

Antony is involved in governance because he has a deep belief in creating value for all stakeholder groups, as well as equity in communities and outcomes. Purpose is a fundamental of governance and leadership. Directors have a strong leadership role to play in organisations and society, and all stand to benefit from skilled, informed and ethical governance professionals. 

Fiona Oliver, CFInstD

Fiona is an experienced professional director with a governance career that has spanned a variety of sectors, including renewable energy, natural gas, technology, commercial property, financial services, professional services, and sport. These roles have been in commercial, public sector and not-for-profit entities.

Fiona was awarded the New Zealand Shareholders Association’s Beacon Award in 2021.

Fiona has held Executive leadership roles in funds management for Westpac (BT Funds Management) and AMP in New Zealand. She has also held commercial roles in asset management and private equity in Sydney and London. Prior to her management career, Fiona practised as a senior corporate and commercial lawyer in New Zealand and overseas, specialising in mergers and acquisitions.

Fiona is involved in governance because she believes an entity benefits from the different perspectives a board brings. Independent directors are increasingly valued as management teams have confidence their goals and strategies are supported by independent contributors. Ultimately New Zealand stands to benefit if entities have stewardship, strategic thinking, and the support that a board brings.

Fiona is a keen swimmer and her first job in London during her OE was as a lifeguard at the Brentford Leisure Centre.

George Adams, CFInstD

George is a Professional Company Director, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, and a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors. George has been happily married to Barbara for 35 years and has two delightful daughters, Rebekah and Lucy. 

George’s interest in fostering and growing New Zealand brands is evident in his current governance portfolio. He is currently Chairman of Bremworth, Synlait, Apollo Foods Limited which he co-founded, New Zealand Frost Fans, Netlogix, and Insightful Mobility as well as Director of Arborgen.

George is passionate about improving New Zealand’s health and safety record and has been Chairman of the Business Leaders Health and Safety Forum since 2015. In 2014 he chaired the Independent Forestry Safety Review which delivered a report on practical recommendations to improve the industry’s dreadful safety record. At the 2013 Safeguard Workplace Health and Safety Awards George was awarded the “New Zealand Leader of the Year Award”. George also spent seven years chairing the Occupational Health Advisory Group, an expert panel that advised WorkSafe on developing its national Occupational Health strategy. He is currently a member of Te Kahu Matai, WorkSafe’s leader’s advisory forum.

Moving from Northern Ireland to New Zealand in November 2003 to take up the role of Managing Director of Coca-Cola Amatil New Zealand & Fiji, a role he thoroughly enjoyed for a decade. During this time, he also became Chairman of the New Zealand Food and Grocery Council.  

Prior to this he was Finance Director of British Telecom Northern Ireland and Group Finance Director of Dublin based Coca-Cola Bottling Group, Molino Beverages, which operated across Ireland, Romania, Moldova, Russia and Nigeria.

Leo Foliaki, MInstD

Leo Foliaki is a Chartered Accountant and was a Partner at PwC New Zealand (1999 to 2022). During his professional career he was the lead audit partner on several significant publicly listed entities on the New Zealand Stock Exchange and worked on large project in complex operating environments.

Leo currently holds governance roles in the following organisations: Auckland University of Technology, Dilworth Trust, New Zealand Opera, Tamaki Regeneration Company and TupuToa Trust. Leo is passionate about serving the Pacific community and has been on the Board of a number not for profit community organisations.

Meleane Burgess, CMInstD

Meleane Burgess is a Chartered Member of the NZ Institute of Directors. She is an Accountant and Managing Director of Dynamic Advisory Limited. Meleane is an Independent Director on the Public Trust Board, Council Member at the University of Waikato, Member of the Pacific Reference Group for the Ministry of Social Development, Director of Mapu Maia Ltd, and a Trustee of Mahi Mihinare – Anglican Action. Meleane was a future director on the NZ Post Board and in 2021 was part of the Institute of Directors Mentoring for Diversity programme.

Meleane won the Pacific Governance Leader and Rising Governance Star awards at the 2022 Women in Governance Awards and was recognised as a Pacific Woman in Business at the 2023 Waikato Pacific Business Excellence awards. She is currently part of the 2024 Breakthrough Leaders Programme with Global Women.

Rachel Afeaki-Taumoepeau, CFInstD

Rachel Afeaki-Taumoepeau is an experienced independent strategic and business director for FaceNorth Promotions, overseeing key relationships in the public and private sectors internationally, including across the Pacific region. Her broad commercial experience includes numerous projects between New Zealand and the Pacific relating to trade and investment promotion and facilitation, international research expeditions, public relations, marketing management, government and NGO advisory.

She is an independent director for Habitat for Humanity NZ, Activate Education Group Ltd, Deputy Chair for Ember Wellbeing Trust and Chair of WEL Energy Trust. Rachel holds various NGO governance roles in the Social Housing, Mental Health and Business and Economic Development spaces and is highly engaged in international global Church governance through the World Evangelical Alliance.

Rachel also delivers consultative management services to a national NGO that addresses family wellbeing, prevention of violence and child abuse across New Zealand and has passion to advance Pacific economic development regionally. Rachel is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors NZ and sits on the Waikato Committee for IOD.

Rob Campbell, CNZM CFInstD

Rob is one of New Zealand’s leading professional directors, with more than 40 years’ experience in capital markets and as director and advisor to local and international businesses and organisations.

He is committed to seeing Aotearoa take a leadership role in the field of emissions lowering energy innovation and commercialisation, and is passionate about improving diversity and inclusion, promoting sustainability as a core value, and creating equality in the organisations he is involved with.

Trained as an economist and holding degrees of BA (Hons)(1st) and M.Phil. (Economics) Rob joined the union movement in the 1970s and became a member of the Federation of Labour and Labour Party executives.
Rob is the Chancellor of Te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki Makau Rau (Auckland University of Technology), Chair of Ara Ake, Chair of NZ Rural Land Co, and Advisor to BBM.

He has served as the Chair of various private companies and public organisations including Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand, SkyCity Entertainment Group Ltd, Summerset Group Ltd, Tourism Holdings Ltd, and WEL Networks Ltd.

In 2019, Rob was awarded the Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) and is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors (CFinstD). He was recognised as a Distinguished Alumni of Victoria University (Te Herenga Waka) in 2019.


Sina Wendt, ONZM MInstD

Sina was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2022, for services to governance. A Pacific woman of Samoan, German and English descent she has over 25 years working in the commercial, public and not-for-profit sectors in governance and executive roles. Sina is committed to developing the leadership, governance and strategic capability of individuals, organisations and communities. As Tangata Tiriti (Tangata Moana), Sina believes we must honour Te Ao Māori, uphold the principles of Te Tiriti, and support equitable outcomes for Māori. She is also passionate about contributing to the success of Pasifika peoples and communities in Aotearoa.

For 8 years, Sina was the Chief Executive of Leadership New Zealand - an organisation that contributes to the capacity and capability of diverse leaders across community, public and private sectors. She helped to develop and launch the Mana Moana Experience during this time - a leadership journey for peoples from the Moana. Prior to that, she was the founding Chief Executive of the National Pacific Radio Trust (that established the Pacific Media Network and NiuFM).

Sina has broad and diverse governance experience on a range of boards and trusts over the last two decades. She is currently the Chair for the Centre for Pacific Languages (CPL), on Radio New Zealand’s Board of Governors, a trustee on Emerge Aotearoa, a trustee on the NZ Opera Foundation, and a founding trustee of the Pacific Music Awards Trust. Sina just completed a 4-year term on the AUT University Council.

Vanessa Stoddart, CFInstD

Vanessa is currently a Director for Channel Infrastructure, Waste Management and OneFortyOne - an international forestry company, and sits on a number of advisory and NFP boards. She has held governance positions with other listed, private, public sector and co-operative entities here and in Australia, chairing many People and Health & Safety Committees.

Prior to her governance career, Vanessa was head of engineering and human resources at Air New Zealand and Chief Executive Packaging Australia for Carter Holt Harvey – having started her career in the legal profession. Vanessa is passionate about inclusion  - is a member of Global Women and a mentor on various programmes including mentoring Kupe Scholarship candidates and MYLN participants. Vanessa is a Companion of Engineering NZ and an Honorary Fellow of HRINZ.