The Superdiversity Institute and the Ministry for Ethnic Communities are pleased to announce that the ‘Top Diverse Board-Ready Directors List 2021’ has been decided. Meet the final twelve below!
Andy Lowe
I have been working in the museum industry for 25 years. I am an artist and a writer who is passionate about inclusion and equity and can bring some of this to the table through my own lived experience. My commitment to kaupapa Māori and Te Reo is strong. My children started at kohanga in Whaingaroa/ Raglan on the land trodden by Eva Richard.
Jennifer Vickers
Jennie’s career is all about diversity of thought. As a trainer in creative thinking and mind mapping since 2003, Jennie understands how her own and others’ thought processes work. This enables her to participate in and guide, high quality conversations and decision making. A life-long learner, 2020 achievements including Lean Agile Procurement, Contract and Commercial Management
Practitioner, NSE Cyber Awareness 1 and 2. Jennie is also a lawyer (commercial) qualified in NZ, Australia and UK, runs own lawfirm and is on a full time contract with Fortinet. Jennie’s driver as a lawyer was always best commercial outcomes, underpinned by the best trusting relationships between parties. Jennie is concerned about the continuing proliferation of Boards full of clever but
same minded thinkers, which pose a threat and risk to their organisations and themselves. Change does not happen until there are enough diverse thinkers around the table, when it happens Jennie is keen to be back on board!
Lucy Griffiths
Lucy Griffiths has had extensive experience marketing premium New Zealand food and beverages locally and internationally. She has run her own business, Innov8 Aotearoa, for the past 12 years while serving as a Professional Director on various boards, both in the private and local government sectors. Lucy is also a Nuffield NZ Scholar, a member of the Institute of Directors, Ministerially
appointed to the Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures Independent Advisory Panel, a Director of Trust House and past Director of Wools of New Zealand, the Central Economic Development Agency, and FAME (Food & Agribusiness Market Experience). Lucy serves in a voluntary capacity as the grants officer for Westside Playcentre, as Deputy Chair of Hōkai Tahi (crisis pregnancy
support & baby loss), and is co-founder of her local singing group The Songbirds which performs widely in her local Community. She is a Mum, wife, and passionate believer in Jesus Christ.
Venky Kosaraju
Venky Kosaraju is a recognized global business leader with a successful entrepreneurial track-record in business development, strategy design & implementation, techno-commercial advisory and in strategic business growth both organically and via M&As, JVs and new ventures.
He is well known in the industry as an expert in business start-ups, in managing subsidiaries, portfolio management, in driving business growth with P&L responsibility, stream lining operations, and in profitably managing businesses across multiple industry domains, and in multiple markets of Middle East, Africa, Europe, South Asia & South America. His sectors of expertise include industrial manufacturing, construction & building materials, metals & plastics downstream processing, engineering services, machinery, capital goods, consumer products, contracting & supplying into the Oil & Gas, EPC, Mining, Power, Defense, Infrastructure, Building & Construction industry.
Mawera Karetai
Ko Te atua o Taiehu, Pukekura me Aoraki te māuka
Ko Waitaki rāua ko Waitaha kā awa
Ko Ōtākou te moana
Ko Waitaha, Rapuwai, Kati Hawea, Kai Tahu me Kati Māmoe ōku iwi
Mawera has a strong background in business and governance, working with SMEs and government organisations with a social and or environmental focus. A director, governor, mediator and educator, Mawera brings a diverse perspective to her roles. Mawera’s research interest is in education and identifying barriers to success, particularly for those who are marginalised and discriminated against. Her current research is focused on unconditional positive read as a model of activism. She will defend her newly completed doctoral thesis September 2021. Based in Whakatāne, Mawera is active in Te Ao Māori and enjoys working with groups to build relationships and capabilities.
Wayne Tollemache
A seasoned international senior executive and passionate director I am a strategic thinker by nature and experience. My professional experiences have taken me around the world where I have led significant change at a senior level in multiple countries and cultures. A Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors (NZ) I have extensive experience in turning around companies who are under
performing or stagnating. Given my international experience I also have a unique ability to work in a diverse cultural environment and maximise complex relationships.
Sameer Handa
Recipient of the New Zealand Order of Merit, Sameer is a proven Senior Executive with extensive experience in management and leadership roles in various countries and industries. He is currently the Managing Director of Glowbal NZ Limited and is on the board of Bank of India (NZ) Ltd, Refrigerant Recovery NZ Ltd, Chair of India NZ Business Council and Deputy Chair at New
Zealand Asian leaders (NZAL). He has also been part of a few Ministerial Trade delegations. In addition, Sameer is involved with many charities and as a trustee of the Auckland Health Foundation, he is helping it to achieve its purpose of driving positive change in health care through cutting-edge innovation. Sameer is a Mechanical Engineer and MBA from Sydney University. He uses his business, management and international trade experience to mentor entrepreneurs and guide those businesses wishing to make a mark in international markets.
Tori McNoe
A 24-year-old, young Wāhine Māori leader, I am always looking to broaden my horizons. I am particularly interested in youth and determining our place in the world. I am particularly led by the whakatauki – Ki te kahore he whakakitenga ka ngaro te iwi –Without foresight or vision the people will be lost. My whānau, community, friends lead me and give me purpose. I hold a Bachelor of Criminal Justice a Bachelor of Arts (Sociology & Psychology). A recent graduate of the University of Canterbury I finished last two years having been Vice President & President of the University of Canterbury Students Association as what first wahine māori to do so. My Board Roles see me serving on the MBIE Reigional Leadership Labour Skills Group, as a member of NZ
Police Research Steering For the Investigation into Policing Bias in New Zealand, Science Alive and Chair Momentum Investment Committee.
Marise Kerehi Stuart
Dr Marise Stuart (BSc; BPhEd; MBChB) is a medical doctor, with research interests in social justice, health systems sustainability, and climate change. Marise is a member of Te Rōpū Whakakaupapa Urutā (National Māori Pandemic Group) and successfully established the Ngāpuhi COVID-19 Testing service in 2019, a finalist in Matariki COVID-19 awards. She is also a member of Te Mana Raraunga (Māori Data Sovereignty Group) and was the founder of NZ’s first Artificial Intelligence in Health conference “Hack Aotearoa” in conjunction with Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A Fulbright Scholar, Marise is presently completing a Masters in Global Health Delivery at Harvard University, which will focus on future Māori health services. Marise is also currently establishing a trade training program and housing developments in Kaikohe, to provide bespoke solutions to address the housing crisis. Marise has iwi affiliations to Ngāpuhi; Ngāti Kahungunu; Rangitāne; Ngāti Toa; Te Rarawa; Ngāi Tahu.
Lyn Huei Min Lim
Lyn Lim has diverse Board and Chair (Board and Committee) experience and is culturally competent. She is experienced in investment structures, risk management, HR, HSW, AML, dispute management and compliance. She is on the boards of Restaurant Brands Limited, General Capital Limited and Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Board. She is also a trustee of the Asia New Zealand Foundation and the Middlemore Foundation. Lyn has held the positions of Trustee, Deputy Chair and Chair of Foundation North (the biggest and leading philanthropic entity in New Zealand) and has served on the Boards of New Zealand Shareholders’ Association, Public Trust (and chaired the Human Resources and Remuneration Committee), the New Zealand China Trade Association, the Hong Kong and New Zealand Business Association and the New Zealand Chinese Youth Trust. She has been a member of ANZ Private Bank External Advisory Board and has served as a council member of the Auckland District Law Society Inc. Lyn holds an LLB (Hons) from the University of Canterbury and has 30 years of legal practice specialising in commercial, corporate and governance issues and dispute resolution. She became a partner after 7 years and was the first Asian woman partner in a NZ national law firm in 1998. In the 2017 New Years Honours, Lyn was appointed as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to New Zealand-Asia relations and governance. Lyn is a Chartered Member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors, a member of the New Zealand Law Society and a member and Vice Chair of the Women in Business Committee of the Inter Pacific Bar Association. Lyn is born in Malaysia and is multilingual.
Larissa Logan
Larissa is a mum to two young girls and comes from a Maori/Scottish background. She is a strong advocate for improving diversity within the business community and fostering diverse talent at EY where she is a Director and Insolvency Practitioner in the Turnaround and Restructuring Strategy (“TRS”) team. Larissa has 3 years of governance experience in her voluntary role as chairperson of the Auckland Local Leadership Committee for Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ). This Committee forms a key conduit between CA ANZ and its members, ensuring timely and topical member information is provided to CA ANZ and in turn allowing CA ANZ to improve service
delivery by appropriately tailoring its services and products at local level to meet member needs. Larissa is also on the steering committee for Women in Restructuring and Insolvency across New Zealand, which supports women working in and around the restructuring/insolvency space.