Workshop

2

CPD

Governing in a changing operating environment: risks, pressures and planning

Practical governance workshop - insights to strengthen decisions, oversight and resilience, with clear tools for boards.

Speaker(s)
Judene Edgar, Sanel Tomlinson , Rob Hewett
Date
5:00pm — 7:00pm, 6 August 2026
Venue
Deloitte
Location
Otago House, Level 13, 481 Moray Place, Dunedin 9016
Price members
$40.00 incl GST
Price non-members
$60.00 incl GST


This event covers Chapter Zero New Zealand content, supporting directors to strengthen their capability in climate governance.

Chapter Zero NZ supporters receive the IoD member price for this event with the code SUPPORTER5AUG. Not a Chapter Zero supporter, become a supporter here.


Overview

We are delighted to welcome Rob Hewett CFInstD as our guest local director for this session. An experienced chair, director and sixth-generation farmer, Rob brings practical governance insights from leadership roles across the agriculture, energy and sustainability sectors. Recognised as the Deloitte Top 200 Chairperson of the Year in 2023, he will share his perspective on navigating disruption, building resilience and creating long-term value.

Presented alongside Rob are Judene Edgar, Principal Governance Adviser with the IoD’s Governance Leadership Centre and Chapter Zero NZ lead, and Sanel Tomlinson, sustainability and risk expert. Together, they bring deep governance, finance, sustainability and strategic risk expertise.  Drawing on extensive board, advisory and assurance experience, they will share practical approaches to help directors respond to increasing operational and strategic disruption.

Workshop Overview:
Boards are dealing with real-time disruption — from fuel supply issues and severe weather events, to shifting trade settings and increasing pressure in lending and insurance. These are affecting operations, costs and continuity.

For many directors, these issues are not just showing up in the boardroom, but in the day-to-day running of the business. The challenge isn’t necessarily awareness, but knowing where to focus, what matters most, and how to respond in a practical way.

This session introduces a practical governance approach designed to help boards and leadership teams to cut through the noise. It focuses on how to:

  • identify the issues most relevant to your organisation, including pressures linked to energy, water, supply chains, and changing expectations from banks, customers and regulators
  • take stock of what you are already doing and where the gaps are
  • link these pressures to strategy and planning
  • build a clear, proportionate plan without overcomplicating the response

The session will focus on practical governance approaches that support better decision-making, stronger oversight and more resilient organisations, while also introducing useful tools and resources to support ongoing board discussions and planning.

Judene Edgar

CMInstD

Judene is a Principal Governance Adviser with the Institute of Directors’ Governance Leadership Centre and Chapter Zero NZ lead providing best practice advice, guidance and advocacy for directors. She is also chair of the Nelson Historic Theatre Trust, deputy chair of the Rātā Foundation, and a trustee for the Network Tasman Trust.

Prior to joining the IoD she ran her own consultancy for over 20 years, specialising in governance, policy, strategy and communications working across a wide range of sectors, including housing, health, solid waste, aviation, energy, not-for-profit and infrastructure. 

Judene was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to governance, local government and the community in the 2026 New Year Honours. She was a local government elected member for 12 years and a director on a range of private and public entity boards. She has a background in behavioural science and communications and is a Chartered Member of the IoD. 

Sanel Tomlinson

Working at the intersect of strategy, risk, finance and assurance, Sanel understands the importance of ensuring your sustainability ambitions are integrated into all aspects of the business to support robust and connected financial and sustainability reporting.

She is an expert in her field and effortlessly cut through the complexity and volume of local and international frameworks, standards and guidance to deliver practical solutions. She regularly delivers governance and executive training sessions, facilitate workshops and present to diverse audiences on finance and sustainability topics.

Sanel’s previous experience include: audit and assurance of financial reports, financial management, standard-setting, and nearly 20 years as a Partner at KPMG in New Zealand, London and Hong Kong.

She holds a Certificate of Public Practice and have completed CAANZ’s risk specialisation course. She has also completed certifications in Sustainability and Climate Risk, and Risk and AI through the Global Association of Risk Professionals.

Rob  Hewett

CFInstD

​Rob is a sixth-generation New Zealand sheep and beef farmer. After a 12 year commercial career in New Zealand and off shore, he returned to New Zealand in 2002 and has farmed in the Clutha District since then, running a 1600-hectare carbon positive sheep and beef breeder-finisher operation with integrated wind farm and forestry interests.  

​Rob has been a director of Farmlands since 2015 and Chair since 2019.  He also Chairs [ delete Silver Fern Farms Ltd (since 2013), Silver Fern Farms Co-operative,] Pioneer Energy, Fern Energy, Hilton Haulage, AgrizeroNZ, Bremworth, Rewiring Aotearoa and Wool Works. He is a Director of T&G Global [delete and Pulse Energy] and was previously a Councillor of Lincoln University and the past Chair of Silver Fern Farms Limited, Silver Fern Farms Co-operative and the Strong Wool Action Group. Rob was recognised as the Deloitte 200 Chairperson of the Year in 2023. 

​He has an Masters of Commerce and Management (honours) and a Bachelor of Commerce (Agriculture) from Lincoln University and is a Chartered Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Directors.  

 

Additional information

Should you have any dietary, mobility, cultural or other requirements, you can let us know on the registration form.

By registering for this event you are confirming that you agree to adhere to our event terms and conditions.

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

Michelle Branford
Otago Southland Branch Manager

+64 20 4183 5664
michelle.branford@iod.org.nz

Our sponsors

The Otago Southland Branch acknowledges the generous support of

A S B

Book this event

  • Dunedin

    date
    6 Aug 2026

    Members — $40.00

    Non-members — $60.00