Canterbury Branch: Making the tough choices

Overview

You have been appointed to the board of an NZX listed company, which after 10-years of success is now facing extraordinary challenges.

How will you raise capital in a difficult environment? What about your unruly institutional shareholders? How will you deal with staff? As chair, Humphry Rolleston will require the board to make the difficult decisions necessary to position the company for both survival and future success.

The need to make tough choices will resonate with many directors who are currently navigating their own organisations through challenging times. This discussion-based event is an opportunity to build capability through Humphry's experiences and those of fellow participants.

Although no preparation is required, participants will need to bring a smartphone, iPad or other device with Wi-Fi capability to access information during the event.

Numbers are strictly limited. Due to the potentially sensitive nature of some matters discussed, the Chatham House Rule will apply.

Humphry Rolleston

Humphry Rolleston is a Cantabrian living in Christchurch. He started his first business in the highlands of New Guinea in 1970 at age 20.

In 1974 he returned to Christchurch and set up a property development and a property management company with two friends. The company sold out its property interests in mid-1987.  In the 1980’s he established Canterbury Finance and then sold that business into the Hubbard controlled Southbury Group and became a 23% shareholder in Southbury.

Southbury Group under Rolleston and Hubbard owned:

• Helicopters NZ Ltd - New Zealand’s largest helicopter business operating in seven countries
• Scales Corporation - this company grew to become a  large cold storage operator, a shipping agency and  the largest apple grower in NZ under the brand of Mr Apple
• South Canterbury Finance - became a significant finance and vehicle leasing company with subsidiaries operating throughout New Zealand.

Humphry sold out of Southbury Group in 2004. He has subsequently invested in a number of small businesses in New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, SEAsia and the UK. The group employs over 300 people in a variety of fields including construction and tourism technology, manufacturing and robotics, security, tourism and finance.

Humphry has served as a director and chair on a number of  Government, private and public companies over the last 35 years including; Pyne Gould Corporation, The Christchurch Press Company, Industrial Research Ltd, Airwork Ltd, ECNZ Ltd, Canterbury Health Ltd, Mercer Group Ltd, Property for Industry, ANZCRO Pty Ltd, Craig Pine Timber Ltd, Sky TV Ltd, Independent Newspapers Ltd, Infratil Ltd,

Humphry has just retired from all public companies. He chairs two charitable trusts; The 180% Trust (which runs outdoor education programs for teenagers at risk in Christchurch) and The Christchurch Foundation (the city’s charitable trust).

Additional information

COVID-19

We have been monitoring government updates regarding COVID-19 and are keeping up to date with Ministry of Health guidance with regard to events and public gatherings.

For the latest updates on face to face courses and our safety planning see our response to COVID-19 page

Branch event cancellation policy

Regrettably, registration fees cannot be refunded when cancellations are received within two working days prior to any branch event.

See our standard terms and conditions for more information.

Contact

Sharynn Johnson
Canterbury Branch Manager

+64 3 968 6468
canterbury.branch@iod.org.nz

Our sponsors

The Canterbury Branch acknowledges the generous support of