Governing in uncertain times

Panel Discussion

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Speaker(s): Simon Power, Suse Reynolds, Judene Edgar
Date: 4:00pm — 5:00pm, 5 March 2026
Venue: Online
Location: Online
Price: $30.00 incl GST

Overview

This session for the Public Sector Governance Shared Interest Group explores how boards can govern effectively amid heightened uncertainty.

Directors are navigating intensifying geopolitical tension, shifting global alliances, supply chain disruption, ongoing reform and fiscal constraint, all while expectations of the state continue to evolve.

Drawing on insights from the IoD’s 2025 Director Sentiment Survey, this webinar considers how uncertainty is shaping the governance risk landscape for directors. Speakers Simon Power and Suse Reynolds and facilitator Judene Edgar will unpack how global forces are flowing through to New Zealand’s public sector entities, influencing priorities, trade exposed infrastructure, regulatory settings, investment decisions, and long-term service delivery.

Designed for directors and senior governors across Crown entities, councils, CCOs and other public bodies, this session offers practical governance perspectives on maintaining clarity of purpose, strengthening decision making, and balancing continuity with adaptability while continuing to steward accountability, trust and long-term public value through complexity and change.

Simon Power

CMInstD

Simon Power is CEO of Fisher Funds and is responsible for the strategic direction and overall day-to-day management of the business. He has significant experience at senior levels in government, banking, and media.

Simon practiced as a lawyer for a short time before entering parliament as the MP for Rangitīkei in 1999 and holding that seat until 2011. During his time in parliament, he served as Minister for Justice, Commerce, State Owned Enterprises and Associate Minister of Finance between 2008 and 2011.

He entered the finance and banking sector in 2012, holding several roles on the Westpac NZ Executive team including General Manager of Institutional and Business Banking and Managing Director of Private Bank, Wealth & Insurance, culminating in a period as acting CEO. In 2022, Simon then took on the role of CEO for TVNZ.

Simon holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts from Victoria University of Wellington. He has completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School and in 2020 he completed a MA (Distinction) in Political Science, with a focus on the U.S. presidency.

Simon has previously chaired the NZ-US Council, sat as a director on the board of NZX and chaired the King’s College Board of Governors. He is a Fellow of INFINZ and a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors.

Suse Reynolds

MInstD

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.

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. 

Additional information

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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.