OTAGO BUSINESS SCHOOL - Key Persons
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- Community Palliative Care Specialist Service, Nurse Maude
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- International Marketing Co - Ordinator
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- Professional Practice Fellow
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- Development Manager - Division of Sciences
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- Wayne Francis Cancer Epidemiology Research Group, University of Canterbury
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- Development Manager Wellington - University of Otago Wellington Campus
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- International Compliance and USFA Specialist
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- International Programmes Development Adviser
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- Medical Oncologist and Mackenzie Chair in Cancer Medicine
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- Team Leader International Mobility and Partnerships
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- International Partnerships Co - Ordinator
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- Professional Practice Fellow
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- International Student Adviser
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- International Marketing Co - Ordinator
Craig was educated at Waitaki Boys High School (Milner Prize), Otago University (BA Hons First Class in Economics), and Wharton Business School, University of Pennsylvania (Advanced Management Programme).
He has worked as a diplomat for the New Zealand and Australian Governments; as an economist for DFC/Zealcorp; as an interest rates products manager for Bankers Trust NZ; and as CEO and Executive Vice President for BT Funds Management NZ Ltd after leading its establishment in 1992.
He chaired the Government's Review of the Taxation of Investment Income in 2004, which lead to the PIE tax regime, which underpins the managed funds (including Kiwisaver superannuation) industry. He has also chaired the Government review of financial services exports in 2010; and chaired the Establishment Board of the Local Government Funding Agency (LGFA) prior to its incorporation in December 2011.LGFA is now the largest NZD bond issuer after the NZ Government.
Currently he provides corporate advisory services to domestic and global clients. He also has private equity and directorship interests in businesses including global equity investor Elevation Capital Management; national investment advisory firm Saturn Portfolio Management; oyster farmer and exporter Biomarine Ltd; and specialist Bannockburn grape grower Legend Terrace Ltd.
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- Security Systems Administrator
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- International Student Adviser
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- Manager International Student Services
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- International Compliance Services Officer
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- Advancement Services Administrator
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- International Student Adviser
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- Alumni Engagement Manager
- Alumni Relations and Communications
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- Professional Practice Fellow
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- Professional Practice Fellow
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- Professional Practice Fellow
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- Member of Committee
- Research Information Co - Ordinator, Research and Enterprise )
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- Administrator Client Services
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- Academic Leader International ( Part - Time )
Dr Mariela Carvajal is an Academic Leader International at Otago Business School and is responsible for providing academic support to international students. Working as a complement to the International Office, she assists students regarding study programmes, course planning and academic information. Her role also includes to seek professional existing support and services within the University to help international students.
Mariela works in the Department of Accountancy and Finance. She teaches Financial Accounting at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and her research interests are in the areas of financial reporting, accounting disclosure, environmental accounting and corporate governance.
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- Senior Professional Practice Fellow
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- Academic Adviser - International and Online Learning
Sally is responsible for coordinating and overseeing international activities within the Otago Business School from an operational point of view. She assists with the development of strategy and policies, and their implementation, and also provides a liaison function between the Otago Business School and the International Office, as well as within the Otago Business School.
Duncan gained a BCom from Otago University, majoring in marketing. In his final year at Otago, Duncan was accepted into the Lion Nathan Graduate Programme where he worked for two years. Duncan then acquired Nature's Oven, a food manufacturing business, which he successfully grew before divesting it to Goodman Fielder.
Following this Duncan acquired Fliway Group Limited, where he has been the Managing Director since 2006. Fliway is a transport and logistics business, employing 400 people across New Zealand. It was listed in April 2015 on the NZX, and in 2018 it was acquired by a Singaporean based multi-national.
Married to Gretchen, with four children, Duncan currently lives in Auckland.
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- Professional Practice Fellow
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- Associate Dean
- Associate Dean - Pacific ( Part - Time )
- Pacific Islands' Student Academic Adviser ( Part - Time )
Esmay is the Associate Dean - Pacific, appointed to the Division of Commerce in December 2017. Her role is to provide leadership and strategic advice in the Business School on all matters relating to the University's Pacific Strategic Framework 2013-2020, and the latest PSF 2022-2030. She is based in the Dean's Office with her team of Pacific student support staff.
Esmay is passionate about the retention and academic success of local and international Pacific students. Esmay's role is to liaise with academic departments and Student Services with respect to any issues relating to Pacific students and their course of study. Esmay supports both staff and students in the Business School and has a network of contacts with other divisions around the University.
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- Health Therapist / Dental Hygienist
- Professional Practice Fellow
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- Virtual Engagement Co - Ordinator
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- Member of Committee
- Research Committee Administrator )
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- Executive Assistant to Pro - Vice - Chancellor
As Executive Assistant, Fiona provides high-level confidential executive support and is the first point of contact for the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Commerce.
Fiona manages the Pro-Vice-Chancellor's appointments, meetings, and email correspondence, including administrative processes for other Committees and Working Groups supported by the PVC Commerce.
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- Professional Practice Fellow
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- Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science / University of Otago
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- Mackenzie Cancer Research Group, UOC
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- Regional Market Manager - South - East Asia and New Zealand Onshore
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- Development Manager - Division of Commerce
Graham's role is to provide strategic financial and non-financial information to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor and the Director Administration, and to ensure the funding allocation, budgets, compliance issues and other financial activities of the school are coordinated effectively. He also provides support and advice to the Departments managing the financial resources within the School.
Grant was born and educated in Dunedin and obtained a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Otago in 1979, with a double major in Accounting & Information Systems. Starting his career in finance, Grant moved through a variety of roles in public accounting and consulting in New Zealand, the United States and Australia before joining the Hilton Hotels Corporation in Australia in 1987.
Grant held a number of finance roles before moving into operations in 1992, and was appointed opening General Manager for the company's casino in Brisbane in 1994. After 16 years and in the position of SVP Australia responsible for all Australian businesses, Grant moved to Macau in 2003 firstly as opening President and General Manager for Wynn Resorts Macau from 2003 to 2007, prior to joining MGM in 2008 in a similar role. In 2011, MGM China Holdings Limited listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange at which time Grant was appointed as the CEO & Executive Director. In this role he was responsible for the overall management, strategic development and expansion of the company, which has gone from a start-up in 2008 to a multi-property Hong Kong listed company employing over 11,000 people.
Retiring from this position in 2020 after forty years working in American owned multi-national companies on three continents Grant is looking to more time to mentor the next generation of business leaders.
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- Vice Chair, Starship Foundation Board of Trustees )
Gretchen joined Duncan at their next business, Fliway Group, shortly after having their fourth child in 2007. Gretchen then made the decision in 2009 to leave Fliway and concentrate on her work at the Starship Foundation. Gretchen was Chair of the Friends of Starship from 2009-2013 raising over $1.6 million for the Starship Foundation. After stepping down from the Friends of Starship, Gretchen has remained a committed trustee on the board of the Starship Foundation and has been the Vice Chair since 2014.
Gretchen is also involved in fund-raising at Auckland Boys Grammar school, for their Academic Endowment Fund and was heavily involved with a number of capital-raising projects at St Cuthbert's College.
Gretchen is married to Duncan and they have 4 children ranging from 11-16 years of age.
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- Administrator Client Services
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- Deputy - Convenor, Bachelor of Oral Health Programme Senior Lecturer
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- Team Leader - International Marketing
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- Lead Administrator Client Services
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- Laboratory Manager - IT & Research
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- Cancer Society Tissue Bank Curator, UOC
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- Exchange Adviser - Asia, Europe and Scandinavia
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- Professional Practice Fellow
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- Hospice Palliative Care Service, Nurse Maude
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- Business Development Manager - Pathway and English Language Centre
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- Lipid & Diabetes Research Group, Canterbury Health Labs
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- Administrator Client Services
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- Professional Practice Fellow
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- Development Manager Christchurch - University of Otago Christchurch Campus
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- Director
- Member of the University Council
John Ward became a member of the University Council in 2003 and served as Pro-Chancellor from 2007 until he became chancellor in 2009.
A Chartered Accountant by trade he is chairman and director of various companies in the banking, finance, tourism and retail sectors including the likes of H&Js and SBS Bank.
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- Head of Business Operations & Strategy for Global Partnerships at Google
- Head of Business Operations & Strategy for Global Partnerships, Google )
Jonathon Wong (Jono) is the Head of Business Operations & Strategy for Global Partnerships at Google, based in Mountain View, California. He leads a team that supports Google's strategic partnerships covering revenue and product business development efforts globally. Prior to joining Google in 2013, Jono worked at Deloitte Consulting where he advised clients in the areas of corporate strategy and M&A in the San Francisco, Washington DC, and Wellington NZ offices. In 2011, Jono was named the Deloitte US Rising Star to attend the SNS Future in Review conference, and was appointed to The Center for the Edge, Deloitte's technology thought leadership group based in San Francisco. Jono also co-founded Elevent Inc, a seed funded startup where he oversaw the development of a visual decision-making product. Jono holds a Bachelors of Commerce with Honours (first class) in Economics from the University of Otago, and a Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Jonathon is a passionate leader and brings significant experience as a clinician and an academic, an executive team member, and a director of local, national and international improvement and innovation.
Most recently, Jonathon established and led Ko Awatea (Māori for ‘First Light'), an institute for health system innovation and improvement in South Auckland, New Zealand. Jonathon trained as a clinical geneticist, as a public health practitioner with a Master in Public Health from Harvard, and as an improvement leader, through a Health Foundation Quality Improvement fellowship based at Boston with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
Jonathon grew up in North Yorkshire, among steel works and the chemical industry, and was a beneficiary of a compassionate welfare state. He remains passionate about equity and a vision of establishing ‘great care everywhere', not just in pockets.
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- Market Manager - Greater China and South Korea
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- Internship Programme Manager
Julie is responsible for coordinating the Business School's Internship Programme. She liaises closely with students interested in the prospects of an internship, and connects with the New Zealand business community, meeting business people to talk about the Internship Programme and other opportunities on offer through the Otago Business School. Julie manages the Commerce Employability Programme, designed to assist Commerce students prepare for the workforce, liaising closely with the Career Development Centre when delivering this series of events.
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- Senior Manager Client Services
As Senior Manager Client Services, Kath's role is to ensure the smooth running of the Business School. Leading the professional staff in the Dean's office, she is responsible for the administrative management of the Business School.
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- Student Visa and International Compliance Specialist
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- Professional Practice Fellow
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- Professional Practice Fellow
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- Development Manager - Division of Health Sciences
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- Communications Advisor ( Fridays )
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- Professional Practice Fellow
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- International Marketing Co - Ordinator
Associate Professor Leah Watkins is responsible for developing the internationalisation strategy for the Otago Business School. In liaison with DVC External Engagement and the International Office, this role includes oversight of the student exchange programme, as well as other international initiatives that build the international focus of students and staff at Otago Business School. An important part of the role is academic leadership of international initiatives, ensuring the best use is made of both existing networks and establishment of new international collaborations.
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- Database Operator ( Technical )
Professor Lisa McNeill is responsible for the oversight of the Business School's Postgraduate research programmes. She supervises the admission of students into the postgraduate programmes and leads initiatives involving postgraduate programmes, including curricula, recruiting and student relations.
Lisa teaches Innovation and New Product development, and Advanced Research Methods in the Department of Marketing, and her research focuses on sustainability in consumer behaviour, innovation and brand development, retail atmospherics and consumer decision making.
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- Alumni Relations Officer ( Liaison )
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- Mackenzie Cancer Research Group, UOC
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- Exchange Adviser - Americas, UK and Ireland
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- Advancement Services Manager
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- International Programmes Development Adviser
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- Professional Practice Fellow
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- Vice - Chancellor of Commerce at the University of Otago
Professor Maree Thyne is the Acting Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Commerce at the University of Otago and a Professor of Marketing. Before taking up the role of Acting PVC in February 2023, Maree was Head of the Department of Marketing.
Maree's research focus is consumer behaviour, in particular tourist behaviour. She has over 20 years' experience in examining tourists' needs and wants, determining how we can best meet these to provide a satisfying experience. Encompassing an extensive global network, Maree has led international research projects into several areas including examining the impact of tourists interacting with other tourists; the changing nature of cultural tourists; and understanding cruise tourist motivations. Working closely with businesses, Maree has led significant curriculum development around ensuring students are able to apply marketing theory to real business problems.
Maree supervises graduate students at the Masters and PhD level and is on the editorial board of numerous international journals including Journal of Travel Research, Tourism Management Perspectives and Australasian Marketing Journal.
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- Mackenzie Cancer Research Group, UOC
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- COO Ngāti Paoa Group Investments Ltd )
Martin is COO for Ngāti Paoa Group Investments Ltd. He is involved in Treaty of Waitangi settlement negotiations and in securing and developing a range of assets for the Ngāti Paoa Iwi in the Tāmaki-Makaurau region.
Martin's currently involved in several tech start-ups in the banking and disabled education sectors. He is a board member of the Fred Hollows Foundation NZ and its Pacific subsidiaries and is chair of its Finance Audit & Risk Committee. He was formerly chair of Inspiring Stories Trust, a board member of Show Me Shorts Film Festival and Crosspower NZ, an Otara-based charity providing youth support in South Auckland. Martin also sits on the advisory panel of Otago University's Auckland Alumni Chapter.
Martin has been active in advising local start-ups since returning to NZ in 2013, including on behalf of Callaghan Innovation. He has lectured and mentored on entrepreneurship and business matters for the last 18 years at universities in Australia and NZ. He has multiple degrees and is a qualified lawyer in several jurisdictions with particular expertise in business development, contracting, licensing and IP matters. He also has considerable commercial and not-for-profit board experience, having served on the boards of 18 companies, JVs and NGOs.
After graduating from Otago, Martin kicked off as a banking and finance lawyer in Sydney. This led to 25 years' experience in deal making and strategy development, start-ups, partnerships and governance via senior operating roles in listed corporates and professional service firms (including Warner Bros., SKY TV, TAB Ltd, Telstra, Arthur Anderson, Westpac, Herbert Smith Freehills and Minter Ellison), start-ups and NGOs. He has worked in NZ, Australia, Asia, India, the Pacific and Hollywood. He has closed multiple billions in new deal revenues and secured financing transactions, and successfully launched new products and start-ups here and overseas.
Martin is a third-generation graduate from Otago University along with three of his four brothers. His family is originally from sunny Central Otago.
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- International Marketing Co - Ordinator
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- Manager, International Marketing and Recruitment
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- Professional Practice Fellow
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- Member of Committee
- Senior Administrator, Academic Committees and Services )
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- Database Operator ( Research )
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- International Programmes Development Adviser
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- Specialist, Academic Committees and Services
Rebecca is the Specialist, Academic Committees and Services, embedded within the Division of Commerce.
Rebecca's responsibilities include supporting staff within the Division through the academic approvals process by advising and assisting in the preparation of academic proposals, servicing the Commerce Divisional Board and University Committees, assisting with Annual Programme reporting, the GYR process, External Moderation, and Course Variations for undergraduate students.
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- Associate Finance, Divisional Finance ( Humanities and Commerce )
Richa's role is to provide a range of financial advisory activities including month end accounting, financial reporting and analysis, budgeting and forecasting. Monitoring cost saving initiatives and efficiencies. She also provides support and advice on operational matters to department heads within the school.
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- Administrator Client Services
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- Senior Development Manager
- Development
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- International Student Adviser
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- Security Systems Coordinator
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- Professional Practice Fellow
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- Director of Development and Alumni Relations
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- Team Leader International Student Support
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- International Programmes Development Manager
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- Regional Market Manager - South - East Asia, Africa, and Pacific Islands
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- Development Manager - Division of Humanities
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- Regional Market Manager - North America, Europe and Latin America
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- Business Accreditation Manager
Theresa is responsible for the management of the School's accreditation and Assurance of Learning (AoL) process, and provides support to the academic leaders. The School holds discipline and School specific accreditation including EFMD Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
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- Laboratory Technician
- Support Staff
Vanessa is currently an Independent Director for Alliance Group, NZ Refinery, Heartland Bank and a member of the Tertiary Education Commission and Financial Markets Authority. She chairs various Remuneration and Nomination Committees. She was previously Group General Manager of Technical Operations and People at Air New Zealand for almost ten years and a key driver of the cultural transformation at the airline. Vanessa joined Air New Zealand from Carter Holt Harvey Packaging Australia, where she was the Chief Executive.
Vanessa is a member of both the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Directors; an honorary fellow of HRINZ, a Companion of IPENZ a member of MBIE and DOC's audit and risk committee and Business NZ's representative on the NZDFESC. She is also currently Chair of the Global Women Board and a member of the Kings College Board.
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- Executive Assistant to the Director International
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- Regional Market Manager - South Asia and Middle East
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- Pacific Student Support Facilitator ( Part - Time )
Viena is of Tongan descent and is one of the Pacific Student Support Facilitators responsible for all first-year Pacific students in the division. Viena is a University of Otago, Humanities and Commerce graduate and is currently completing a Postgraduate Commerce degree in International Business.
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- Professional Practice Fellow