This award, assessed by an expert judging panel, focuses not only on key financial performance metrics, but also on the critical elements that deliver sustained performance over time. These include qualities of leadership, building company culture, and strong engagement with employees, customers and the community. The winner must have demonstrated sustainable and impactful leadership over at least the preceding five years. The qualifying organisation must be headquartered in NZ, have been listed on the NZX for at least five years and have a minimum $400 million market capitalisation. The CEO must be NZ based.

We are indebted to the Judges for this year’s award who include:

Sir Robert (Rob) McLeod (Chair)

Sir Rob McLeod is currently Chair of Sanford Limited, Quayside Holdings Limited and Ngati Porou Holding Company Limited. He is also a Director of the Port of Tauranga Limited and Ram Custodian Limited. He has had an illustrious professional and governance career both within the accounting profession at its highest levels as well as his governance experience, having been on the Boards of such companies as ANZ National Bank, SKYCITY Entertainment Group and Telecom.
In addition, he has, in the past, been Chair of Aotearoa Fisheries and Sealord Group and Director of E Tipu E Rea Limited as well as a Commissioner of the Waitangi Fisheries Commission. Other notable appointments have included Chairmanship or membership of important Governmental Task Forces or review groups and Chairmanship of the New Zealand Business Roundtable.
Sir Rob’s most recent professional career appointments have been as Oceania (Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands) CEO / Managing Partner for the international accounting practice of Ernst & Young and more latterly as Ernst & Young New Zealand Chair, a position from which he retired on 31 December 2015. In addition to his current governance responsibilities, he is also a Barrister Sole.

Mark Edwards (Chair of INFINZ)

Mark Edwards is currently Chair of INFINZ and Director of Institutional Sales for Bank of New Zealand Markets. He has a demonstrated history of working in the banking sector and is skilled in Portfolio Management, Financial Risk, Interest Rate Risk Management, Foreign Exchange Risk Management, Business Relationship Management, Risk Management, and Corporate Treasury Management.

Prior to joining BNZ in 2010, Mark held treasury roles with CBA New Zealand, Fonterra Co-operative Group and Fletcher Building Limited.

Mark holds a Bachelor of Management Studies (Finance & Accounting) from the University of Waikato.

Simon Allen

Simon Allen has over 35 years’ commercial experience in the New Zealand and Australian capital markets and was Chief Executive of investment bank BZW/ABN AMRO in New Zealand for 21 years.
He has an extensive Governance Portfolio and is currently a Trustee of the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust and a Non-Executive Director of Ampol Limited, IAG Australia Group, IAG New Zealand Limited and Z Energy Limited.

He was the inaugural Chair of NZX Limited, Financial Markets Authority and Crown Infrastructure Partners Limited (previously known as Crown Fibre Holdings Limited).

Previously Governance experience includes Chair of Channel Infrastructure NZ Limited (previously known as The New Zealand Refining Company Limited) and Director for Freightways Limited, MFL Mutual Funds Limited, Craigs Investment Partners Limited and McConnell developments Limited.

Simon holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Auckland and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Otago. He is a Chartered Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Directors and a Fellow of the New Zealand Society of Investment Analysts.

Mary Jane Daly

Mary Jane is an Auckland-based professional Director with a strong background in banking and finance.

She is Chair of AIG Insurance New Zealand Limited and Director of Kiwibank Limited, Kiwi Property Group Limited and Fonterra Shareholders Fund. Previous governance roles have included Auckland Transport, Earthquake Commission, Cigna Life Insurance New Zealand Limited, OnePath Life (New Zealand) Limited, Airways Corporation and NZ Green Building Council.

Her last corporate executive role was leading State Insurance, a division of IAG New Zealand. Prior to this role she was Chief Financial Officer for IAG NZ and before joining IAG, Mary-Jane spent four years with Fonterra as Group Treasurer and Risk Manager. Her earlier career was spent with BNZ, National Australia Bank and Toronto-Dominion Bank in London.

Gráinne Troute

Gráinne Troute is a professional director with many years of experience operating customer-focused businesses in highly competitive sectors including Tourism, Hospitality and Retail. She is a Director of Tourism Holdings Limited, Summerset Holdings Limited and Investore Property Limited. She is also an Independent Board Member for Duncan Cotterill and Chair of Tourism Industry Aotearoa Limited.

In her executive career, Gráinne was most recently General Manager, Corporate Services for SKYCITY Entertainment Group. Prior to that she was Managing Director of McDonald’s Restaurants (NZ) Ltd and has also held executive roles with consultancy firm Right Management and with Coopers & Lybrand (now PWC).

Gráinne has also spent many years as a Trustee and Chair in the Not-For-Profit sector, including having been the Chair of Ronald McDonald House Charities (NZ) for five years.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts (English & Philosophy) and Graduate Diploma in Business Studies from Massey University and a Diploma in Business Studies from the Technological University Dublin. She is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors.

PAST WINNERS

Past winners of the Johnson Partners Leadership Award have represented quintessential New Zealand leaders who in a successful and sustained way have taken their New Zealand companies to the world.   They Include: David Mair, Skellerup Holdings Limited, Darrin Grafton, Serko Limited, Andy Borland, Scales Corporation Limited, Mark Cairns, Port of Tauranga Limited. Grant Webster, Tourism Holdings Limited, Rod Duke, Briscoe Group Limited, Don Braid, Mainfreight Limited, Sir Mike Daniell, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited, Mark Waller, EBOS Group Limited and Simon Challies, Ryman Healthcare Limited.