IoD recognises 10 new Distinguished Fellows

Congratulations to our 10 new Distinguished Fellows who have been selected from across the motu, nominated by their regional branch committees with final approval by IoD’s National Council.

Distinguished Fellowship is the Institute of Directors’ highest accolade, awarded to members who have made a significant contribution to business and society in Aotearoa New Zealand.

For 2024, our Distinguished Fellows are members of branches in Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Taranaki, Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago Southland, with backgrounds spanning education, the arts, media, energy, public health, food and research, dairy, manufacturing and construction, science and technology, Māori governance, and more. 

See the list of recipients below: 

Dame Rosanne Meo DNZM, OBE (Auckland) has made a significant contribution to governance in New Zealand and Australia with past board roles at organisations including NZ Forest Products, the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra, Television New Zealand, Mercury Energy, Sky TV, Ports of Auckland, Baycorp, and currently, Briscoe Group Limited, AMP Administration (NZ) Ltd and Rosanne Meo Consulting Limited. She is a member of Round Table New Zealand, and a New Zealand representative on the APEC Business Advisory Council. 

Michael Simm (Auckland) has held 50 directorships over the course of his career. In 2012, he was elected to the Auckland branch committee and inducted into the Northland Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame. His work has spanned industries ranging from manufacturing, engineering and construction to tourism and regional economic development. He has served as director/trustee/advisor in companies, trusts and local central government entities, including in youth development as a trustee in Northland. 

Whaimutu Dewes, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Rangitihi (Bay of Plenty) is an established leader in Māori business organisations – he served as a member of the Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commission in its first decade, and as chief legal adviser for the former Department of Māori Affairs. He has worked in senior roles for Fletcher Challenge and held directorships with Housing New Zealand, Television New Zealand, Māori Television, and the Ngāti Porou Holding Company. A prominent advocate for the revitalisation of Te Reo Māori, he was involved in the campaign that resulted in the Te Reo Māori 1972 petition to Parliament, which led to the establishment of Māori Language Week in 1975 and the Māori Language Act 1987. In 2018, he was awarded the Māori Governance Leader Award at the Māori Business Leader Awards.   

Pauline Lockett (Taranaki) is regarded as a bridge-building leader who has made a significant contribution to Māori governance. She was appointed as an independent trustee of the Ngati Te Whiti Whenua Topu by the Māori Land Court in 2017, taking on the role of chair in 2018. A founding member of the Venture Taranaki Trust, she has governance expertise in the private, commercial, crown and not-for-profit sectors and has held roles with the Taranaki District Health Board and the Taranaki Health Foundation, among others.

Lady Tureiti Moxon, Ngāti Pāhaurewa, Ngāti Kahungunu, Kāi Tahu (Waikato) is the managing director of Te Kōhao Health, chair of the National Urban Māori Authority (NUMA) and was recently awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Waikato. Described as a transformational servant leader, she is a visionary in the Māori Health, education, social justice and Whānau Ora space.

Dame Diana Crossan DNZM (Wellington) has made an outstanding contribution to governance including chairing, directorships, and managing government entities, private companies, charitable trusts, and community organisations. She was appointed a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2019 for her work in equal employment opportunities, retirement income and work in several charities. She is currently a director of Kaibosh, a trustee of the  WELLfed NZ Trust and chair of The Depression Recovery Trust. She has previously held roles with Wellington Free Ambulance, WFA Alarms, The Good Shepherd New Zealand Trust, Ambulance New Zealand and Refugee Services Aotearoa New Zealand.

Rodney Wong (Wellington) has served across the state and financial service industries, and several not-for-profit organisations. He has made a significant contribution to the food research and production sector as a former chair of Crop and Food Research, leading the merger which formed Plant & Food Research. His current governance roles include Stargate Investments Limited, Vintners Retreat Management, Scanpower Limited, the Rotary Club of Awapuni Charitable Fundraising Trust, and the Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust. He is one of 10 worldwide senior trainers for the 1.2 million members of Rotary International. 

Hon Dame Fran Wilde DNZM QSO (Wellington) has had a prominent and distinguished career in national and local politics, including as a Cabinet Minister, first female Mayor of Wellington, Chair of the Greater Wellington Regional Council and New Zealand representative on the APEC Business Advisory Council. She has served as chair and director on a wide range of entities, including public and private sector and several not-for-profit organisations including Housing New Zealand, Brierley Investments, and Remuneration Authority. She is currently chair of the Asia New Zealand Foundation, the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Nikau Foundation, and the Royal NZ Plunket Board (Whanau Awhina Plunket).  She is also a current board member of Auckland Light Rail and Wellington Lifelines Group.  

Sue Suckling OBE (Canterbury) has contributed to the success of top 50 NZX companies and led the restructure of an iconic New Zealand private sector tech company. She is currently chair of the boards of Jacobsen Holdings, Jade Software Corporation, Rubix, Boulcott Hospital and has held many other board roles. She has also been a driver of the commercialisation of technology and innovation in New Zealand businesses. 

Kathy Grant (Otago Southland) has governance expertise in New Zealand’s education, commercial and health sectors. In 2015, she was appointed by the Minister of Health as Commissioner of Southern District Health Board, and was a Ministerial appointee of Te Pūkenga - New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology board and council. She is currently a director of Southern Cross CLT Ltd, a board member of the Waitaki District Health Services, and the Central Lakes Trust. Kathy is a former chair of the Otago Polytechnic Council and the Council of the Dunedin College of Education, and a member of the University of Otago Council.