Waikato Management School Business Advisory Board
Functions and membership of the board
Our Business Advisory Board is made up of 12 to 20 appointed senior leaders from major local, national and international organisations, as well as the Pro Vice-Chancellor — Management and Associate Dean Research of WMS.
The Board is a key advisory body that helps ensure the School understands the education and research needs of business.
The Board's purpose is to provide guidance on the School’s strategic direction, discuss new trends in business education, future market positioning of the School, and commercial and funding opportunities. It also acts as a sounding board for any specific proposals that the School is considering, and reviews the impact of recent changes.
Changes in the board membership are important to bring new insights and experiences to discussions of the School’s challenges and opportunities in the dynamic global economic environment.
Please contact the Pro Vice-Chancellor — Management if you would like more information about the Business Advisory Board.
Current Business Advisory Board members
Chief Executive Officer, Gallagher Group Limited
Kahl Betham is Gallagher’s Chief Executive Officer.
With a deep understanding of business strategy and strong business acumen, Kahl stepped up into the role as Deputy CEO for the Gallagher Group in April 2019 after holding many senior roles with the company since 1997. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer in 2021.
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.
Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Waikato Management School
Matt Bolger became the Pro Vice-Chancellor of WMS in 2020, following an 18-year career at Fonterra where he held a number of senior leadership roles in New Zealand and internationally.
His work ranged from corporate strategy and financial structuring, to managing global sales teams based out of Chicago, to leading teams focused on grassroots environmental and agritech programmes in New Zealand.
In 2022, Matt was appointed Chairman of the Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand, the industry body for New Zealand’s world-leading dairy processing, marketing and exporting organisations.
Founder & Chief Executive 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.
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 complete
d 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.
Director, Joyce Advisory Limited
Steven Joyce was a senior economic minister in the previous three-term National-led government of New Zealand. Over nine years in the cabinet, he served as Finance Minister, Minister of Economic Development, Minister of Science and Innovation, Minister of Transport, Minister of ICT, and spent seven years as Minister of Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment.
During his time in government, he led the economic growth programme, the Ultrafast Broadband fibre to the home rollout, and the country’s biggest highway building programme in decades.
He was also the campaign chief for the National Party's five highest election results under MMP. Prior to entering politics, he was a successful radio entrepreneur — starting his first station, Energy FM, in New Plymouth, and building it up to become RadioWorks, New Zealand's second-largest radio company. He is also a trained zoologist.
Steven now runs his own advisory firm, Joyce Advisory Limited, providing strategic policy and commercial advice across Australia and New Zealand. He conducted the recent Strengthening Skills report on vocational education reform for the Australian Federal Government, and now chairs an expert panel to advise Canberra on the implementation of the reforms.
Steven lives on a lifestyle block north of Auckland, with his young family, assorted ducks, Gemma the Retrodoodle, and Marlow the cat.
Founder and CEO, Enlighten Design, Hamilton
Damon Kelly has a passion for people, business and technology. Immediately after his graduation in 1998, Damon fou
nded 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 based on 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.
Professional Director, Hamilton
Jennifer is a full-time professional Director. Her current positions include Chair of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, Chair of WorkSafe New Zealand, Deputy Chair of Callaghan Innovation, Director of Eke Panuku Development Auckland, Director of Waipa Networks Ltd, and member of the New Zealand Police Assurance and Risk Committee .
She has previously been a Board Advisor to Mediaworks and a Director of New Zealand Rugby.
Previously, Jennifer has been general manager of customers, people and environment at Transpower, former group director of human resources and health and safety at Fonterra, and group manager of human resources for Mobil Oil for Europe. She has also run her own consultancy business.
Jennifer is a member of Global Women and has degrees in arts and social sciences from the University of Waikato. She is of Ngāti Mutunga and Ngāti Tama descent.
Partner, Deloitte New Zealand, Rotorua
John is a lead partner for mergers, acquisitions and related negotiations with Deloitte in Rotorua, where has lived for
the past 25 years.
John has an extensive leadership background and his current successful partnership is due to building a large team of professionals. He has forged partnerships across all communities — including business, political and local community.
John is an expert in Māori Authorities. I whakapapa to Kati Mamoe (Ngai Tahu) and proficient in tikanga. While he is learning te reo, he is accomplished in marae protocol and presents reports at many AGMs on the Marae throughout Te Arawa. He guides their strategy and strategy implementation.
As well as his role with Deloitte, he holds several community roles, including chair of Rotorua Economic Development. This role aims for strategic recovery of the economy, post covid. He is also on the Board of the Rotorua Chamber of Commerce.
John is married to Tess and has two adult children.
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 years 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 eight 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.
Partner, National Industry Lead – Māori, KPMG, Hamilton
Riria leads KPMG’s service and contribution to Māori businesses and organisations. In her role, Riria supports clients with reviewing their governance arrangements, crafting their strategies and developing plans to execute them. She has also advised clients on how to organise themselves to deliver their desired outcomes and developed tools to help them measure financial and non-financial success together. Riria draws on the expertise from KPMG specialists including our data and digital team in shaping solutions.
Riria is also the lead author of KPMG’s Maui Rau report series that looks at how Māori might take advantage of the shifts in the world to advance prosperity for their people. Her clients appreciate her ability to help them structure their thinking to bring clarity, craft smart solutions with them rather than for them, and to quickly get to the heart of the issue. Riria’s clients trust that she understands context and dynamics and she is known for providing appropriate challenges that provoke the thought needed to bring about innovative approaches. With over 25 years’ experience, her background and experience as a business owner, and governor on multiple entities including her hapū incorporation, iwi trust board and large research and commercialisation entity enables Riria to bring alternative but pragmatic viewpoints.
Chief Executive, Priority One, Tauranga
Nigel is passionate about improving the prosperity of people in our community, ensuring we remain a great place for generations to come. He is also very keen to develop better equity across our community through a strong and sustainable economy.
Nigel grew up here in Tauranga and loves the laid back atmosphere and great environment.
Board purpose
The Waikato Management School Business Advisory Board is a key body that helps ensure the School understands the education and research needs of business.
The Advisory Board provides support, comment and advice to the Pro Vice-Chancellor — Management and Management Group of the School on a broad range of current activities and future developments.
Members are normally appointed for a three-year term. This period can be extended by one to two years by agreement with the Pro Vice-Chancellor — Management and the School's Executive Team.
The purpose of the Business Advisory Board is to provide an advisory function on:
- strategic direction/decisions
- future market positioning
- business, commercial and funding opportunities
- making a difference
- To provide a forum where new business and business education ideas and trends are identified and their relevance debated.
- To provide input to the School on how curriculum and academic research will best meet current and future needs of business and identify areas for improvement and development.
- To provide input into funding for research, new facilities and other activities that members would like to see the School pursue.
- To act as a sounding board for specific proposals that School is considering.
- To review executive education programmes including the MBA and provide input on their strategic development.
- Review changes that have been implemented in relation to programmes, strategic development and the School's strategy.
- The Chairperson will be nominated and appointed by the Pro Vice-Chancellor — Management after consultation with the Business Advisory Board, with reference to the following:
- The Chairperson should not be a Waikato Management School employee
- It is desirable that the Chairperson be local
- An annual process of appointment will enable rotation of this key role
- Re-appointment of a Chairperson for another term may be considered by the Pro Vice-Chancellor - Management in some situations
The Chairperson's role is to:
- Review agenda items prior to meetings
- Manage the flow of meetings and discussion
- Ensure equal opportunity to speak and be heard
- Review and confirm meeting minutes prior to distribution
- Follow up on any changes implemented by the School
In the event that the Chairperson is unable to perform any of the above duties, the Chairperson should nominate a suitable replacement.
The Secretary for the Business Advisory Board will be appointed by the Pro Vice-Chancellor — Management.
Key responsibilities of this role are:
- Coordinate and arrange board meetings
- Liaise with Board members on meeting dates and travel details
- Distribute minutes and agenda to board members
Minutes for Board meetings are taken by the WMS Academic Unit's Committee Secretary, who will be in attendance at the meeting.
Business Advisory Board meetings are to be convened twice per year and will generally take an afternoon.
Special meetings, in addition to the two required meetings, may be arranged at the request of either the Pro Vice-Chancellor — Management or Chair of the Business Advisory Board.
New members will be nominated by the Waikato Management School Executive Team.
Guidelines to consider when seeking new members:
- WMS Alumni (target 25%)
- Proportional mix between local, national and international members
- Values match with WMS values and ethos
- Business management experience
- Needs of the Board in respect of skills/experience
- Individual or organisation relationship with WMS
- WMS Strategy
Recommendations to amend the Charter can be made by any member of the Business Advisory Board to the following people:
- The Chairperson
- Pro Vice-Chancellor — Management
Recommendations will be considered by the Waikato Management School Executive Team.
Enquiries
If you would like any further information about the Business Advisory Board, please contact us.