Finance Essentials

Nick has a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Economics) from Canterbury University and is a fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants as well as being a qualified cost and management accountant. Nick has had over 25 years’ experience in senior finance management positions and has also held the role of General Manager Operations. Nick also does Training for Chartered Accountant Australia and New Zealand in the areas of Finance for Non-Financial Managers and Professional Ethics. Nick has held a number of directorships and chairships in both the SME market and not-for-profit sector. He is currently Treasurer of PARS and a member of the Tauranga Te Papa Rotary Club.

Craig is a fully qualified Chartered Accountant and member of both the Chartered Accountants of New Zealand / Australia and the Institute of Directors (IoD). Craig established Business Innovators Ltd in 2002 which specialises in business turnarounds through providing strategic growth and management advice to a wide range of small and medium sized businesses. Craig also provides ongoing Director, Chair and Advisory Board services, including regularly facilitating director level training for the IoD since 2009 around the topics of Governance, Finance and Strategy. Prior to setting up Business Innovators, Craig worked as a Chartered Accountant, including in a Senior Management capacity at PricewaterhouseCoopers and received the 2005 Young Accountant of the Year Award for the Southern Region.

Over the years, a number of Craig’s clients have won various business awards throughout New Zealand including; Small to Medium Exporter of the Year Award, A national Maori Business Award, Supreme Business of the Year in the Nelson Business Awards, First place on the Deloitte Unlimited Fast 50 list.

Executive and Directorship roles over the past 25 years in the food, data, technology, business development, education, and engineering sectors have resulted in many years of governance, strategy and organisational development experience.

Currently Craig is the owner and Director of a South Island based food manufacturing and retail business; The Divine Cakes and Desserts Group, and employs over 40 staff.

Kevin was formerly a Partner in PwC with leadership roles across the Asia Pacific region. His competencies are in Governance, Strategy and Change Management across a range of industry sectors and countries. In 2006 he completed a Master’s degree in Governance and launched his own firm Effective Governance Ltd. In 2015 EY purchased the Intellectual Property of EG where Kevin now leads the Governance practice in Oceania. He currently serves on commercial and NFP boards and guest lectures on the MBA programme at AUT University.

Catherine has experience in the public sector, corporate business and education, in both senior management and governance roles. She currently has her own consultancy business which focuses on professional and executive education, strategy development and business re-structuring. She has held governance roles in a variety of organisations and is currently a trustee with CORE Education Charitable Trust, Te Kōhaka o Tūhaitara Trust and Community Wellbeing North Canterbury Community Trust. In addition, she sits on the Christ’s College Board as the Christ College Old Boys Association representative.

Hamish is an Auckland based independent director and a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors. He is an experienced board chair and holds several board committee chair positions.  Hamish is currently chair of DTS Food Assurance Ltd, East Health Services Ltd, The Kennedy’s Ltd, and a director of Restaurant Brands Ltd, AsureQuality Ltd, Pharmaco Ltd, Counties Power Ltd, and Smart Environmental Ltd.  He is also the Independent Chair of the Waikato Regional Council Audit and Risk committee. Prior to his governance career, Hamish held senior executive positions within some of New Zealand’s largest companies, including Tip Top Ice Cream, Heinz Wattie’s, and DB Breweries. Hamish has an M.Com (Hons.) and MBA from the University of Auckland and is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand.

Paul is an independent director with extensive experience as a consultant, executive and director in a variety of industries. Since 2000 he has been a director of a number of listed companies, private companies and public entities. He is presently Chair of the Accreditation Council, Director and of Unison Networks Ltd, Unison Fibre Ltd, ETEL Ltd, Hall’s Logistics Group Ltd and Telarc Ltd. He is founding Independent Chair of the Hamilton City Council Audit and Risk Committee, Chair of Unison Networks Audit and Risk and Chair of Bobux International Limited.