Our Key People

The Rt Hon Jim Bolger, ONZ

“This is an outstanding opportunity for New Zealand to play an important role on the world stage where it really counts – with our next generation of international leaders.”

Mr Bolger was Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1990 until 1997, and New Zealand's Ambassador to the United States between 1998 and 2002. 

He is currently chairman of Kiwibank, NZ Post, the Gas Industry Company, Trustees Executors Limited, the World Agricultural Forum Advisory Board, and the NZ-US Business Council. 

Mr Bolger is also Chancellor of the University of Waikato, and chairman of the board of directors of the Ian Axford Fellowships in Public Policy.

Mr Bolger is a member of the Order of New Zealand, the highest honour in New Zealand.

Tony Baldwin (Chairman)

Tony is a law, public policy and strategy consultant. He has chaired several major projects including ECNZ restructuring, producer board corporatisation, electricity hedge market reform, and telecom network unbundling.

Tony was a key adviser in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and a commercial lawyer at Chapman Tripp in Wellington. 

For more information visit Tony Baldwin.

Craig Stobo

Craig is a company director and entrepreneur. He has worked as a NZ diplomat, economist, investment banker, fund manager and management executive. 

Craig is currently director and chairman of AMP Multiplex Ltd, director and chairman of OCG Consulting Ltd, deputy chairman of Industrial Research Limited, director of Saturn Portfolio Management Ltd and Saturn Invest NZ Ltd, executive chairman of SouthWest Trustees Ltd, executive chairman of Elevation Capital Management Ltd, and director of SuperPoints Ltd. He was CEO and director of BT Funds Management NZ Ltd.

Suzanne Janissen

Suzanne is a partner in Chapman Tripp, one of NZ's leading law firms. She specialises in environmental and planning law and also has extensive experience in litigation and alternative dispute resolution on a broad range of commercial matters. She heads Chapman Tripp's national environmental team, with offices in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, comprising over 25 lawyers specialising in resource management law.

Suzanne has particular experience in large scale infrastructure projects, energy, transport, retail and telecommunications.

She is also a Trustee of the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre and recently assisted in the establishment of a new OPC Marine Centre on Great Barrier Island.

For more information visit ChapmanTripp

Sam Knowles

Sam is the founding CEO of Kiwibank, and director of Trustpower.

Previously, CEO - At Work Insurance Limited; GM - Global Product Management, National Australia Bank; GM - Marketing and Distribution, Australia, National Australia Bank; GM - Business Development and Subsidiaries, BNZ; Retail Financial Services - BNZ; Head of Strategic Planning - BNZ; Manager - Project Research and Development, BNZ; Investigating Officer -The Treasury.

Sam is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors and has a Master of Science (Resource Management) First Class Honours and a Bachelor of Science (Physics)

Alison Gerry

Alison is a business consultant specialising in Treasury Management. Prior to establishing her own business, Alison was Group Treasurer for Lion Nathan Limited in Sydney and also spent four years in Hong Kong with Lehman Bros.

Alison has worked with a number of banks in Sydney, Tokyo and London providing Fixed Income and Foreign Exchange expertise. She is a Visiting Fellow at Macquarie University in Sydney where she regularly lectures on Corporate Treasury Risk Management.

Alison has a Masters of Applied Finance from Macquarie University and was awarded several prizes for her academic work.

Stuart Chrisp

Stuart is the managing director of Kinross Recruitment, an Auckland firm specialising in recruiting senior executive and board roles with particular focus on building management teams for high growth businesses. 

Stuart has worked in operational and strategic management, including strategic planning, corporate banking, and has established two new businesses.  Stuart also served for 10 years as a commissioned officer in the NZ Army Territorial Force.

For more information, visit Kinross Recruitment.

Grant McCulloch

Grant McCulloch is a partner in the Queenstown office of McCulloch & Partners Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors. The firm has offices in Invercargill and Queenstown, along with a satellite office in Te Anau and has a team of approximately 60 staff and seven partners.

Grant joined McCulloch & Partners in 2002 after six years in other Chartered Accountancy firms including Price Waterhouse, Dunedin (now Polson Higgs & Co) and Cook Adam & Co, Invercargill.

For more information visit McCulloch & Partners

John Hilhorst (Project Director)

John is the promoter of NZ UWC.  He previously led the establishment of two successful business programmes in the education field – the New Zealand Alpine Sports Academy, and the Wakatipu High School International Programme.   

John’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Science Degree (Economics), Diploma of Teaching, Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults, Commercial Launch Master and Yacht Master – Ocean. He is also a Trustee of the Wakatipu Trails Trust.