Governance runs in the family

Is there any doubt that governance runs in the Lancaster family? Jane Lancaster MNZM  and her daughter Cathryn Lancaster are now both Chartered Members of the Institute of Directors (IoD). Jane became a Chartered Member in 2014, and Cathryn was presented with her Chartered Member certificate on 22 July.

Jane joined the IoD in 2010, was a mentee in the Mentoring for Diversity programme in 2013 and became a Chartered Member in 2014. Jane believes that Chartered Membership is about lifelong learning and ongoing professional development. “The many IoD professional development opportunities help directors to keep up with governance knowledge and information,” which Jane says is necessary in today’s complex and fast changing world.

Jane is currently on the boards of Food Standards Australia New Zealand and the High Value Nutrition National Science Challenge. She is a member of New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology and was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2006 for services to commercialising innovation.

Following in the footsteps of her mum, Cathryn has also carved a career in governance. With a passion for information technology, Cathryn first served as director of New Zealand Health IT in 2005. In 2010, Cathryn joined the Ernst & Young Advisory practice in Sydney, working on large infrastructure and governance projects. She returned to Christchurch in 2013 to work on the business cases for the Christchurch Central Development Unit. Cathryn then joined McKesson, a $200 billion US-based global healthcare company, as executive director for Asia Pacific. Cathryn is a director of the New Zealand Blood Service and a trustee of the Rangi Ruru Foundation and of the Life Education Trust.

When asked why she pursued becoming a Chartered Member, Cathryn says, “When I commit to doing something, it is always important to me that I do it well.”

This is why being a Chartered Member was important to Cathryn, as she says it provides the opportunity to maximise her effectiveness as a director/trustee, reflect her values and grow her skills and knowledge.

“The process of achieving and retaining Chartered Membership is just as valuable as the recognition itself. The opportunity to step back and think about the principles of good governance, apply it to organisations I am involved with, and share experiences and challenges with others is extremely valuable and rewarding.”

Jane is “very proud of Cathryn’s achievement” and wishes her every success in building her career as a professional director.

Cathryn thanks her mum for imbuing in her, “the importance and responsibility of good governance,” and hopes to continue reflecting these values.

The Chartered Member designation is intended to further increase the professionalism of directors, show they have met professional standards and have the skills to carry out their duties as directors. This includes demonstrating that a member is currently on the governing body of a qualifying organisation and that they have passed the Chartered Member assessment.

See more on the Chartered Member pathway