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School of Business Board of Advisors

Our Board of Advisors provides an opportunity for business professionals (particularly Otago alumni) to participate in the activities of the School of Business. As part of the School's commitment to close engagement with the wider community, the Board serves as a forum for the exchange of ideas between business executives and academicians as they relate to advancing business education and research.

This page provides an overview to the Boards functions and provides a short biography of current Board Members.

Functions of the Board
Board Members

Functions of the Board include:

Providing information and recommendations to the Dean and staff of the School on matters such as curriculum, facilities, operations and general promotion of better communication with the business community.
Identifying opportunities for partnerships between the School and business community, such as consulting projects, research projects, involving staff in practical business problems, arranging for guest lecturers from business, and mentoring of students by bringing them into contact with business executives.
Facilitating the exchange of information on trends, changes, and developments in business in order to enhance the relevance of the curriculum to the world of business. [Top]

Board Members

Lindsay Brown
Chair, Board of Advisors
The chair of the Board of Advisors, Lindsay Brown, served as the University of Otago’s Chancellor from 2004 to 2008. Lindsay has strong links with the University of Otago having previously held the position of Pro-Chancellor (Deputy Chair of Council) and was a member of the University Council and several university boards. Lindsay is a former partner of the accounting firm Deloitte and is a director of Southern Community Laboratories, in Dunedin. Lindsay is an alumnus of the School of Business. [Top]

Naomi-Rose Aporo
Naomi has recently completed a Master of Business (Management) at Otago and is currently working in Wellington as a Risk Advisory graduate for Ernst and Young. During her time at Otago she was involved in a wide range of activities and programmes through the Business School including Enterprisers 07, The Aspiring Leaders Forum 06/07, and the KUMA Maori Business Network. Prior to coming to Otago Naomi was involved with a wide range of education, health, and well-being community initiatives in the Wairarapa in her capacity as Head Girl at Wairarapa College and as Chair of the Wairarapa District Youth Council. [Top]

Richard Bentley
Company Director
Richard Bentley is a Wellington-based company director and management consultant. Previous positions include management roles in Fletcher Challenge, and from 1989 to 2001 Chief Executive officer of the Natural Gas Corporation. He was subsequently a director of NGC Holdings for 5 years to 2005, and Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee from 2003. He is currently Executive Chairman of Rissington Breedline Limited and Chairman of its South American subsidiary ONYC, Executive Chairman of MediaLab South Pacific Limited, Chairman of Wool Equities Limited, Crop and Food Research Limited, the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary and the Carter Observatory; and a director and former Chairman of Canesis Networks Limited. Richard is a professionally qualified civil engineer and a Distinguished Fellow of the NZ Institution of Professional Engineers, and has a Masters degree in Economics. [Top]

Alister Brown
Chief Executive, Merck Sharpe & Dohme New Zealand
Alister Brown heads the local subsidiary of one the world’s pharmaceutical giants Merck Sharpe & Dohme, the company responsible for a number of breakthrough medicines such as Vioxx, Lipex and Propecia. Under Alister’s lead the company has grown into a highly successful private sector business which has weathered government policy changes and market changes. Alister also sits on the Board of Directors of the American Chamber of Commerce New Zealand. [Top]

Barry Colman
Managing Director, Liberty Publishing
Auckland-based Barry Colman is best known as publisher of The National Business Review and the NBR Rich List. A former journalist himself, Barry has built an empire in the publishing business with his company Liberty Publishing. Barry has strong links with Dunedin and frequently visits the Carey’s Bay Historic Hotel, which he owns. Barry sits on the boards of many companies including Forsyth Barr Group Ltd. [Top]

Tim Gibson
Former Chief Executive, Trade and Enterprise
Tim Gibson lead the agency Trade and Enterprise which combines the functions of Trade New Zealand and Industry New Zealand. Tim has an impressive management background in the dairy industry holding positions of Managing Director of Kapiti Cheeses, Managing Director of New Zealand Milk (Europe), and Group Manager (Global Strategy) and Regional Chief Executive (North Asia) for the Dairy Board. [Top]

Stephen Higgs
Partner, Polson Higgs & Co
Stephen Higgs is one of the founders of Dunedin-based Polson Higgs & Co which offers assistance to companies in audit and assurance, business services, human resources, information technology, market research, marketing, training and tax. With a background in taxation, Stephen is an expert in the area of commercial tax and teaches in the subject at the University of Otago. He is an alumnus of the School of Business. [Top]

John Judge
Chairman, ACC
John Judge headed one of New Zealand’s leading accountancy firms, Ernst & Young. He is also a leading advocate of the “knowledge economy” and sits on the Advisory Board of the Knowledge Wave Trust. In June 2008 John was appointed to the Board of Fletcher Building as an independent non-executive director, and he is the Chair of Te Papa. [Top]

Stuart McLauchlan
Managing Partner, GS McLauchlan & Co Business Advisors and Accountants
Stuart is a fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants and is currently chairman of Scott Technology Ltd, and a director of several companies including University of Otago Foundation Studies Ltd, Dunedin City Holdings Ltd, City Forests Ltd, Citibus Ltd, Delta Ltd, Lund South Ltd, and Aurora Energy Ltd. His other positions include Pro-Chancellor at the University of Otago, governor of the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame, and Honorary Colonel 4th Otago/Southland Battalion, and Chairman of the Otago/Southland Branch Committee of the Institute of Directors. [Top]

Jeremy Moon
Managing Director, Icebreaker
Jeremy Moon is founder and managing director of New Zealand’s largest merino wool adventure-wear exporter Icebreaker. Founded in 1995, Icebreaker is now in the top five of the Deloittes Fast 50, a register of the 50 fastest growing companies in New Zealand. Jeremy holds a MCom (Marketing) from the School of Business at the University of Otago. [Top]

Sir Tipene O’Regan
Company Director
Sir Tipene O’Regan is a prominent figure in Maori economic development. He currently chairs the Escorial Company Ltd, serves as Deputy Chair of Transit New Zealand and is a director of Whale Watch Kaikoura Ltd, Clifford Bay Marine Farms Ltd, Kutai Investments Ltd, Aoraki Salmon Ltd, and Te Tapuae o Rehua Ltd. Sir Tipene previously held directorships with the Ngai Tahu Group until he retired in 2000. He is currently a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Canterbury teaching “The Maori Experience of Globalisation”. [Top]

Ross Peat
Ross Peat formerly ran the New Zealand operation of software giant Microsoft. Ross is a vocal spokesman on innovation and global competition. He was instrumental in setting up the Microsoft Innovation Centre for New Zealand Government, which works with national and local government agencies to identify innovative uses of IT that help address key business challenges. [Top]

Sam Robinson
Chairman, AgResearch
Sam Robinson has been a sheep and dry stock farmer since 1973, and has extensive experience in the farming industry. He currently serves on the Board of the state-owned enterprise AsureQuality Ltd. He was the Chair of Richmond Ltd until July 2004, and, until recently, the Chair of the Agricultural and Marketing Research and Development Trust (AGMARDT). He is currently a director of PSIS, Port of Napier and Farmlands Ltd. He has a wealth of experience in the agri-business sector along with significant relevant governance experience and replaced Rick Christie as Chair of the AgResearch Board. [Top]

Susie Staley
Partner, Staley Cardoza Lawyers
Susie, a property and business lawyer, has a background in strategic management and brings a wide range of business and corporate experience to the Board. Susie is currently Chairman of Maritime New Zealand, a Director of Global Technologies (NZ), Allied Nationwide Finance Ltd, and a former trustee of University of Otago Foundation Trust. Susie was formerly the Chairman of Ngai Tahu Property Management Limited, and a Director of Dunedin International Airport and PGG Wrightson Limited. Susie was elected to TOWER Corporation’s Board in 1996. [Top]

Frances Stead
Managing Director, L’Oreal New Zealand
Frances Stead is highly respected in the fashion industry and the greater business world. In addition to leading L’Oreal New Zealand she is responsible for several high profile initiatives including the annual L’Oreal Fashion Week extravaganza and the charity Look Good … Feel Good, aimed at helping women to use beauty techniques to overcome the visual side effects of cancer treatment. [Top]