Six questions with…Bindi Norwell MInstD

Bindi is currently chief executive of the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) and a committee members of the Auckland branch of the Institute of Directors.

She was previously deputy chair of the EMA, deputy chair of the Marketing Association, and was a Future Director with The Warehouse Group. Bindi is also a member of Global Women and is a strong believer in seeing more women in leadership and governance roles.

1. Why did you join the IoD?

I joined the IoD to help keep up to date with what I needed to know for governance. I was relatively new to governance, then, and it has been an invaluable resource and support ever since.

It has also been excellent for networking and events. I have come away from many breakfast events where the speaker’s content has left me feeling inspired and they have discussed many thought-provoking ideas – it’s a great way to start the day!

I completed the Company Directors’ Course last year, which was helpful in expanding my knowledge in a really practical way. I was also fortunate to participate in the Future Director Programme with the Warehouse in my early days of governance. It’s a fantastic initiative supported by the IoD which I highly recommend.

The IoD caters for different levels of experience so can essentially be a great support network across different stages of your governance journey.

2. How did you find yourself on a branch committee?

I was approached to be part of the committee to help represent the views and voice of younger professionals in governance. It has been great to be involved and I am honoured to be the deputy chair. The branch team (Jill and Natalie) do a fantastic job in keeping the branch and its events etc well organised.

3. What’s the best thing about being on the committee?

It is a collaborative committee that works on delivering value-add events and support for the members in Auckland. It is great to work alongside esteemed and emerging directors who have a genuine passion for supporting the IoD’s overall strategy, the sector, and the branch objectives. We have healthy and robust debate, and the committee is very open to trying new things. It makes things interesting and dynamic.

4. If you had one tip for a person interested in a governance career, what would it be?

The best quote I have heard on governance is that it can be a marathon not a sprint – it can take time to establish a governance career. The ability to clearly articulate how you can add value to a board with your unique skills and experience is key – and not to be afraid of bringing a different view or perspective. There are many directors who are generous in supporting others interested in governance. Being grateful for others’ time is important given it can be extremely busy and demanding for those in established governance careers.

5. What’s the most significant change for directors as a result of the COVID-19 crisis?

There are many significant and varying changes post COVID-19 but there is a lot of discussion on the importance of strong leadership, agility, resilience and supporting peoples’ wellbeing. People have been affected in different ways and being sensitive to this has increased as a priority for directors.

It is great to see that many organisations have adopted the things that worked well during the pandemic such as new ways of working and technology. There is an underlying current of appreciating the position that New Zealand is in compared to some other countries and that we cannot take it for granted or drop the ball, particularly with more transmissible variants of COVID-19 arising globally.

6. What will your branch look like in 2024?

The branch will definitely continue to be committed and passionate about supporting best practice in governance. We may see new faces, new perspectives and plenty of views and ideas. Technology will play an increasing role in events and branch discussions and we may see more international speakers and thought leaders again with borders eventually opening up. We will have more members so continuing to deliver a positive and personalised experience and support with this growth will be imperative.