Panel Discussion
2
CPD
Learn how boards can govern for growth and create lasting enterprise value in today’s challenging environment with Marcel, Serge and Suse.
Boards should be judged on tangible results. Effective directors should be providing clarity to all their stakeholders, and especially employees and shareholders, about where and how their organisation creates value, how they are making decisions about the allocation of capital and capability, and how they are turning technology and data into real productivity gains.
High-performing boards in 2026 combine discipline with ambition, risk with reward. Scaling up requires sequencing investments, testing early signals of performance, and being ready to redirect resources when outcomes fall short. With capital, data, talent and time under closer scrutiny than ever, investors, funders and communities expect evidence that growth is credible, sustainable and repeatable - and that the board is guiding the organisation from growth to scale.
MInstD
Marcel van den Assum is an angel investor in over 50 startups, and growth company director of a number of those ventures. His roles include Chairman of Sprout Agritech Ltd, the Palmerston North based agrifoodtech incubator and investor, SentianBio Ltd, Wipster Ltd, He is a Director of NZ Growth Capital Partners, CropX (NZ), BlackCurrent. He is past Chairman of the Angel Association of NZ, founding investor in Wellington’s LightningLab accelerator, a member of AngelHQ, and a member of the NZ Institute of Directors.
He has worked across many industry sectors, led innovation-based transformation initiatives, and in most geographies. Alongside family and friends, art, music, mountain biking and snowboarding, food and travel are Marcel’s interests.
Serge van Dam is an active Investor Director in globally-minded Kiwi software companies, including Montoux, Re-Leased, Raygun, Tapi and Cogo.
Originally an Organisational Psychologist, Serge is passionate about growth in all of its manifestations, and has a deep interest in software-driven disruption. He spent a decade as an acknowledged thought leader in fintech / digital banking, having been part of the management team as CMO for M-Com - the world's leading mobile banking platform - which was acquired by NASDAQ-listed Fiserv in 2011.
Serge was born in Argentina, is married with two children and lives in Wellington. When not helping scale start-ups, he is into the outdoors, board games and politics.
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Suse Reynolds was a founding member of the AANZ Council joining at its inception in 2008. She took up the Executive Director role in 2012, transitioning to Chair in 2020 and stepping down from this role at the end of March 2024.
In 2005 Suse helped to found AngelHQ, the Wellington region’s angel network and remains on the Board. Today AngelHQ has about 100 members and has invested over $50m into 150+ high-growth startup companies.
An active angel investor, Suse has over 30 ventures in her portfolio and currently chairs Narrative Muse, a startup bringing representation and belonging to entertainment.
Suse Chairs the Wellington branch of the Institute of Directors and is on the National Council.
Suse recently stepped down from the board of CreativeHQ and as a trustee for Project Crimson Trust. Suse was the Deputy Chair of the Government appointed Startup Advisors Council which released the Upstart Nation Report in August 2023.
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.
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.
Jill Dawson
Wellington Branch Manager
+64 27 278 8814
+64 4 470 2673
jill.dawson@iod.org.nz
The Wellington branch acknowledges the generous support of
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The East Coast region also thank
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The Manawatu region also thank
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Members — $55.00
Non-members — $100.00
