Kahl Betham

Chief Executive Officer
Gallagher
Hamilton

Kahl Betham is Gallagher’s Deputy CEO.

With a deep understanding of business strategy and strong business acumen, Kahl stepped up into the role as CEO for the Gallagher Group in April 2019 after holding many senior roles with the company since 1997.

Kahl leads the Group Executive Leadership team comprising Security, Animal Management, Operations, R&D, IS, Risk, Finance, Legal and People & Brand.

A people focussed leader, Kahl is passionate about encouraging diverse thinking and customer focussed ingenuity, ensuring the pioneering spirit upon which Gallagher was built continues to thrive.  His focus is on embedding a culture that nurtures a growth mindset, tapping into the collective potential of everyone and building a high performing organisation that cares about having a positive impact on their employees, customers and communities long into the future.

Kahl is a member of Gallagher’s Board of Directors and a Director to eleven of the Gallagher Group entities.

Angela Buglass

Chief Executive Officer
Antipodes Water Company
Whakatane 

In May 2019 Angela joined the Antipodes Water company as Chief Executive Officer.

Angela was previously CEO of Trilogy International Limited (NZX:TIL), which comprises of high-performing consumer brands: Trilogy Natural Products, ECOYA Home Fragrance and Goodness Superfood Skincare, alongside subsidiaries CS&Co Beauty Distribution and Lanocorp Skincare  & Bodycare Manufacturing.

Having spent 15 years in the United Kingdom, Angela returned to New Zealand in 2014 and joined Trilogy Natural Products as Managing Director. Her last role in the United Kingdom was Vice President Marketing for LF Beauty, part of the global sourcing giant Li & Fung, with a core focus on brand growth and development within the United Kingdom, USA and Asia.

Angela's career began in New Zealand after studying a BMS at Waikato University and includes roles with leading FMCG companies Procter & Gamble, L’Oréal and Estée Lauder encompassing strategic leadership, change management, sales, brand marketing, communications, product sourcing/new product development, and new market expansion.

Tony Falkenstein

Chief Financial Officer
Just Life Group Limited
Auckland

Tony Falkenstein is Founder and Chief Executive of Just Life Group Limited and a director and shareholder of PureSEO Ltd.

He has been prominent in business education, establishing New Zealand’s first Business High School in 2003, as a precursor to ‘business’ becoming a subject in the New Zealand Curriculum.

Tony was inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame in 2008, was appointed as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in 2010 and was selected as a Distinguished Alumni of the University of Auckland in 2011. In 2012 Tony received a KEA World Class New Zealand Award for ‘New Thinking’. In December 2012, Tony was the first New Zealander to be inducted into the international ‘Beta, Gamma Sigma’ Society, in recognition of his professional achievements.

Leonard Gardner

Chief Executive Officer
Foster Construction Group
Hamilton

In 2003 Leonard Gardner joined Fosters as a Chartered Accountant after an eight year tenure at KPMG, where he completed his Bachelor of Business. Leonard’s talent and business acumen were quickly recognised, and in 2004 he was appointed to the role of commercial manager. Two years later, Leonard became a director and shareholder at Fosters. For the past two years Leonard has held the position of CEO for Foster Construction Group.

Leonard’s strengths lie in his ability to integrate the worlds of business and community. He is adept at bringing stakeholders together, using communication as a tool to achieve optimal outcomes. Community, family and people are his passions, and Leonard brings a personal touch to all those he collaborates with.

“As part of Fosters, I am blessed with the resources, skills and ability to contribute to the community and this gives me a personal purpose to provide the long-term vision, clarity and direction for the business.”

Outside of work, Leonard is married to Denise, and they have three adult sons. Leonard is involved in many community initiatives including a trustee of the Hamilton Gardens Development Trust, and an active member of Gateway Community Church.

Brett Hewlett

Chairman Priority One
Blue Lab Corporation
Tauranga

Brett is a professional director and consultant. He is an Independent Director and Chairman of Comvita Ltd (NZX:CVT), Independent Director and Chairman of private company BlueLab Corporation Ltd, Independent Director of Quayside Holdings Ltd., and Chairman of Priority One, Tauranga and Western BOP’s economic development agency.

From 2005-2015 Brett was the Chief Executive Officer of Comvita. Prior to Comvita, he held a number of senior roles with global packaging firm Tetra Pak. Other former Governance and Advisory board roles include: Derma Sciences Inc. (DSCI:Nasdaq), SeaDragon (SEA:NZX), Enterprise Angels, NZTE’s Better by Design Advisory Board and Member of the Callaghan Innovation Stakeholder Advisory Group.

Brett has a Bachelor of Food Technology from Massey University, and a Masters of Business Administration from the International Institute for Management Development, Switzerland. He has also completed advanced management programmes at Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management. Brett is a Member of the Institute of Directors.

Tiaki Hunia

Pouhere Māori - Director of Māori Strategy
Fonterra
Auckland 

Tiaki Hunia joined Fonterra in 2017 and is the Pouhere Māori - Director of Māori Strategy and is responsible for progressing the Co-operative’s strategic Māori commitments and strengthening its bicultural capability and partnerships.

Tiaki has previously held a number of key leadership roles, including at Te Puni Kōkiri, and prior to that, five years as Deputy Māori Trustee, Te Tumu Paeroa. He has also been involved in numerous governance roles with iwi and industry organisations over the last 10 years, notably Bay of Plenty District Health Board , Iwi Collective partnership (Fisheries sector) , Ngāti Awa Group Holdings Ltd, Māori Investments Ltd and Pūtauaki Trust.

He is an alumni of Stanford University Business School having attended Te Hono – the NZ primary sector bootcamp and has participated and represented Māori economic interests in various deputations to Malaysia, China, Japan, Taiwan, Australia and the United States.

Tiaki holds a Bachelor of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in Māori from the University of Auckland. He has previously been admitted as a Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand and is a member of the Institute of Directors and the current Chairman of the Māori Kiwifruit growers Inc.

Professor Brad Jackson

Associate Dean - Strategic Engagement
Waikato Management School
Hamilton

Brad Jackson is the Associate Dean Strategic Engagement at the Waikato Management School which is based in Hamilton, New Zealand. He also serves as Professor of Leadership and Governance.

Prior to joining Waikato University, Brad was the Professor of Social Innovation within the Department of Business Strategy and Innovation in the Griffith Business School based Brisbane, Australia. At Victoria University of Wellington, Brad served as the Head of School of Government and the Head of School of Management.  At the University of Auckland Business School, he was Co-Director of the New Zealand Leadership Institute and the Fletcher Building Education Trust Chair in Leadership.

Brad is a former co-editor of the journal, Leadership, and the former Vice-Chair of the Akina Foundation and the International Leadership Association.

Damon Kelly

Founder & CEO
Enlighten Design
Hamilton

Damon Kelly is Founder and CEO of Enlighten Designs. Damon has a passion for people, business and technology. Immediately after his graduation in 1998, Damon founded Enlighten Designs. Where in Silicon Valley start-ups are created in garages, the New Zealand equivalent of this was Enlighten beginning in a caravan, in Damon’s backyard.

Damon wanted to create a company that valued creativity, learning and connecting with its customers all while having fun doing it. Enlighten attracted a technically brilliant and client focused team that would deliver great technology solutions. They do this through collaboration through discovery and design to craft the right digital experiences, but would also lead and challenge their clients to create the amazing outcomes.

Damon graduated from Waikato University in 1998 with a double major in Psychology and Cognitive Science.

Angie SMith

Head of People Experience
Zespri International Ltd
Tauranga

Angie is a culture transformation leader within organisations, combining a strong commercial focus with a passion for empowering people through culture and purpose.

Angie joined Zespri in 2018 as Head of People Experience, with a career spanning 15-year in global organisational development and human resource leadership roles. She is driven by the challenge of helping companies to deliver transformational change to achieve purpose-led growth.

Angie’s experience includes over 8 years with British Telecom in London and Hong Kong, covering both generalised and specialist roles. In Hong Kong, she held a regional role as Head of Organisation Design and Effectiveness across Asia Pacific. She returned to New Zealand to join Westpac as Organisation Development Manager, where she led the development of the company’s award-winning diversity and inclusion strategy.

Angie and her partner Bevan moved to Tauranga in 2017 and are proud parents to two energetic boys. Angie thrives on the opportunity to make an impact on business performance through the value of people and culture strategies. From leadership through to engagement, she is energised by seeing the positive impact that organisations delivering great results have on people and communities.

Wayne Tainui

Head of Manukura Māori Business Team
PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC)
Hamilton

Wayne has over 20 years business and commercial experience with PwC in Advisory and Assurance roles, including 4 year’s experience with PwC based in the United Kingdom, and has also worked in several other territories. Wayne’s passions include the Education and Maori sectors.Wayne leads the PwC Waikato’s
Deals team and works with a range of clients to maximise business value and solve business problems. His areas of specialisation include transaction services providing pre and post deals support, buy side and sell side due diligence and strategic and business planning. Wayne is also the National Leader
of the PwC Mānukura Māori Business team and is of Ngāti Maniapoto and Waikato-Tainui descent. Wayne has a Bachelor of Management Studies from the University of Waikato (1995) and is a member of the Institute of Directors. In his spare time, Wayne enjoys a variety of sports activities, travelling and
precious time with his family.

Kelvin Whiting

Principal
Hillcrest High School
Hamilton 

Kelvin was appointed Principal of Hillcrest High School in 2003, and is about to complete 40 years in the teaching service.

Gaining a Bachelor of Social Sciences with Honours from the University of Waikato, Kelvin attended Christchurch Teachers College, before beginning his teaching career at Hillcrest High School in 1981 teaching Geography, History and Social Studies. He then spent time at Matamata College as HOD History and Social Studies, followed by Howick College as HOF Social Sciences and then Assistant Principal, and Pakuranga College as Deputy Principal prior to returning to Hillcrest High School.

Kelvin has been a member of the Secondary School Principals Association (SPANZ) Executive on two occasions and is currently a member of the Board of School Sport NZ, as well as Chair of the Waikato Secondary Schools Sports Association. He is also a member of the Management Advisory Group for beginning Principals. One of the highlights of Kelvin’s career to date has been the awarding of a Woolf Fisher Fellowship in 2009 acknowledging his leadership. Kelvin spent 11 weeks touring the UK, Europe and the USA visiting schools and attending Harvard University’s Principals’ Leadership Programme. Kelvin is married to Karen and they have three adult children, all of whom were educated at Hillcrest High School.

Prof Peter Wolnizer

Professor Emeritus
The University of Sydney, Australia

Peter Wolnizer is Professor Emeritus at the University of Sydney, where he served as Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business from 1999-2010 and Professor of Accounting until his retirement at the end of 2011.

Professor Wolnizer was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his service to higher education in business and economics as an academic and administrator.

He has extensive international experience of chairing accreditation reviews of business schools and universities for AACSB International, EQUIS and government agencies. Under his leadership, the faculty was twice accredited by AACSB International and EQUIS, and also chosen as the Australian member of the prestigious CEMS Global Alliance in Management Education.

Prior to returning to the University of Sydney, where he lectured for more than 11 years, Professor Wolnizer served as Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law at Deakin University from 1991 to 1998, following his appointment as Foundation Professor of Accounting and Finance in 1989.

He served on the board of directors of AACSB International (2006-2011), the Council of the Association of Asia Pacific Business Schools (2004-2010), and as President of the Australian Business Deans Council (2004-2005). He was a member of Australia's Corporations and Securities Panel 1994-99.