Board Matters is an ongoing podcast series that addresses governance topics and issues that matter most to boards and directors in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Each season, podcast host Steven Moe speaks to leading directors from different industries, delving into their experiences and giving them an opportunity to share their perspectives on themes and issues such as conflicts of interest, navigating tension in the boardroom, SMEs, building diversity, the importance of workplace health and safety, the role of the chair, and much more.
Season 4 launches 30 April 2025 exploring what’s front of mind for directors in New Zealand, including return on capital, climate as a competitive edge, what it means to adapt rapidly to new technology, and the elements of a high performing chair. All this and more as host Steven Moe looks at the long, and short-term impacts for directors in the year ahead.
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Board Matters is brought to you by the Institute of Directors with support from the Advanced Directors Course.
To access governance tools and resources or to find out more, head to iod.org.nz
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, Ben Irving delves into return on capital (ROC), risk and technology, why it can be difficult for boards to see what's under the hood, and how boards can attract younger directors. Plus, insights of entrepreneurship from a young age, and what it means to drive initiatives that benefit the wider community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, Mike Sang shares why good companies attract great talent and the importance of businesses staying true to their core values. He delves into the cyclical nature of honey production and giving back to the environment, drawing parallels for board culture, productivity and financial performance. Find out more, including why hierarchical power can obstruct open discussion between the board and management. Mike is a professional independent director with over 25 years’ experience work...
In this episode, Kate Bromfield delves into the ways companies can effectively transition to a sustainable business model that protects the environment while also making a profit. Find out why companies struggle in the short to medium term strategic transition to climate change, emissions reductions, and environmental sustainability, but why short-term pain is inevitable when working towards a longer-term climate vision. Kate is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors (CMInstD), and has...
In this episode, Helen van Orton explains the importance of seeing AI as a co-pilot rather than a a default autopilot, and the need for a human lens. Find out her tips to use AI effectively in preparation for board meetings and the parameters needed to safeguard sensitive information in and out of the board room. Helen specialises in integrating Al into governance and decision-making and brings firsthand insights into leveraging AI to enhance boardroom performance and operational efficiency. She...
In this episode, Paul Reid shares his experience about what it means to be a high performing chair, including the red flags to look out for, the elements of a great board, the need to be adaptable and why there isn’t one style or approach to chairing a board effectively. He also provides an insight into working with highly creative industries and his time on the board of Pukeko Pictures. Paul is a governance professional with extensive experience scaling technology companies, expanding internati...
Find out what’s front of mind for directors in New Zealand in the new season of Board Matters , including return on capital, climate as a competitive edge, the need to adapt rapidly to new technology, and the importance of a high performing chair. Steven Moe will be looking at the long and short-term impacts for directors, and how these will inform decisions at the board table in the year ahead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
If you find yourself second-guessing at a board meeting, chances are you won’t be alone. Gavin Fernandez CMInstD explains why being comfortable enough to share your concerns with other board members will enrich discussion and, importantly, help to navigate risk. Listen to the episode to find out more. Board Matters is brought to you by the Institute of Directors with support from the Advanced Directors Course. To find out more or to access governance resources and tools head to iod.org.nz Explor...
When an approach isn’t working at the board table, everyone should feel entitled to speak up, according to director Bella Takiari-Brame CMInstD, who says this also needs to be done with respect. Listen to the episode to find out the difference between operating in an international environment versus a New Zealand one, and why leaving egos at the door and leading with aroha and respect makes for a better board. Board Matters is brought to you by the Institute of Directors with support from the Ad...
What does it take to lay a foundation where people can ‘call out behaviour’ that doesn’t meet the needs of an organisation? While this might feel like dangerous territory, Eugene Berryman-Kamp CMInstD shares his experience of being called out in the boardroom, and why it has changed his approach as chair, leading to better performance from his board. Board Matters is brought to you by the Institute of Directors with support from the Advanced Directors Course. To find out more or to access govern...
Knowing yourself is to also understand others. But operating as a group and having your views heard might be challenging when there are strong personalities at play in the boardroom. Find out why taking the time to listen will empower critical thinking at the board table, why accepting you’ve made a mistake allows you to start again, and why good listening feeds into an ability to ‘trust’. Board Matters is brought to you by the Institute of Directors with support from the Advanced Directors Cour...
In a culture of inclusion, people will feel safe to respectfully challenge the views of others, share their own views and enter into constructive debate, according to director Antony Vriens CFInstD. Find out more about why creating a safe space relies on the leadership dynamic across an entire organisation, and why risk is heightened when trust is not present. Board Matters is brought to you by the Institute of Directors with support from the Advanced Directors Course. To find out more or to acc...
What does it mean to create a safe space in the boardroom and how will this enable diverse perspectives to be shared, while making room for rigorous discussion and debate? In this season of Board Matters , podcast host Steven Moe MInstD speaks to directors from different industries to delve into what it means to carve out an environment in the boardroom that is equitable and without judgement – and why this is more important now than ever before. Listen to the trailer. Board Matters is brought t...
Natasha Cockerell CMInstD comes from a background in architecture and is involved in a variety of residential, commercial and educational projects with a passion for creating great spaces for learning. Her governance roles include Chairperson of the Board of Trustees at Beachlands School and the MoE Weathertightness Review Panel (WRP), Passive House NZ (PHINZ) Board, Chair of Prendos NZ Ltd / Respond Architects. In this episode, she shares the value of upskilling when it comes to board roles, an...
What do construction and the Christchurch Arts Centre have in common? Both are a focus for Murray Dickinson CMInstD who is the Executive Director for Naylor Love Construction and Chair of The Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora. Murray has extensive experience across a wide range of industries which include construction, infrastructure, transport, retail, waste management and financial institutions, with expertise in financial management, risk management, strategic planning and sustainability. In th...
Raveen Jaduram CMInstD is a dedicated infrastructure leader with over 38 years’ experience in the water environment and infrastructure. He shares his experience of working in the industry, why having too many board roles is counter productive, and whether the Kiwi attitude makes governance in Aotearoa too laid back. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
David Glover CMInstD is an experienced director, chair and CEO with over 35 years’ experience working in New Zealand, Australia, Asia and Europe. He is currently on eight boards including the new national board of the Institute of Directors, chair of Trust Horizon, DevAcademy Aotearoa, and Synapsys. A chartered director, and business advisor, he co-wrote ‘Don’t worry about the Robots’ a book on technology and the future of work. In this episode, he shares why his path to governance started with ...
Marama Royal MInstD is passionate about achieving positive outcomes for whānau, especially for tamariki (children) and mokopuna (grandchildren), and has experience in strategic planning, relationship management, leadership, governance and organisational change and holds various directorship and trusteeship roles. In this episode, she explains why seconding a motion doesn’t exist in Whanau and Iwi governance, and how she developed her governance lens through ‘learning by doing’. Hosted on Acast. ...
Lawyer Julie Read QSO MInstD, arrived in New Zealand from Australia in 2013 to work for the Serious Fraud Office. She tells Steven Moe why it's an issue when directors take on too many board roles, what happens when conflicts of interest are at play, and why minute-taking is more complex than you might think, and the importance of accuracy and timing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Glenn Moir (CMInstD) will be the first person to tell you what failure looks like when you can’t see the forest for the trees. He discusses why expensive lessons have contributed to better long-term decisions. Starting his career, first with the NZ Forest Service in Hokitika (1985), Glenn later pursued a Ranger Certification and a Commerce Degree and was also involved in the formation of the Forest Management Group (1993) - a business involved in forest investment, management, harvesting and con...
What makes governance unique in New Zealand and what needs to change? That’s the premise of the new season of Board Matters hosted by Steven Moe. Over seven episodes, Steven explores the ins and outs of issues that are top of mind for directors across a range of industries from forestry to architecture, the arts and construction to infrastructure and law, with topics that include future strategies, effective decision making, resourcing for not-for-profits, risk, the role of health and safety, an...
In this episode Steven talks with Chris Webber MInstD who sits on the board of health provider Te Rau Matatini (Te Rau Ora) and is a strong advocate for Māori-run health programmes. In this podcast, Webber talks about wayfinding, a concept which comes from the Pacific navigation methodology. In this context, wayfinding is about how you maintain your waka, he says. “You point it in the right direction, you take notice of all the signs that come, that you have trained to be aware of, and the islan...
In this episode Steven talks with Jonathan Mason CFInstD who is the chair of Vector and sits on the boards of Air New Zealand and the University of Auckland Foundation. Jonathan talks about the importance of careful scrutiny of the financials of the organisation to keep it in a sound state and the key to protecting shareholder value. He also notes that directors must also identify, and understand the needs of, a wider group of stakeholders when making decisions. He says that there have been argu...
In this episode Steven Moe talks with Rachel Afeaki-Taumoepeau CMInstD about the "relative pace of Governance." Rachel is chair of the Tonga Business Council and her governance roles include sitting on the board of Ember Wellbeing Trust and the advisory board of the Auckland Council Waterfront TAG Place Committee. Rachel understands the challenges of developing in governance, based on 20 years as a “Pasifika” presence at the board table. “I did become that one woman at the table, and the table w...
In this episode Steven talks with Julia Chambers CMInstD who is Chair of Humble Bee ltd, a company focussed on replacing petrochemical plastics with bio-plastic substitutes. She is also a non-executive director on Lincoln Agritech Limited. Working in the start-up sector, Julia found herself shoulder-tapped to join boards. One of her big learnings was to continue to be true and to “honour the things that are important” when she moved into the boardroom. “The rate of change is accelerating,” she s...
In this episode of Board Matters Steven talks with Samantha Sharif CMInstD. Samantha is a director of ASX-listed New Talisman Gold, SIL/MFL Mutual Funds, Motor Trades Association and is deputy chair of the NZ Shareholders Association. Samantha says understanding purpose is imperative to good governance. “The question is part of a bigger conversation around purpose and that is the lens you have got to bring to the table,” she says. It can be difficult when involved in a complex debate to keep sig...
With Māori language week coming mid September, Steven Moe sat down with Ngahihi o te ra Bidois t talk about Māori perspectives at the board table and embedding te reo and tikanga Māori in the boardroom. Among his governance roles, Bidois is the chair of the Eastern Region Fish and Game Council and the Tauhara North No. 2 Trust. He is an internationally recognised inspirational speaker. Te reo Māori is an official language of New Zealand and should be heard in our boardrooms, says Ngahihi. He say...
In this episode Steven talks with Jana Rangooni CMInstD who is chair of Paralympics New Zealand, sits on the board of Toi Mai Workforce Development Council and is the Bay of Plenty representative on the Institute of Directors National Council. In this podcast, she stresses the importance of directors having curiosity and a willingness to ask relevant questions, even if they are difficult. “One of the key roles of directors is to understand things,” she says, “and to understand what is going on i...
In this episode Steven talks with Joe Hanita who was until recently associate director on Wakatū Incorporation's board (now in a senior leadership role) and also sits on a number of audit and risk committees of Māori entities. Joe explores his long-term, intergenerational perspective on governance, rooted in te ao Māori. He says that good directors are open to learning from others and there needs to be a commitment to lifelong learning in the governance community. Organisations also need to have...
In this episode Steven talks with Melanie Templeton who has just stepped down as Chair of PledgeMe Ltd, is an Independent Director of Motor Trade Finance and Booster Investment Management Ltd, and also sits on a number of risk and audit committees. Melanie says that directors need to constantly evaluate their skillsets to become more diverse, culturally aware and future-focused. Likewise, adaptive boards need to be culturally intelligent and have a strong emphasis on their own purpose as a found...
In this episode Steven talks with Kevin Jenkins, founder of MartinJenkins, a professional services firm advising businesses, the public sector, international organisations, and NGOs on organisational performance, public policy, finance and economic, and how best to use data. Kevin is also a contributor to the NZ Herald newspaper and other channels, and writes on a range of governance issues for the Institute of Directors in New Zealand. Kevin asks if the Four Pillars of Governance Best Practice ...
