Future Directors®
Our Future Directors® programme is designed to nurture the next generation of leaders by offering hands-on board experience, complemented by guidance from an experienced mentor.
Background
Future Directors was founded by Sir Stephen Tindall (The Warehouse/Tindall Foundation), Michael Stiassny (past IoD President) and Des Hunt (NZ Shareholders Association) in 2013.
The programme provides people with governance potential and ambition the opportunity to participate on a board. It also provides boards with exposure to diverse talent, ideas and experiences.
Today, Future Directors provides opportunities for aspiring directors on a wide range of boards including NZX and non-NZX listed companies, state sector boards and not-for-profit organisations. The IoD works with these boards to establish their Future Directors programme and promote their Future Director opportunities.
How to register
Register your interest in becoming a Future Director if you are:
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- a talented executive, professional or business owner
- interested in furthering your governance skills
- able to add value at the board table through your unique skills or perspective
- able to commit to a board for a minimum of 12 months.
Once you have registered:
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- be the first to hear of Future Director opportunities
- be able to express your interest for any Future Director opportunities
- have your details provided directly to a host board if your specific skills, background and experience are a match for what the board are looking for.
If you are selected to become a Future Director, you will:
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- attend all board meetings
- be assigned an experienced mentor
- participate as a board member in all aspects
- have no voting rights/decision making powers and will not form part of the quorum of a board meeting.
2024 placements
Auckland International Airport – Ngahuia Leighton, IFF Commercial Manager, Crown Infrastructure Partners Ltd
Scales Corporation – Emma Wheeler, Chief Commercial Officer, Trust Codes
Kiwibank – Anne Haira, Deputy Secretary for the Ministry for the Environment
NZ Institute of Economic Research – Amelia Vinnell, Diplomat Primary Industries, China - Ministry of Primary Industries
Institute of Directors Board – Monique Forbes, InZone Education Foundation
Port of Tauranga – Scott Campbell, Strategicly Consulting
2023 placements
TECT – Cory Dixon, Chief Commercial Officer at Sanderson Group Limited
TECT – Laura Gaveika, Full-time psychology student
International Accreditation of NZ (IANZ) - Sarah Benikowsky, Senior Advisor Information Management - Ministry of Social Development
NZ on Air - Petrina Togi-Sa'ena, Independent Contractor
Civil Aviation Authority- Louise Pengelly, Programme Director Operations Transformation, KiwiRail
Just Life Group - Melissa Crawford, founder of Tech with Heart
Precinct Properties - Alana Barron, ex Director - Head of Client Solutions , Institutional Equities Team, Jarden
Environmental Choice New Zealand - Kate Gunthorp, Director ESG Advisory at Westpac New Zealand
Maritime NZ - Annabel Davies, Chief Sustainability and Risk Officer at Pamu
Meridian Energy - Ben Bateman, Chief Operating Officer at Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu
MTF Finance - Lauren Silkstone, Franchise owner at MTF Finance Tāupo
NZX Ltd - Sarah Miller, General Counsel and Company Secretary at Serko Ltd
Steel & Tube Holdings Ltd - Cherie Kerrison, Syndicate Chair at The CEO Institute
The Warehouse Group - Jeremy O’Brien, Tribe Lead, Short Haul Airline at Air New Zealand
TPT Group Holdings - Amy Johnson, Customer Experience Officer at MyWave
Tread Lightly Charitable Trust - Kanika Jhunjhnuwala, Executive Director of Sustainability and Environment at Hind Management
Waipa Networks - Ashleigh Turner, General Manager of Waihikurangi at the Charitable Arm of Te Nehenehenui
2022 placements
AgResearch – Charles Taituha, Managing Director at CCT Holdings Ltd
ASB Bank - Merewaakana (Mere) Kingi, Group Chief Financial Officer (Commercial & Iwi) at Ngāti Awa Group Holdings Limited
Earthquake Commission (EQC) – Jacqueline Apiata-Coyne, Health Safety and Environment Manager at Northland Waste
Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corporation Limited – Tracey Barron, MInstD, General Manager South Island Pacific Radiology.
Horticulture New Zealand Ahumāra Kai Aotearoa – Emma Lees, Strategic Projects and Sustainability Manager, AS Wilcox & Sons
Just Life Group – Jacinta Taliauli, Procurement Manager for the Ministry at Pacific Peoples
Kordia Group – Angela Nash, Chief Information Officer at New Zealand Rugby
Local Government Funding Agency – Anita Furniss, Acting General Manger People & Culture (permanent role Executive Officer to Deputy Chief Executive) at Auckland Council
MTF Finance Ltd – Ravinesh Kumar – Managing Director at JSR Life Motors.
National Provident Fund –Michelle Tsui, Director at New Plymouth District Council - Perpetual Investment Fund
Nuku Ora – Soraya Umaga-Jensen, Physiotherapist and founding Board Member of the Pasifika Physiotherapy
Scion - Dr Melinda Webber (Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu), Te Tumu, Deputy Dean and Professor of Māori Education in the Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland
Sharesies – Tahana Tippett-Tapsell, Investment Manager for the Māori Investment team at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise
Summerset Holdings Group Ltd –Andrea Scown, Chief Executive Officer at Mitre 10 NZ (Ltd)
Tainui Group Holdings Ltd – Michelle Kemp, Principal Planner at Campbell Brown Planning
2021 placements
Cooperative Business NZ – Stefan Azzopardi, Chief Finance and Risk Advisor at Southern Cross Health Society
Halberg Foundation – Tom Smith, National Grants Manager at The Lion Foundation
Hawke’s Bay Airport Ltd – Jonathan Norman, Partner at Sainsbury, Logan and Williams
Horticulture New Zealand – Jamie Mountier, Senior Project Manager at Craigmore Sustainables
Inframax – Kristy Christensen, Director and Female Inclusion Expert for Shesfreetobe
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra – Margaret Harris, Manager-Strategy, Information Technology, and Innovation, ContainerCo Management Ltd
NZ Post – Meleane Burgess, Managing Director of Dynamic Advisory
NZX – Victoria Newman, Transformation Lead, The Warehouse
Mercury – Kim Gordon, Partner at MinterEllisonRuddWatts
Pharmac – Dr Elizabeth Zhu, Medical Officer at Southern Cross Health Society (reappointed)
Scales Ltd – Kelly Brown, Founder and Director of the Hunt Club Ltd
Spark New Zealand – Sylvia Ding, General Manager – Reporting and Insights at Xero
Southbase Construction Ltd – Leesah Murray, CEO for the Independent Māori Statutory Board and Llori Valenzuela, General Manager E-commerce & Digital with Fonterra
The Lion Foundation – Karl Rosnell, Chief Executive Officer, Devoli
The Warehouse Group Limited - Caroline Rainsford, Country Director for Google NZ
TVNZ – Ben Forman, Co-founder of Wrestler and Wrestler Studios
2020 placements
Cooperative Business New Zealand – Melanie Beattie, Head of Strategic Partnerships, ASB Bank
Deer Industry New Zealand – Rob Kidd, Operations Manager, Duncan NZ Limited
Education New Zealand – Shruthi Vijayakumar, Coach, facilitator & strategist, co-founder Emerge Institute
Financial Markets Authority – Tia Greenaway (Principal Analyst at Climate Change Commission)
Fisher & Paykel Healthcare – Toni Moyes, COO Montoux
Halberg Foundation – George Bridgewater, Managing Director, Nano Clear, South Island
Investore Property Limited – Emma McDonald, Director/ owner, Pragmatix
Just Life Group Limited – Karla Mangos, Project Manager/Evans Randall
Kordia – Nicola Mitchell, Head of Digital Audience Growth
NZX – Hayley Buckley, Partner Wynn Williams
Pharmac – Dr Elizabeth Zhu, Medical Officer at Southern Cross Health Society
Radio New Zealand – Mihimaraea Parata Gardineras
Spark – Ana Wight, Chief Financial Officer, Vend Limited
Spidertracks – Emily Blythe, CEO and Founder of Limpidity
The Lines Company Ltd – Chelsea Smith
The D logo mark, the Institute of Directors word and logo marks, IoD and the Future Directors marks are all registered trademarks of Institute of Directors in New Zealand Incorporated.