Now or never: the role of the director in the climate crisis

Chapter Zero NZ Supporters receive a 20% discount for this event with the code SUPPORTER18AUG. It is free to become a Supporter, join now.

Overview 

Join Dame Therese Walsh, Chair of the Chapter Zero New Zealand Steering Committee, at a special breakfast event, to look at how directors can make climate a boardroom priority.

The event will feature an engaging conversation with Hon Grant Robertson, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Dr Rod Carr, Chair of He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission and recently appointed member of the United Nations High-Level Expert Group on the Net-Zero Emissions Commitments of Non-State Entities (HLEG).

The panel will be available after the presentations for a Q&A session. 

Table bookings

Table sales are available for this event for $992.00 incl GST for a table of ten. Subject to availability at the time of booking. For enquiries or bookings, please contact Ferne Blake.

Hon Grant Robertson

Hon Grant Robertson was born in Palmerston North and lived in Hastings before his family settled in Dunedin.  He studied politics at Otago, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in 1995. At university he was the President of the Otago University Students’ Association and became Co-President of the New Zealand University Students Association.

Grant joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 1997 where he managed the New Zealand Overseas Aid Programme to Samoa. He was then posted to the United Nations in New York, working on global environment and development issues. On returning to New Zealand, he became an advisor to former Prime Minister Helen Clark. Following this, he took a business development role with the University of Otago, working with researchers, investors and businesses to develop and commercialise the university’s world-leading research.

Grant’s belief in social justice and a desire to see every New Zealander achieve their potential led him to politics, and he has been the Member of Parliament for Wellington Central since November 2008. In Opposition, Grant held a range of portfolios, including Finance from 2014 to 2017. Grant was appointed Deputy Prime Minister in the 2020 Labour Government, alongside Minister of Finance, Minister for Infrastructure, Minister for Racing, Minister for Sport and Recreation, and Minister Responsible for the Earthquake Commission.

Dr Rod Carr

Dr Rob Carr is an independent director and has extensive experience in both public and private sector governance and leadership.  Current roles include Chair of He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission and member of the United Nations High-Level Expert Group on the Net-Zero Emissions Commitments of Non-State Entities (HLEG).

Previously he served as chair and non-executive director of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and served as Deputy Governor and for a time Acting Governor of the Bank.

Dr Carr was the founding chair of the National Infrastructure Advisory Board and for over a decade was a non-executive director of the Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce. He led the University of Canterbury as Vice Chancellor for ten years, and holds a PhD in Insurance and Risk Management, an MA in Applied Economics and Managerial Science, an MBA in Money and Finance and honours degrees in law and economics.

Dame Therese Walsh

Dame Therese Walsh is an independent director and Chair of Air New Zealand Ltd. and ASB Bank Ltd. and a director of Antarctica New Zealand.

She is a former Chair of TVNZ Ltd., Pro Chancellor of Victoria University Wellington, a Director of NZX Ltd., Contact Energy Ltd., NZ Cricket and Save the Children NZ and Trustee of the Wellington Regional Stadium. 

In her professional capacity, Dame Therese was Head of New Zealand for the ICC 2015 Cricket World Cup, Chief Operating Officer for Rugby New Zealand 2011 Ltd and Chief Financial Officer at the New Zealand Rugby Union and part of the team that worked on the winning bid to host Rugby World Cup 2011. Prior to this she was an auditor at KPMG.

Dame Therese is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a commerce graduate from Victoria University. In 2013, she was named the inaugural supreme winner of the Women of Influence Awards and was awarded a Sir Peter Blake Trust Leadership Award in 2014. She became a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in June 2015.

Dame Therese is the Chair of the Steering Committee of Chapter Zero New Zealand.

Chapter Zero NZ Supporters receive a 20% discount for this event with the code SUPPORTER18AUG. It is free to become a Supporter, join now.