Overview
Join us for this insightful one-day event designed to help you govern AI effectively in your organisation.
Whether you’re a director or board member of a small business, a large corporation, or a not-for-profit – this event will focus on the unique perspective of the board's role in governing AI, and will give you the tools and strategies to lead and govern AI with confidence and skill.
You will hear from leading experts and practitioners about the capabilities of AI, how to understand its regulatory context and how to use best practices and frameworks for governing AI in your organisation.
This event also provides a great chance to network with directors and boards who are dealing with similar opportunities and challenges with AI.
Registrations are limited, so secure your place today and join us on 25 July to help get your organisation future-ready.
For further information about the day’s programme, please see here.
Melissa Clark-Reynolds ONZM, CFInstD
MC
Melissa Clark-Reynolds ONZM, CFInstD is a seasoned Director, Entrepreneur and CE and retrained in Strategic Foresight in 2016. She was awarded the ONZM for Services to Technology in 2015, and has led several Fast50 and AsiaPac Fast500 Technology companies. She sits on Technology Advisory Committees, as well as being Chair of Alpine Energy and on the Boards of Wētā Workshop, AoFrio and Atkins Ranch. She learnt to code in 1979, and started working on predictive analytics in 1986. She founded FutureCentre.nz in 2016 and works as a Futurist and Strategist across the Private and Government sectors globally.
Adelle Keely
MInstD
With 20 years in communications, Adelle is an expert at working with organisations to evolve, strengthen and protect their brands and reputations. Her diverse experience spans New Zealand, the UK and the US including infrastructure, ICT, FMCG, financial services, professional services and health & wellbeing sectors.
Her strength is understanding how brands, consumers, business, Government and communities interact and how to operate in politicised and sensitive environments. She connects communications activity with clients’ purpose and commercial drivers and has extensive corporate and marketing communications capability including business advice, strategy, developing narratives & story-telling, issues & crisis management, capital markets, stakeholder & influencer engagement, brand campaigns, internal communications and media training.
Frith Tweedie
Frith is a Principal Consultant at Simply Privacy, where she helps clients develop good privacy and Responsible AI practices. As a former lawyer, she has over 20 years’ experience advising clients on privacy, technology and IP law issues. Before joining Simply Privacy, she led the Australian and New Zealand Digital Law teams at EY and was General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer at local tech company.
Frith has designed, developed and implemented Responsible AI frameworks for a range of New Zealand organisations and developed the Algorithm Impact Assessment Toolkit for government agencies. She has been on the Executive Council of the AI Forum NZ since 2019 and also serves on the global advisory board for the IAPP’s AI Governance Centre, the Government’s Data Ethics Advisory Group and the AU-NZ Advisory Board of the IAPP.
Jenni Rutter
MInstD
Jenni is a partner, Board member, and leader of the intellectual property team at Dentons in New Zealand. With over 25 years' experience in the UK and New Zealand, Jenni advises on a broad range of IP issues involving emerging technologies as well as trade marks and designs, anti-counterfeiting, copyright, advertising and fair trading, patents, domain names, passing off and confidential information.
Jenni helps New Zealand companies develop and protect their IP globally and helps some of the world’s leading global businesses succeed in the New Zealand market. Jenni is a seasoned litigator and an experienced advocate, appearing regularly in high profile IP disputes heard before the New Zealand Courts and at the IP office. Jenni is ranked as a leading IP expert by Chambers Asia Pacific, Legal 500, World Trademark Review, and Managing Intellectual Property.
Dr Karaitiana Taiuru
MInstD
With over 30 years in the tech sector and as an advocate for Māori culture and Intellectual Property Rights in tech, he now specialises in human rights/ethics and governance with AI, Data and emerging technologies.
Stephen Ponsford
CMInstD
As Qrious' CEO and a director and chartered member of the Institute of Directors, Stephen leverages over two decades of industry experience to help organisations harness the potential of new technologies.
With his expertise, he equips NZ organisations to excel globally and enhance domestic outcomes across various sectors.
Stephen is a strong advocate for leveraging advanced digital technologies to improve productivity, growth, and overall outcomes.
Hayden Leith
MInstD
Hayden is the Director of Advisory at Qrious, where he leads efforts to help organisations across Aotearoa strategically unlock value and transform through better data and AI capabilities.
With a wealth of domestic and international experience, Hayden specialises in data and AI strategy, executive education, and business enablement.
Hayden is a member of the Institute of Directors and an aspiring director.
Evan Wilson
MInstD
Evan Wilson is known for his belief that the secret to business prosperity lies in the information they collect and that each of us can and should harness it to design a better, smarter, more-informed future.
As the Head of Customer and Advisory at Qrious, he leads and empowers the teams that help our customers solve their most pressing industry problems by re-imagining and designing data-centric solutions that unleash the power locked up in their data. Evan also holds governance roles at Wellington Rugby, Hurricanes Rugby and Summer of Tech.
Ben Gilbert
Ben is Microsoft's AI Legal Lead for Asia. He helps customers and regulators adopt responsible AI policy and deployment strategies and leads Microsoft’s most strategic and complex AI customer deals in Asia. He is a member of Microsoft’s global AI legal v-team.
Ben joined Microsoft in 2016 and has held roles in New Zealand, Australia, the US and now Singapore. Prior to his current role, he led Microsoft's policy strategy adopting to Critical Infrastructure regulatory reform and supported complex strategic partnership deals across Asia.
Ben’s passion for AI began in 2017 when he co-led a project to design and deploy a (non-generative) AI legal chatbot for Microsoft clients around the world.
Ben holds a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) and a Bachelor of Social Sciences from the University of Waikato, New Zealand. He also has CIPP/E certification from the International Association of Privacy Professionals and a “Computer Science for Lawyers” micro-credential from Harvard.
Monique Forbes
CMInstd
Monique is a marketing, customer and digital executive leader with a successful track record of designing and delivering customer-centric go-to-market strategies by embracing new technologies to enhance customer loyalty and grow commercial returns.
She is a strong advocate of re-imagining and designing data-centric solutions to provide smarter, more intuitive customer and employee experiences.
Monique is a Future Director on the Institute of Directors in New Zealand Board and Board Trustee for InZone Education Foundation.
Nicole Buisson
CMInstD
Nicole leads the Small and Mid-Market team at Amazon Web Services, and also sits on a number of small business related boards including New Zealand Growth Capital Partners, The Icehouse and Callaghan Innovation. She formerly sat on MBIE's Small Business Council. Nicole is passionate about the role technology and AI can play in improving productivity for SMBs in NZ.
Chris Day
CMInstD
Chris is a Chartered Accountant and an experienced CFO and independent director. He has proven himself as having strong expertise in business and digital transformation. Currently he is Acting Chief Executive with New Zealand Green Investment Finance and previously the Chief Transformation Officer for Silver Fern Farms. His governance experience has been broad and currently includes Datacom Group, Christchurch City Holdings (from 1 September 2023) and previously CentrePort and Pāmu (Landcorp Farming Ltd). He is an experienced Chair of Audit and Risk committees and has a strong focus on commercial activity. Chris is based in Wellington, joined the IoD in 1999 and is a Chartered Member.
Chris' current governance roles are:
- Institute of Directors New Zealand, Chair of Audit and Risk Committee, Board member
- Christchurch City Holdings Limited (from 1 September 2023)
- Datacom Group Limited, Director and Chair of Audit Committee
- CW & CR Day Trust, Trustee and Beneficiary.
Candace Kinser
CMInstD
Candace has held numerous executive leadership roles, including founder, CEO, board director, and Chair across diverse industries and geographies. With over 15 years on 18 private, government, and listed boards, she excels at translating complex concepts into strategic results, especially with technology-driven outcomes.
As CEO of NZTech, Candace was instrumental in establishing NZTechWeek and Tech Women NZ. She has held key roles at Jarden as Head of Transformation and was the NZ Country Manager for Palantir pre-IPO.
Currently, she sits on the boards of Livestock Improvement (LIC) as Chair of the Tech Committee, chairs Helius Therapeutics, and is President of the Cancer Society for Auckland & Northland. She recently joined the board of Plant and Food, and is the founder of Vester, a fintech company providing employee share plan management for listed companies across APAC.
Candace is on the Governing Council of the University of Auckland and is completing her third Master’s degree, this time in Information Governance focusing on AI. A Chartered member of the NZ Institute of Directors, she holds dual citizenship in New Zealand and the USA and is an avid competitive polo player.
Vic Crone
Vic is a highly accomplished professional with over 30 years of experience across a range of industries, including Telecommunications, IT, Financial Services, and Energy.
Leveraging a Master's degree in Commerce and Administration, she has cultivated strong executive and Director-level expertise. She is passionate about transforming and growing organisations, future-proofing them for the ever-changing landscape we face and has worked across fast growing startups to large corporations, government and NFPs.
Vic's proven track record reflects a deep understanding of technology, finance, and operational excellence. She's currently Director of ASB, Chitogel, Figure.NZ and Chair of Variety, the Children's Charity.
Contact
Kristyn Chandler-Yates
National Sponsorship and Events Manager
+64 27 207 2592
Kristyn.Chandler-Yates@iod.org.nz
Cancellation policy
Cancellation within 14 days of the event; no refund.
Cancellation within 30 days of the event; 50% refund will apply.
