SUMMER - Key Persons
Amy serves on the boards of The Walt Disney Company and Procter & Gamble, chairing P&G's Innovation and Technology committee. She previously served on the boards of Cisco, Splunk, Informatica, and Marqeta. Amy founded Accompany, acquired by Cisco for $270M, then led Cisco's multi-billion-dollar Collaboration business (6,000 employees) as EVP/GM. Before that, she spent seven years at Google leading Google Analytics, Website Optimizer, and Trends, growing Analytics to cover 86% of the web. Amy also led product for eBay's paid search channel and worked in semiconductor and software at McKinsey, Intel, AMD, and Motorola. She advises GoogleX, Postman, MasterClass, and others, serves on UCSF's Hospital Executive Committee, and chairs Stanford's School of Engineering Dean's Advisory Board. Amy holds BS and MS degrees in Electrical Engineering from Stanford.
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean Professional Programmes, Associate Dean Technology and Director of the GSM
Job Titles:
- Professional Teaching Fellow and Joint Deputy Dean
Andrew joined the Faculty in 2014 as a Professional Teaching Fellow in the Department of Management and International Business. His specialist areas are negotiation, conflict resolution, general management, and teaching and learning. He is in his 19th year working in tertiary education. Andrew has served in various service and leadership capacities including as Associate Dean Faculty and the University's Academic Lead and Programme Board member on QS Future17 - an international sustainable development goals challenge involving multiple universities.
He is the recipient of a QS-Wharton Reimagine Education Award, three University of Auckland Business School teaching excellence awards, and has been invited to share his work on negotiation teaching and integrating virtual reality into business curricula and participate in various forums including at Renmin University of China, Beijing, and Harvard Law School. He has published work on negotiation, employment relations, and teaching and learning in local and international journals.
Outside of the university Andrew has contributed to the education and professional accreditation portfolio of the Arbitrators' and Mediators' Institute of New Zealand. He delivers negotiation seminars, training, and consultation across several contexts, and has advocated on behalf of workers and employers through formal dispute resolution processes.
Job Titles:
- Researcher Hatchery Manager
Anna has worked across sectors from Spark to Les Mills International, to start-ups to her own. From bedding to health, from B2B, performance-based models to brand building - there isn't a lot she hasn't covered including working deals with Google, building business cases, influencing App roadmaps and working in the trenches. She has delivered multiple commercialisation projects, with a consumer, communications and purpose driven lens.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Dean Equity and Diversity
- Professional Teaching Fellow
Audrea is a Professional Teaching Fellow in the Department of Management and International Business. She teaches at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels across several different subject areas. Audrea's research focuses on adapting new technologies into the Business Education eco-system.
She is on the Business School Equity Committee, ensuring that diverse perspectives are considered in decision-making processes as well as actively involved in Tuākana, the Māori and Pacific Undergraduate Committee, and the Core Oversight Group.
Job Titles:
- Doctoral Research Coordinator
Barbara is an Associate Professor in the Department of Management and International Business. Her research explores workplace humour, fun, organizational culture, technological behaviour, food rituals and organizational life. She is currently researching the impact of hybrid work on fun and well-being.
Within her department Barbara belongs to the Critical Management and Indigenous Studies disciplinary area and she teaches critical management, people management and organizational theory at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Barbara has been involved with the equity portfolio for some years, representing the Business School on the University's Equity committee and being involved in the Staff Council.
Job Titles:
- Development Manager, Education and Social Work
Job Titles:
- Development Manager, Liggins Institute and ABI
Cecilia has over 25 years of experience in law and finance, having worked as a lawyer in Auckland and San Francisco before becoming an investment banker in New York and London. She is now a professional director. Cecilia is the Chancellor at The University of Auckland. She also holds various positions such as Chair of the Board at New Zealand Green Investment Finance, Chair at ArcAngels NZ, and Non-Executive Director at Seeka Limited. Additionally, she is an Independent Director at Payments NZ Limited and has served as a Trustee at The University of Auckland Foundation. Cecilia is also an Executive-in-Residence at The University of Auckland Business School.
Job Titles:
- Development Manager, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences
Job Titles:
- Researcher Hatchery Manager
Craig has been involved in the Auckland tech start-up community since joining Ice Angels in 2011. With many years of engaging with complex science and potential customers and investors, Craig's experience helps founders and early-stage investors move forward with confidence. Ensuring that the big questions have been asked and answered and a clear path to market (where identified) is able to be articulated.
Job Titles:
- Development Manager, Faculty of Engineering
Danny is an experienced director, with extensive accounting, finance, investment management and education experience. He holds a number of directorships with companies including UP Education Group Ltd, Move Logistics Ltd, Marlborough Wine Estates Ltd and Flowerzone International Ltd, as well as numerous companies associated with his private investments. Danny was a Member of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet - China Project.
He is a current member of the New Zealand China Council, the Confucius Institute, and Centre for Asia Pacific Excellence, and is a former Asia New Zealand Foundation Board member. Danny has lived and worked in Asia for a number of years and is fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese. He holds Bachelor of Commerce and Administration and Bachelor of Commerce and Administration (Hons) degrees from Victoria University Wellington.
Darsel has previously worked at the Icehouse and EverEdge IP in intellectual property and commercialisation consulting. Her PhD examines how to measure an entrepreneurial mindset. Darsel has been foundational in establishing programmes at the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and in building Unleash Space from the ground up. Learn more about Darsel
David has extensive experience in financial and non-financial boards. He is Deputy Chair of NZ Green Investment Finance, a Director of Toitū Tahua: Centre for Sustainable Finance, a Director of Whai Rawa Fund Ltd, and member of the NZ National Advisory Board on Impact Investing. David also sits on overseas boards for the Aga Khan Foundation as an Independent Director, First Microfinance Bank Afghanistan, and First Microfinance Company Egypt.
He has held leadership positions in various financial service organisations across various cultures and countries including in the United Arab Emirates, as CEO of Rasmala, a regional investment bank, as well as roles in Ireland, Scandinavia, Japan and the Middle East at ABN AMRO. David has a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University.
Deb is part-time Senior Lecturer at the University, designing and delivering some of CIE's programmes that support innovators and early-stage start-up founders. She also has roles as a board member, advisor, investor, educator and business owner, including a board role with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), New Zealand's international business development agency. Deb is also Advisor to the New Zealand Government's Minister of Small Business, and Chair of Soul Capital, a social impact investment firm.
Media manager
Denise Montgomery
Email: mediateam@auckland.ac.nz
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Please provide your deadline in your media requests.
Media advisers for each of the faculties are listed below.
Job Titles:
- Development Manager, Faculty of Law
University of Auckland alumnus, Donald completed postgraduate studies in Social Anthropology and Political Studies prior to working in senior business development roles for international media companies based in Paris and London. On returning to Aotearoa NZ he has worked across both public and private sectors in roles focussed on raising capital and other resources to support both existing and new ventures, developing innovative partnerships and international market growth. His previous experience also includes extensive programme management of cross functional initiatives and business coaching. In addition to a longstanding interest in Law Donald has a strong interest in Pacific historiography and served as a past trustee of the Tautai Pacific Arts Trust. A father of two young adult sons, he is a fluent French speaker and outside of work enjoys tennis, cinema, music, art and surfing (summertime only!) among other interests.
Our Executive-in-Residence (EIR) appointments broaden the Business School's relationship with the business community. Typically the EIR is a prominent senior executive whose role is to share their expertise with our faculty and students. Involved as mentor, project adviser, ambassador and networker, the EIR becomes fully integrated into the life of the School.
Alan has had a long and varied business career, holding a number of governance positions after retiring from The Boston Consulting Group. He is a Non-Executive Director of Delegat Group; is a former Chair of Housing New Zealand, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, The Hobsonville Land Company, and ThoroughVision Network; and a former Director of Fletcher Building, Trust Power and NZ Racing Board. Alan was, until 2009, Chairman Australasia, Senior Vice President and Director of The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and a member of BCG's Global Executive Committee. He was an international management consultant for more than 20 years with The Boston Consulting Group and through that has experience at the most senior levels of international and government business. Alan is a Fellow of the Institute of Professional Engineers and Chartered Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Directors.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor in the Department of Commercial
Dr Alan Toy is an Associate Professor in the Department of Commercial Law. He completed his PhD in Accounting on the topic of privacy auditing at the University of Auckland in 2016. From 2018 to 2020 he was the Director of Postgraduate Programmes in the Department of Commercial Law (during which time he was the Deputy Chair of the Board of Postgraduate Studies in the Business School) and he was one of the architects of the Master of Information Governance (MInfoGov) which commenced in 2021.
He taught the initial course for the inaugural cohort in this online degree which is delivered through University of Auckland Online. Alan also has interests in Employment Law, which he teaches at undergraduate and postgraduate level in the Business School. Alan has published internationally in both Accounting and Law journals. He is also Director of Doctoral Studies.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Information Systems and Operations Management Team
- Marketing / Associate Professor Yuri Seo
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Department of Economics
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean Teaching and Learning
- Professional Teaching Fellow
Doug is a Professional Teaching Fellow in the Department of Marketing. His research interests fall in the areas of business/marketing education, the first year undergraduate experience, and advertising and marketing communications.
Job Titles:
- Senior Lecturer
- Associate Dean External Engagement
Drew Franklin is a Senior Lecturer in Marketing at the University of Auckland Business School and also serves as the Business School's Associate Dean of External Engagement. His research focuses on two main areas: Marketing relationship dynamics, with a specific emphasis on trust, and the role of emergent technologies in business and marketing practice.
Drew brings a wealth of practical experience to his academic role, having enjoyed a 12-year career in global business and marketing prior to his academic pursuits. His industry experience spans sales, marketing, and business development across North American, Western European, and developed Asian markets. Drew is committed to actively engaging with industry and external stakeholders, viewing these interactions as crucial for identifying how academic institutions can best contribute to informing business policy and practice. This approach allows him to bridge the gap between academic research and real-world application in the field of marketing.
Drew is a Senior Lecturer in Marketing, researching marketing relationship dynamics (and trust, specifically) and the role of emergent technologies in business and marketing practice. Before completing both his Master's and Doctoral degrees at AUT, Drew enjoyed a 12-year career in global business and marketing roles, including sales, marketing and business development responsibilities in the North American, Western European, and developed Asia markets.
Drew enjoys actively engaging with industry and external stakeholders and considers such activities as central to identifying and articulating how best we, as an institution, can contribute to informing business policy and practice.
Job Titles:
- Economics
- Member of Committee
Jamie co-founded Crimson Education when he was just 17. His goal was simple: help ambitious students get into the world's best universities. Fast forward 11 years, Crimson has grown to 800+ staff, 23 global offices, more than NZ$200 million in revenue, and a suite of education platforms spanning admissions coaching, an international online high school, and AI-powered study tools. Along the way Jamie has become a leading expert in university admissions, scaling global businesses, education technology, and the changing economics of education. He serves on the board of the Tiger Foundation, which strives to break the cycle of poverty in New York City and leads the Te Ara A Kupe Scholarship for Māori and Pacific scholars. Jamie holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees at Harvard, as well as Master's degrees at Stanford, UPenn, Princeton, King's College London and Tsinghua, a PhD at Oxford on the Rhodes Scholarship and JD at Yale Law School.
Job Titles:
- Academic Director of Executive and Professional Development
- Professional Teaching Fellow
Kirsty Williamson, a Professional Teaching Fellow with over twenty-five years of experience in tertiary education, has held numerous leadership roles in New Zealand and internationally. Since joining Waipapa Taumata Rau | University of Auckland in 2014, she has taken on several key positions, including Academic Director for Executive and Professional Development, Assistant Dean Academic (Curriculum), Curriculum Design Manager for the Graduate School of Management, Faculty Subject Lead for Business Skills and Communication, and Team Lead of the Business Communication Team.
Kirsty holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, with research focusing on using problem-based methodology and a theory of action approach to enhance pedagogical practices. Her excellence in teaching has been recognised with multiple awards for Innovation in Teaching and Collaboration in Teaching.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Chair
- Department of Information
Job Titles:
- Commercial
- Member of Committee
Job Titles:
- Accounting and Finance )
- Member of Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of Committee
- Property
Dr Peter Lee teaches the staff of numerous New Zealand companies and government agencies how to increase the revenues and profits from new products as part of the MBA course at the University of Auckland. Companies benefit from analysis and advice for new product and venture investments by involving Peter either as a director, consultant or member of the advisory boards.
Peter has thirty years of commercial experience in senior roles in US business including VP of R&D at International Paper Company for 15 years, and he also serves as Chief Defence Technologist for New Zealand
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean Māori and Pacific
Job Titles:
- Management and International
- Member of Committee
Job Titles:
- Hynds Lecturer of Entrepreneurship
Marissa's applied, transdisciplinary research and teaching focus on the roles of social innovation and social entrepreneurship in the transition to a more just and sustainable world. She brings over a decade of global research and practice experience to her work, drawing from prior roles including Lecturer in Social and Community Work at University of Otago, Director of STARlab, Fulbright Scholar to Guinea, West Africa in financial inclusion and entrepreneurial ecosystems, and Director of Innovation at the Economic and Community Development Institute, a leading microfinance organisation in the US.
Job Titles:
- Venture Lab and Researcher Hatchery Manager
Since moving to New Zealand from Scotland in 2005 Duncan has been a driving force in the local start-up ecosystem through mentorship, education, investment, and more. He is widely recognised as a leading expert in market validation and has been involved in the Icehouse and CIE from the very start.
Job Titles:
- Researcher Hatchery Manager
- Strategist, Leader
Elisabeth is a strategist, leader and facilitator working in New Zealand's creative sector. Her experience includes establishing start-up organisations, designing programmes, devising productions, managing tours, organising festivals, activating projects, developing partnerships, building networks and facilitating change.
Ella Zhang joined the Business School in September 2022. She manages stakeholder relationships with government agencies, businesses, iwi and industry bodies. Ella has more than 12 years' experience in international markets, development and stakeholder relationships from both public and private sectors.
Ella has an in-depth understanding of the challenges and opportunities SMEs and regions are facing and is keen to share the University of Auckland Business School's world-leading research expertise and knowledge with Aotearoa New Zealand businesses and beyond.
Eru holds a portfolio of governance roles spanning tourism, health, and sport, and has also held governance roles in the tertiary education sector. He was the Regional Commissioner for Social Development, Northland, at the Ministry of Social Development, and the inaugural Public Service Commissioner for Northland on behalf of the Public Service Commission.
Eru has experience in pre and post-settlement hāpu and iwi contexts, and is proud of the extensive work he has led in relation to the Crown-Māori relationship most recently leading, in partnership with iwi Māori and local government leaders, two regional responses to COVID related lockdowns. He is of Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Whātua, Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Kahu and Ngāti Toa descent. Eru holds a Bachelor of Laws, a MBA (dist. and valedictorian), and has completed executive programmes at IMD (Lausanne, Switzerland), Stanford and MIT (Boston, USA).
Fady is an entrepreneur and innovator, most widely known as the founder of wireless charging technology company, PowerbyProxi. Under his stewardship the company quickly grew to become a world leader as the largest wireless power firm globally by revenue, and with over 500 patents to its name. In 2017, Apple acquired the company. Now in the role of Managing Director at Apple's Auckland Technology Centre, Fady continues to make a significant contribution to current and future technology.
In addition to his work with PowerbyProxi and Apple, Fady has served on the international board of the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) since 2013. WPC is the organisation behind Qi (the equivalent of Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, but for electricity) which enables wireless charging. He holds a double degree in Engineering and Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Auckland and has completed an Entrepreneurship Development Program at MIT.
Job Titles:
- Alumni Relations Faculty Manager for Arts, Creative Arts and Industry, Education and Social Work, Law
Job Titles:
- Development Manager, Gift Planning
In addition to the many rewarding and stimulating experiences in fundraising practice since 1997, I have been fortunate enough to be involved with a large number of assignments in providing voluntary mentoring, in conducting postgraduate research, in writing and in public speaking.
After 30 years in business, including stints at Unilever and Fletcher Challenge, Geoff joined the University of Auckland, and became a tireless champion for entrepreneurship. He is a co-founder of the Centre of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and was the driving force behind a number of initiatives including Velocity (originally called Spark), the University of Auckland's student-led entrepreneurship programme which has helped launch nearly 300 ventures including PowerbyProxi, Fishpond, Thought Wired and The P3 Foundation. Geoff also backed the launch of Chiasma, a professional student-led organisation that creates links between academia and the wider science and technology industries. He is a mentor to many emerging entrepreneurial and business leaders in New Zealand. Geoff is also an Executive-in-Residence at The University of Auckland Business School.
Through an early career in multiple technology companies, Greg has made his mark as a business leader with a career that includes launching BellSouth NZ, one of the biggest start-up technology investments made in New Zealand, and leading Microsoft New Zealand as Managing Director. Greg was also CEO of Advantage Group before leaving for the USA to pursue various business opportunities including a role as Entrepreneur in Residence in Silicon Valley for an international VC firm. He now lives in New Zealand and co-creates technology businesses that compete on the international stage. He is the co-founder of Soul Machines, a leader in the humanization of AI, and co-founder of one of the world's leading wireless power companies, PowerbyProxi, which was sold to Apple in 2017. Greg is also the Sir John Logan Campbell Executive in Residence at the University of Auckland Business School, and was inducted into the New Zealand Hi-Tech Hall of Fame in 2019.
Job Titles:
- Academic Programme Director
Guy is a Professional Teaching Fellow in Innovation and Strategy at the University of Auckland Business School, where he specialises in integrating digital technologies into teaching and learning, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence (AI). He is also Chair of the AI in Education Technology Stewardship Group for EdTechNZ and Member of the Board of Editors for the journal Research-Technology Management. With two decades of international experience in health technology, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, Guy has held leadership roles spanning strategic innovation and new product commercialisation.
Guy is currently a Lecturer in Technology Commercialisation & Strategy at the University of Auckland. Prior to entering academia, he worked for nearly 20 years in the pharmaceutical, health technology and biotechnology industries, leading strategy, new product planning, business transformation, and commercial operations.
Hone (Te Āti Awa) is the Business School's Kaiārahi. Read more about Hone Thorpe
Job Titles:
- DESIGN: Architecture, Urban Planning, Urban Design
Job Titles:
- Professor of Māori Management
Jason is a Professor of Māori Management in the Department of Management and International Business. He is of Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa, Whakatōhea, and Ngāti Kahungunu descent. Jason's research, teaching, writing, and practice centres on Māori and Indigenous business philosophy and practice in multiple sites, sectors, and scales.
Job Titles:
- CIE Hub & Operations Manager
Jean has worked at the UoA Faculty of Medical Health Sciences (FMHS) as a Technical Manager supporting teaching delivery and overseeing operations management for a few years before moving to CIE. She enjoys working on operational and process improvements, administration and collaboration. She is a forward-thinking professional interested in innovation and its transformative power and has been consistently driven by pursuing creative solutions to various problems.
Jeanette has held international management and senior executive positions in the people/HR area with companies including Ford Motor Company, Cargill Inc, Novartis AG, Agile People Ltd, Mexx/Liz Claiborne Inc, Priceline.com, Mayborn Group (Tommee Tippee), Spark NZ, and ASB Bank. She is currently managing director, Asia Pacific, for Ph.Creative and is also an independent Director, executive coach, and business consultant.
Jeanette was based in the UK until 2016, and then moved to New Zealand. She maintains a number of roles in the UK, including being on the Advisory Board at the University of Liverpool Management School (ULMS), and chair of the ULMS Hong Kong and Singapore International Advisory Groups. Jeanette has a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from Loughborough University.
Research Assistant Job Advertisements (for lecturers, professors, and professional staff)
Jodie is One New Zealand's (formerly known as Vodafone New Zealand) Chief People Officer, having joined the company in May 2020 from Air New Zealand where she spent seven years, four of those as Chief People Officer.
Prior to that Jodie worked at KPMG in London for 16 years in both management consulting and in HR leadership roles. She holds a double degree in Commerce (Human Resource Management) and Arts (History) from the University of Otago, and an Executive Management Qualification from INSEAD.
Job Titles:
- Development Manager, Faculty of Science
Judith has held a variety of digital and traditional marketing roles in the publishing industry in New Zealand. She has worked in events at the Parliament House of Australia in Canberra and the Irish Management Institute in Dublin.
Job Titles:
- Development Manager, Medical and Health Sciences and Manaaki Manawa
Job Titles:
- Associate Director, Communications and Alumni Relations
Ken is a seasoned mentor, investor, and entrepreneur with a wealth of experience in the New Zealand and international start-up ecosystems. He has successfully mentored hundreds of Kiwi businesses, guiding them from seed ideas to successful global companies.
Kimberley has driven transformation in New Zealand's food and fibre sector through Te Hono, connecting business leaders, iwi, and government with Stanford expertise to inspire global leadership. With experience across government, military, and private sectors, she brings a deep understanding of diverse operational dynamics and has a passion for leveraging technology to secure Aotearoa's competitive advantage.
Job Titles:
- Alumni Relations Faculty Manager for Engineering, Medical and Health Sciences, Science
Job Titles:
- Associate Director, Development
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor in Information Systems
Lesley is an Associate Professor in Information Systems, and her research covers the areas of digital citizenry and computer-mediated learning. She is also Assistant Dean Teaching and Learning.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor
- Associate Professor of Finance
Lina is an Associate Professor of Finance in the Department of Accounting and Finance and Subject Group Lead for Finance. Her academic research focusses on financial markets. Lina has extensive industry experience having worked for leading investment banks and hedge funds in London and consulted for several central banks in Europe.
With a background in career coaching, adult education, and occupational therapy, Liudmyla is dedicated to fostering lifelong learning and innovation. She has a keen interest in group coaching, facilitation, and community development, aiming to create transformative experiences for individuals and groups. Having lived in four different countries, Liudmyla values open, honest conversations and enjoys building meaningful connections.
Job Titles:
- Director of Alumni Relations and Development
Job Titles:
- CIE Programme Coordinator
Maru is an AUT graduate with a Bachelor's degree in International Studies, having majored in Japanese and Spanish. Passionate about diversity and creativity, Maru makes an oath to build positive, meaningful, long-lasting connections. With a background in supporting international and Māori students at AUT, she is skilled at encouraging growth and empowering the next generation.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the New Zealand Asia Institute Strategic Advisory Board, Co - Founder, Director and Head of Sales and Marketing of the Augen Software Group
Mitchell Pham joined the Business School as Entrepreneur-in-Residence in 2018. Mitchell is a Vietnamese-Kiwi business and social entrepreneur. He brings to the position extensive experience in information management, software products and services, sales and marketing, international operations, integrated health-disability-social services, strategy development, collaborative partnerships and strategic growth through innovation.
Mitchell is Chairman of the New Zealand Asia Institute Strategic Advisory Board, Co-founder, Director and Head of Sales and Marketing of the Augen Software Group in New Zealand, as well as Chairman and Director of their operation in Vietnam.
Mitchell is actively involved in FinTech, HealthTech and Blockchain, as well as other areas in the tech sector. He serves as Chair of the NZ Technology Industry Association (NZTech) and the NZ Financial Technology Innovation Association (FinTechNZ). Internationally, he is recognised for leadership, as an Asia 21 Fellow of the Asia Society, and a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.
Naomi is passionate about community development and enabling the potential of others. She has previously held marketing and communication roles at the University of Auckland and Ministry of Social Development and an economic development role with the K Road Business Association.
Job Titles:
- Alumni Relations Faculty Manager for Business and Economics
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive of Eden Park
Nick is Chief Executive of Eden Park and has extensive experience of managing stadium facilities. He joined the Eden Park team in 2016. His 20 years' experience has included roles at Colonial Stadium, Telstra Dome, Etihad Stadium, Domain Stadium and West Australian Football Commission. Nick holds Bachelor degrees in Business and Arts, as well as a Master of Business Administration. Outside of work, he played 260 VFL matches and won 5 premierships with Sandringham and 2 VAFA premierships with Wesley Collegians. Amongst a number of individual honours, Nick kicked 883 goals in the VFL competition and holds the competition record for leading goal kicker. In 2019 he received the Executive of the Year award at The Stadium Business Summit, and Venue Executive of the Year and Supreme Venue Person of the Year at the EVANZ Awards. In 2020 Nick became a Certified Venue Executive with the International Association of Venue Managers.
Job Titles:
- Development Manager, Creative Arts and Industries
Fusing a career backstage in performing arts with her current business studies, and as a former Unleash Kaihangarau Auaha Creative Technologist Nova is dedicated to problem-solving, creativity, and sustainability. With her background in event management and design, Nova is a familiar face across various CIE programmes and events.
Paul is a senior partner at PwC, with over 25 years of practice. He has held several senior positions for PwC, including the Managing Partner of their NZ Consulting business, the ASEANZ Risk Consulting leader, member of NZ PwC Firm Executive, ASEANZ Consulting Leadership and NZ Firm Financial Assurance leadership teams.
Paul has a deep passion for education, and is the deputy trust Board chair of St Cuthbert's College, Auckland. He is a Chartered Accountant, and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Accounting and Financial Management from the University of Essex.
Job Titles:
- Principal of Manurewa High School
Pete Jones is the Principal of Manurewa High School, one of the largest high schools in New Zealand with about 2000 students made up of over 50% Pasifika, 25% Māori and a mix of more than 50 nationalities. He is originally from the UK and has a BA from Liverpool University, a PGCE from Birmingham University and an MSc from Manchester Metropolitan University.
Pete came to NZ in 2006 and restarted his teaching career at Manurewa High School as a Health and PE teacher. In 2009 he was appointed Deputy Principal and then Principal in 2016.
Job Titles:
- Professor of Macroeconomics
Prasanna is Professor of Macroeconomics and is head of the Department of Economics, the Department Accounting and Finance, and the Department of Property.
Job Titles:
- Business Leader and Investor
Randy Komisar is a prominent business leader and investor, holding many significant roles including Senior Counsel for Apple Computer, Co-founder of Claris, Founding Director of TiVo, and General Partner at Kleiner Perkins.
Randy is a lecturer on entrepreneurship at Stanford University, and the author of four books about entrepreneurship.
Randy has been contributing to the New Zealand entrepreneurial ecosystem for several years, including as a Special Advisor to the government's venture capital provider NZGCP (formally NZVIF), on the Board of Advisors for Movac, and a Strategic Advisor to Vector.
Robert is the Frederick E. Fisher Eminent Scholar in Accounting and Distinguished Professor at the University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida. He is the Director of the International Accounting and Auditing Center (IAAC) located within the Fisher School of Accounting. Robert holds appointments at the University of Auckland as a Professor of Accounting Research and the University of New South Wales as a Professor of Auditing. He was a member of the Standing Advisory Group (SAG) to the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) in the US and is on the Board of the Foundation for Audit Research in the Netherlands. He is currently the Senior Editor of The Accounting Review. Robert is one of the most prominent auditing researchers worldwide.
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Professor
- Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Auckland
Rod is professor of entrepreneurship and was formerly the Director of the Graduate School of Management. He has extensive experience developing entrepreneurial ecosystems and helping start-ups launch and grow gained as both an educator and adviser. An internationally recognized thought leader on entrepreneurship issues, Rod's scholarly research. focused on the rapid internationalization of knowledge-intensive new ventures, is published in more than 100 refereed journal articles and books. Prior to joining the University of Auckland, Rod was the Eyton Chair in Entrepreneurship and Director of the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business at the University of Waterloo, which is widely recognized as Canada's most innovative university. He received his PhD in Marketing from Lancaster University, and his PhD in Economic Geography from Western University.
Roger is chairman and a Senior Fellow of The New Zealand Initiative, a think tank supported by CEOs of a majority of New Zealand's largest companies. He led law firm Bell Gully as executive chairman from 2007 to 2014 and was a partner of the firm for 24 years.
Roger was executive director of the Legal Research Foundation, a charitable foundation associated with the University of Auckland, from 2001 to 2009, a member of the Council of the New Zealand Law Society, the governing body of the legal profession in New Zealand, from 2011 to 2015. He holds a double degree in Law and Commerce from the University of Auckland, and Master in Law from Cambridge.
Ryan was most recently the CFO/co-founder of Accompany, a relationship intelligence platform acquired by Cisco in 2018 for US$270M. Accompany created AI-driven products for finding new prospects and strengthening relationships, built on the largest database of decision makers in the world. He was previously CFO at Ning, where he shepherded the business from a freemium model to focusing exclusively on its subscription business, increasing the paid user base by 5X. The turnaround resulted in Ning's acquisition by Mode Media. Prior to that, he was a partner at early stage fund Constantin Ventures and an engagement manager at McKinsey. He is a former board member at the V Foundation Wine Celebration, helping raise over US$130M for cancer research during his 15 years on the board. Ryan holds an MBA from Wharton and BS from Berkeley Haas.
Sandy is passionate about creating experiences that inspire learning and growth. She has an engineering background and has worked in a range of roles, dedicated to supporting student learning, fostering researcher skills development, and enhancing the doctoral experience. She enjoys helping others to flourish and realise their aspirations.
Job Titles:
- CIE Technology and Prototyping Manager
Sean is passionate about cultivating a new technological culture that brings together and encourages entrepreneurs and makers alike. A graduate of International Studies from Deakin University and a former tradesman Sean transitioned to the tech sector in the U.S. by working as a Technologist at the successful and unique technology space, Do Space.
Job Titles:
- Alumni Relations Engagement Adviser
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean Pacific
- Professional Teaching Fellow
Sione is a Professional Teaching Fellow in the Department of Accounting and Finance, where his passion for teaching has been recognised with Teaching Excellence Awards. He is also active in programmes designed to help Pacific and Māori students succeed at the University. Outside of the University, Sione has used his accounting skills to help a number of small businesses, church and community groups. He has significant networks amongst the Pacific community in New Zealand and around the Pacific region.
Sione is a former Chairman at the New Zealand Tonga Business Council and remains a board member. He is a frequent commentator and contributor on the Pacific Media Network regarding Pacific economic and political issues. Sione has an unwavering commitment to advancing the interests of Pacific students and professionals.
Job Titles:
- Professor of International Business
Snejina served as Head of the Department of International Business at the Business School from 2006 to 2007. She has also chaired the Research Committee and the PhD Committee at the Department of Management and International Business. She served two full terms as a member of the Council of Cross-Cultural Competence and Management, a European research organisation headquartered in Vienna. In 2019 she was selected to become a member of the Executive Committee of the Business Academic Research Directors' Network, a network that operates in the framework of the Australian Business Deans' Council. In 2023 she stepped into the role as President of the Australia and New Zealand International Business Academy. Snejina represents the Business School in the University Research Committee and in a number of research-related University-wide steering and working groups. She is also the Associate Dean (PBRF - Performance Based Research Fund).
Snejina is Professor of International Business in the Department of Management and International Business. She earned her PhD degree from Copenhagen Business School, Denmark, in 1997.
Snejina's main research areas are international business, management and knowledge management, and her academic work has appeared in the prime journals of all three disciplines. She has previously chaired the departmental research committee and PhD committee. She is also a member of the Council of Cross-Cultural Competence and Management, a European research organisation headquartered in Vienna.
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean Academic Programmes and International
Professor Susan Watson is the Dean of the University of Auckland Business School, and holds joint chairs in the Faculty of Business and Economics and the Faculty of Law at the University of Auckland.
Susan researches and teaches primarily corporate law and corporate governance. She has a particular interest in the corporate form and in her research seeks to understand how the form developed, why it is so successful, and the economic and societal impact of corporations.
Susan's research has been published widely in New Zealand and internationally; she has edited and co-authored treatises and textbooks, five edited collections and numerous articles and book chapters. Her work has been cited and discussed by other scholars in the field and by courts at all levels including the UK Supreme Court. From 2007 until 2014 Susan was joint editor of the New Zealand Business Law Quarterly, and is currently the New Zealand editor for the Journal of Business Law.
In 2016 she won the Legal Research Foundation Sir Ian Barker Published Article Award for How the Company Became an Entity - A New Understanding of Corporate Law. Her most recent book is Corporate Law in New Zealand (Thomson Reuters) jointly edited with Professor Lynne Taylor of Canterbury University.
Susan has been a visiting Professor at Vanderbilt University, Tilburg University, and a visiting academic in the University of Oxford Law Faculty. She was elected president of the Society of Corporate Law Academics (SCoLa) at the beginning of 2020; the first President for the Association elected from outside Australia where it is primarily based. Susan is a Research Member of the European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI) the only New Zealander to be appointed to date.
Before joining the University, Susan worked as a staff solicitor and associate in two city law firms, and taught part of the Institute of Professional Legal Studies law professionals course. She was Head of Department of Commercial Law in the Business School from 2008 to the end of 2010 and Associate Dean Academic Faculty in 2011. Susan was Deputy Dean of the Law School from 2014 until the end of 2017. She was Deputy Dean of the Business School for the second half of 2019 and has been Dean of the Business School since the beginning of 2020.
Tom Peters first gained worldwide attention with his ground-breaking 1982 bestseller In Search of Excellence, co-written with Robert Waterman, and today is acknowledged as one of the 100 most influential figures in modern business. He continues to be in constant demand for lectures and seminars and in 2017 received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Thinkers50.
Tom studied civil engineering at Cornell University (BCE, MCE), followed by an MBA and PhD in business at Stanford, and spent his early career in the US Navy, at the White House, and at McKinsey & Company, where he became a partner before leaving to set up his own consulting practice. Sixteen books and 35 years later, he has been instrumental in shaping management thinking through his work as a consultant, writer, columnist and public speaker.
Job Titles:
- CIE Technology and Prototyping Advisor
Trevor is a passionate innovator dedicated to empowering young minds through hands-on learning in cutting-edge technologies. Currently serving as the Technology and Prototyping Advisor for the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Auckland, Trevor is shaping the future of the next generation of creators.
Vanessa is Managing Director of Microsoft New Zealand and Microsoft's Chief Partner Officer Australia & New Zealand. She joined Microsoft after more than two decades at Spark, New Zealand's largest telco.
Vanessa is an advocate and driver of diversity and inclusion, especially for Māori and Pacific communities and for women in STEM. She has initiated and supported programmes that foster talent, creativity, and education in these areas. Vanessa has a Mini MBA from the University of Auckland.
Job Titles:
- Alumni Relations Engagement Adviser
Yifan has over 8 years of experience working in marketing for several industries. He is passionate about helping and supporting students, striving to create opportunities and resources for their growth. In his free time, Yifan enjoys cooking, playing with his dog, and has a love for indoor plants.
Job Titles:
- Marketing / Associate Professor Yuri Seo