Institute of Directors in New Zealand

Mayor of Wellington Andrew Little has spent more than 25 years in leadership roles in the public eye. As a union leader, MP, Leader of the Opposition, senior cabinet minister and now mayor of Wellington, he’s navigated change and challenge under intense scrutiny. Opening the IoD’s 2026 National Leadership Conference in September, Little will draw on his experience in central and local government.

Alison Gerry CFInstD and Mark Verbiest CFInstD remain first and second in July's The Boardroom Table rankings, holding the top two positions for a second consecutive month. The more notable movement this month comes immediately behind them, where Tania Te Rangingangana Simpson CFInstD, Julia Hoare CFInstD and Mark Binns have all continued to climb the rankings. All three serve on the board of Auckland International Airport (AIA).

Based in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Ash Buchanan describes herself as curious, impatient and spiritual. She comes from a background blending Cook Islands, Tahitian and Kāi Tahu/Ngāi Tahu heritage. Ash is senior manager, member services and claims at nib New Zealand. We spoke to the 36-year-old about what motivated her to join the Tautua Pasifika Mentoring programme, along with 18 other mentees from around the country, and why governance matters to her.

If your organisation operates in Australia, or if you are watching where New Zealand employment law is developing, psychosocial risk (PSR) belongs on your board agenda. It should be treated as a risk to be identified, controlled, monitored and reported, rather than as a once-a-year wellbeing update. Australia has moved decisively. In New South Wales alone, nearly one in five workplace complaints is now psychosocial.

Victoria Carter ONZM, CFInstD When boards appoint directors, they often focus on finding the right person. A more useful question might be: who didn’t apply? According to experienced director and chair Victoria Carter ONZM, CFInstD, that question sits at the heart of good governance.

Based in Te Whanganui-a-tara Wellington, Jason Tualima CMInstD is committed to strengthening governance and economic development in the Pacific – a region he describes as having enormous potential for sustainable growth, supported by good governance. Jason is on the board of Si’ufofoga ‘o le Lauma Trust, which oversees the operations of Sāmoa Capital Radio. By day, he is the director of finance and performance for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

One in six people in New Zealand – 17% of the population – are disabled, but their unemployment rate is around twice that of non-disabled people. Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People Chief Executive Paula Tesoriero MNZM says under-representation of disabled people, in governance and the workforce, means organisations are missing opportunities to better understand their workforce, customers and communities.

The latest stocktake of women on public sector boards and committees, released this week, shows women hold 50.2% of roles and 43.8% of board chair roles. It is the sixth consecutive year women’s representation has remained above the Government’s 50% target, but only just. Representation has slipped from its high point: women held 53.9% of roles in the 2023 stocktake, falling to 52.1% in 2024 and 50.2% in 2025. New Zealand’s public sector board and committee roles remain at gender parity.

On 22 June, the leaders of the Five Eyes cyber security agencies released an advisory regarding the “AI shift in cyber risk: why leaders must act now”. This is highly unusual. Its urgency, its call to action and its sign-off by the leaders of these organisations are rare. The central premise is this: “Frontier AI models are anticipated to exceed current industry expectations, fundamentally transforming both offensive and defensive cyber capabilities.

At just 21, Ashrit Nand MInstD has already carved out a path in governance, advocacy and leadership. Born and raised in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, his perspective has been shaped by his lived experience as a queer person of colour. Nand’s parent immigrated from Fiji, and he has both Indian and Chinese heritage, which has shaped his values and outlook. He feels grateful that his parents responded with openness when he came out to them at the age of 14. “It was early, but it felt natural.