The board’s role in tech/change governance

Overview

Board’s need to understand an organisation’s capability and maturity to deliver/change technology programmes.  

Whether it be a programme of change or any other project initiative, all directors and executives who report to boards need to objectively consider and evidence internal capability, frameworks and methods of measuring programme delivery.  

Panellists will explore considerations such as: 

• The roles your organisation can take and the different risks and opportunities these roles present 
• How to determine whether your organisation has the capability needed to fulfil those roles 
• When you need independent, specialist expertise and how do you look for evidence of this 
• How boards should scrutinise the terms of reference for engaging such expertise 
• How boards can support the executive team and sponsor to take an objective approach to developing a business case that will set the programme up for success 
• How the culture of an organisation, as it pertains to taking on a large programme, helps or hinders 
• How to determine if/when a board technology committee is needed. 

The cost of failure is far-reaching if you don’t get it right. 

Kieran Horne

CFInstD

Keiran is a professional director with experience in both the public and private sectors.  Prior to her governance career, Keiran worked as an Accountant specialising in business rescue and insolvency, strategic planning, change management and commercial transactions.  She has significant governance experience in strategic risk management, assurance and climate related disclosures, having Chaired numerous Audit and Risk Committees.  

Keiran has held a range of governance roles including TVNZ,  Lotto and Solid Energy.  She is currently on the Boards of The Co-operative Bank, Enable Network Services Ltd, University of Canterbury, Quayside Holdings Ltd, Antarctica New Zealand and ScreenSouth Ltd.  

Keiran is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors. 

Mark Todd

CFInstD
 
Mark is the current Chair of the NZ Lotteries Commission, and he has several other Board appointments both past and current, with national organisations where technology change has been a core enabler (or not!) to delivery of strategy objectives. These include the City Care Group, Dairy NZ, Paper Plus and OSPRI.  

Prior to his governance career Mark was a senior Executive, primarily as CFO and COO, with Kathmandu Holdings (now KMD Brands). His experience throughout most of his 17 years at Kathmandu shaped his commitment to ongoing investment in technology as core to sustaining an organisation’s best in class service delivery and underpinning effective customer engagement.   

Mark has been involved in active oversight as both an executive and Board member of multi- year technology programmes and does not hesitate to champion investment in technology done well around the Board table, with effective governance oversight being critical to successful execution. 

Mei-Fern Johnson

Mei-Fern is a partner at national law firm Russell McVeagh. She has more than 25 years' experience advising on risk management and governance matters, mergers and acquisitions, and complex commercial contracting with particular expertise in technology, energy, infrastructure, and transport sectors. 

She has worked on various high stakes, high profile, technology projects, advising on contract terms, risk mitigation, supplier management, and dealing with benchmarking, disputes and commercial re-sets, and disengagement. 

Mei-Fern previously served as a member of Russell McVeagh's Board of Management, and then as an Independent Member on the Capital and Infrastructure Board Committee for Health NZ Te Whatu Ora. She is currently a Director of National Infrastructure Funding and Financing Limited (and previously a Board member of Crown Infrastructure Partners). She is also a member of the Institute of Directors and holds the GAICD qualification with the Australian Institute of Company Directors. 

Kim Gordon (moderator)

MInstD

Kim has over 30 years technology advisory experience across commercial, procurement, strategy, governance, and legal roles. She was previously a partner at MinterEllison (Aus) and has held several not-for-profit, public, and private sector governance roles over a 17-year period. 

Kim holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Auckland. She is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors. 

 

Additional information

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Contact

Becky Hare
Auckland Branch Manager

+64 27 642 1099
+64 9 905 4804
Becky.Hare@iod.org.nz

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