More sessions and speakers to be announced soon
Hon Simon Watts
Minister of Climate Change and RevenueSimon Watts was elected as the Member of Parliament for North Shore in the 2020 election. He is the Minister of Climate Change and Minister of Revenue.
Simon grew up in the Waikato, where his family were farmers and orchardists. He is married, has two sons, and lives on the North Shore with his family. He studied Accounting and Finance at Waikato University and worked in investment banking in Asia, Europe and the United Kingdom. He has worked for one of the world's largest investment banks, the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), where he held several management roles during and in the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis.
Dr Rod Carr
Professional Director, Director ASB & Founding Chair of New Zealand's Climate Change CommissionDr Carr has extensive experience in both public and private sector governance and leadership. He served as Chair and non-executive director of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and served as Deputy Governor and for a time Acting Governor of the Bank. Dr Carr was the founding Chair of the National Infrastructure Advisory Board and for over a decade was a non-executive director of the Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce. He led the University of Canterbury as Vice Chancellor for ten years, and holds a PhD in Insurance and Risk Management, an MA in Applied Economics and Managerial Science, an MBA in Money and Finance and honours degrees in law and economics.
Jolie Hodson
CEO of SparkJolie Hodson is CEO and an Executive Director of Spark New Zealand. Her appointment to CEO in July 2019 followed a substantial career within Spark, leading different areas of the operating business over a six-year period. As CEO Jolie is responsible for ensuring the company has a sound strategy and builds a team around her that is able to deliver the digital infrastructure, products and services, and innovation that supports Spark’s customers and Aotearoa to win big in a digital world.
Jolie is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion, digital equity, and the role of technology in enabling Aotearoa’s transition to a high-productivity, low-carbon economy. She is passionate about supporting women in business, and is a member of Global Women, a Champion for Change, and a founder of OnBeingBold.
In 2022 Jolie became the Convenor of the Climate Leaders Coalition, uniting New Zealand businesses that account for 32% of the country’s GDP to raise the bar on business leadership on climate action.
In 2016 she was awarded ‘CFO of the Year’ and in 2022 was awarded ‘CEO of the Year’ at the Deloitte Top 200 Business Awards. In 2024 Jolie was recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to business, governance, and women.
Shayne Walker
Committee Member of Aotearoa New Zealand Stewardship Code and Managing Partner at Māori Growth PartnersWith a background in senior executive and governance across government, commercial and māori entities, Shayne is the managing Director of Māori Growth Partners providing economic solutions to various clients and a committee member on the Aotearoa New Zealand Stewardship Code.
Having oversight of funds under management on behalf of some māori organisations, Shayne provides a particular stretch beyond ESG to consider positive and negative effects on māori and indigenous peoples. Seeking additional investment impacts as part of being a good steward for māori investment Shayne considers to be an opportunity to be embraced.
Hon Dr Megan Woods
Labour Spokesperson for Climate Change, Energy, Resources, Associate Finance - MP for WigramHon Megan Woods is a Christchurch local, and has been the Member of Parliament for Wigram since 2011. Megan has served as the Minister of Housing, Minister for Infrastructure, Minister of Energy and Resources, Minister for Building and Construction, as well as the Associate Minister of Finance.
Since being sworn in as a Minister of the Crown following the 2017 election, Megan has also held the ministerial portfolios for Greater Christchurch Regeneration, and Research, Science and Innovation.
Prior to becoming a Member of Parliament, Megan worked as a Business Manager at Plant & Food Research. She holds a PhD in New Zealand history from the University of Canterbury.
Paul Chandler
Director of Stewardship at PRIPaul Chandler leads the PRI’s collaborative stewardship initiatives team and programme, including PRI’s work within Climate Action 100+, as well as Advance, PRI’s human rights and social issues engagement, Spring, PRI’s nature engagement, and PRI’s sovereign engagement on climate. He works closely with PRI signatories to support their collaborative engagements with companies and governments across global markets.
Paul has more than 11 years’ experience in stewardship and responsible investment, having been at the PRI since 2014. Before joining the PRI, Paul worked as an ESG Analyst for Regnan and in business development for Colonial First State Investments. Paul holds a Master of Environment from the University of Melbourne and a Bachelor of Business from the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS).
Liam Mason
Executive Director, Evaluation & Oversight and General Counsel of FMALiam is responsible for a broad range of audit, risk, legal and governance matters along with evaluating the effectiveness of regulatory interventions and activity. He remains the FMA General Counsel. Liam has been with the FMA since its inception. He has extensive experience in securities law and corporate governance matters, advising on securities and financial services law and policy, Crown entity governance and legal compliance. Liam has previously led frontline teams overseeing the FMA’s compliance frameworks, licensing, knowledge management and intelligence, and fintech functions.
Te Pūoho Katene
Chief Executive at Tapuwae RoaTe Pūoho traces his heritage to the Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Whātua, Ngāti Tama tribes. A graduate of Stanford Business School and Fulbright Scholar, he is steadfast in his pursuit of holistic prosperity for Māori.
His comprehensive background includes marine science, commercial and investment strategy, governance, relationship management across iwi and government, impact investment and social enterprise. His role as an Obama Foundation Leader: Asia-Pacific has given him a global outlook on leveraging global best practice within an indigenous, values-based lens.
As Kaihautū (Chief Executive) of Tapuwae Roa, Te Pūoho pursues targeted social change within a tikanga-based impact framework. The Trust’s philanthropic and investment activity targets outcomes in three priority areas: education & training, traditional and scientific knowledge systems, and leadership development.
An established governor, Te Pūoho serves Ngāti Toa as a Board Trustee and on the Audit, Risk and Investment Committee. He is an Independent Director for Armillary Private Capital and is the Chair of the Ākina Foundation.
Estelle Parker
Co-CEO of RIAA- Navigating net zero: Ensuring transparency and avoiding greenwashing
- Climate change: From risk to opportunity
With a distinguished 20-year career at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Estelle Parker brings crucial expertise in government relations, policy-making, and themes important to responsible investors, including human rights and the SDGs. As a leader driving RIAA’s research, certification, policy, standards, and working group programs, her leadership has elevated these initiatives to achieve heightened levels of professionalism, impact, and value delivery for our members, aligning seamlessly with RIAA’s strategic objectives.
Beyond her organisational impact, Estelle is a respected figure in the responsible investment landscape, serving as a strong advocate on influential global and government committees, including the Principles for Responsible Investment’s Global Policy Reference Group, the Global Sustainable Investment Alliance and the Australian Government’s Natural Capital Working Group. Additionally, she serves as the Convenor of the Taskforce on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures official Consultation Group for Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, and the Steering Committee for the Australian Sustainable Finance Institute. She is also a member of the Council of the Australian Institute for International Affairs (Victoria).
Kate Turner
Global Head of Responsible Investment at First Sentier Investors and Chair of Investors Against Slavery and Trafficking APACKate Turner is an influential voice in the Responsible Investing space, leading a global team of specialists and driving policy reform through collaborative industry initiatives. She is passionate about the potential of the investment sector to support positive change. Her roles include Chair of the Steering Group for Investors Against Slavery and Trafficking APAC, member of the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative Advisory Group and member of the RIAA Board.
Grant Webster
Chief Executive Officer at Tourism Holdings LimitedGrant was appointed Managing Director in December 2022 and was originally appointed as Chief Executive Officer in December 2008. Grant has served on various industry and Government bodies including nine years on the Tourism Industry Aotearoa Board including periods as Chair and Deputy Chair. Grant was also a co-Chair for the New Zealand Government’s Tourism Futures Taskforce in 2020. Grant was awarded the CEO of the Year award at the New Zealand Deloitte Top 200 awards in 2023.
Grant’s background includes senior executive roles across the tourism, hospitality, gaming and retail industries, where he held Director and general management roles within the retail sector before moving into tourism. Grant holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Victoria University and has completed executive studies at the Insead Advanced Management Programme in Fontainebleau and Monash University, Melbourne Australia. Outside of thl, Grant is on the Board of Les Mills Holdings NZ.
Simon Mackenzie
Group Chief Executive at VectorSimon Mackenzie is passionate about the power of technology to transform the energy industry and consumers’ lives. As Group Chief Executive, he has expanded and driven Vector’s portfolio of businesses to embrace innovative technologies and strategies to deliver efficient, sustainable energy solutions to consumers. Simon was appointed Vector’s Group Chief Executive in 2008.
June McCabe
Executive Director of Sustainable ProsperityJune, who is a chartered member of the Institute of Directors and who holds an MBA, has more than 25 years’ experience in governance roles across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. After an extensive career in banking and finance, following many years in the public service, June has held a wide range of governance roles. Current directorships include Devon Funds Management and Chairman of TAHITO. She is also the Chairman of the asset holding company of one of her iwi who operate a 4 pou investment model. Previous relevant roles include founding director of the New Zealand Venture Investment Fund and senior executive roles in sustainability.
June has iwi affiliations with Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Kahu and Ngâti Kaharau.
Jo Kelly
Chief Executive at Toitū Tahua: Centre for Sustainable FinanceJo has delivered cross-continent sustainability initiatives between some of the world’s best known business leaders. Alongside her role as Chief Executive of Toitū Tahua, Jo is on the B Lab Australia New Zealand Board and the National Advisory Board for Impact Investing.
In 2011 Jo managed establishment of The B Team, co-founded by Sir Richard Branson and Jochen Zeitz, which led the first calls from business for Net Zero by 2050 and an ambitious Paris Agreement. On returning home to Aotearoa NZ Jo spent four years with Deloitte New Zealand.
Guy Williams
Co-Chair of RIAA's Nature Working Group, Member of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures and Executive Director at Pollination GroupGuy Williams joins Pollination as an Executive Director in our advisory team. Guy brings over 20 years’ experience at the leading edge of industry innovation and strategy in biodiversity and natural capital. Prior to joining Pollination, Guy held global roles at some of the largest consulting and advisory firms, as well as being an integral part in the development of many nature-related frameworks and standards such as the TNFD and SBTN. Guy possesses a deep interest in primate conservation, and the use of digital media and community-led storytelling to support effective conservation strategies.
Guy is Co-Chair of RIAA's Nature Working Group.
Dr Daniel Hikuroa
Associate Professor at University of AucklandDan Hikuroa (Ngāti Maniapoto, Waikato-Tainui, Ngaati Whanaunga, Pākehā) is a father, surfer, paddle-boarder, gardener, loves the taiao and is an Associate Professor in Māori Studies, Waipapa Taumata Rau-University of Auckland. Dan is an established world expert on weaving indigenous knowledge and science to realise the dreams of the communities he works with. Dan has been spearheading alternative ways of assessing sustainability, including braiding indigenous knowledge and epistemologies into policies, assessment frameworks and decision-support tools. Dan is UNESCO New Zealand Commissioner for Culture, member of Pou Herenga, Māori Advisory to the Climate Change Commission, has key roles within New Zealand’s Centres of Research Excellence and advises national and regional government, communities and philanthropic trusts.
Helen Skinner
Head of Responsible Investment | Investment Management at ANZ New Zealand Investment LimitedHelen leads Responsible Investment across ANZ Investments ~$32bn of assets under management*. She has over 25 years of experience in the investments industry, holding various senior roles in both the United Kingdom and New Zealand.
She’s passionate about sustainability and responsible investment with over 15 years’ experience in this field. She sits on the RIAA Nature Working Group and the RIAA First Nations Peoples’ Rights Working Group. She joined ANZ in 2022 after almost five years at Craigs Investment Partners where most recently she was Head of Emerging Wealth.
Helen is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors and a certified member of INFINZ. Helen was elected to the RIAA board in December 2023.
*as at 30 June 2024
Arti Prasad
Partner, Sustainable Investments at Mercer and RIAA Board MemberArti Prasad is currently Partner, Sustainable Investments at Mercer. She is responsible for leading sustainable investment practices with clients across the Pacific. Before this role, she worked as a Senior Investment Strategist for the Guardians of NZ Superannuation, a Crown entity that manages the New Zealand Superannuation Fund. During her time at the Guardians from 2017, Arti was responsible for developing and implementing policies related to Responsible Investment, climate change, and corporate governance. Prior to this, Arti worked as the Head of Responsible Investment for the Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC) for two years. She also served as a Senior ESG Analyst for the Guardians and a Senior Policy Analyst at the NZ Ministry for Environment, where she worked on policies related to business sustainability, water, and climate change.
In 2014 Arti was named one of Chief Investment Officer magazine’s ’Top 40 under 40’ in the asset allocation world.
Dean Hegarty
Co-CEO of RIAA- Conference opening address
- Keynote by Hon Simon Watts, Minister of Climate Change and Minister of Revenue: Sustainable finance and climate action
Dean is committed to cultivating meaningful engagement opportunities for members and ensuring the delivery of high-quality membership values that significantly contributes to the sector. Passionate about championing ESG investment, Dean collaborates closely with global and local asset managers, super funds, Kiwisaver providers, financial advisors, and wealth platforms to align capital with sustainable outcomes.
His strategic leadership has played a pivotal role in elevating RIAA’s presence in both Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, resulting in substantial growth and transformative organisational changes. With over a decade of experience leading teams in the not-for-profit sector, Dean has driven remarkable growth in membership and events while forging essential industry partnerships. Dean also serves as a member of the National Advisory Board on Impact Investing in New Zealand and sits on the GovCo of the New Zealand Stewardship Code.
Katie Beith
Head of ESG at Forsyth Barr Investment ManagementKatie has been in the Responsible Investment industry for almost 20 years, with the first part of her career spent overseas, predominantly in the UK. On returning to New Zealand in 2015, she joined New Zealand Super Fund as a Senior Investment Strategist for Responsible Investment. In November 2021, Katie joined Forsyth Barr as the Head of ESG where she is responsible for incorporating ESG (environment, social and governance) principles into Forsyth Barr’s firm-wide operations and investment process, including assisting advisers with specific client needs. Katie currently serves on the External Reporting Board’s Stakeholder Advisory Panel (XRAP), is Deputy Chair of the NZ National Advisory Board for Impact Investing and is also on the Investment Committee for NZ impact investor, Purpose Capital.
Alastair Rhodes
CEO of BayTrustAlastair was appointed CEO of BayTrust in 2015 and since his appointment has driven BayTrust to be one of the leaders in impact and sustainable investments in NZ. He has a passion for impact investing, both from its ability to help drive a more inclusive and sustainable society and also how impact investments can compliment and further diversify an investment portfolio. With a commitment by BayTrust to have its $250m investment portfolio carbon neutral by 2030, Alastair is also leading the way in terms of building climate friendly investment portfolios. Alastair is also Chair of the Aotearoa Impact Investment Network, the Chair of the BOP Housing Equity Fund and sits on the Board of Emerge Aotearoa Housing Trust.
Rebekah Swan
RI Specialist at Fisher Funds Management LimitedRebekah Swan is a highly experienced senior financial markets and funds management leader with a passion for making a real impact. With over 25 years of experience in investment markets and over 10 years’ experience in the Responsible Investment sector both domestically and in Australia, Rebekah is a leader in the industry. Her expertise in investment markets, combined with strong leadership skills and a customer focus, have helped develop teams and lead businesses through change and deliver results. As a skilled governance professional, Rebekah has been instrumental in promoting ethical investment practices, polices and has contributed to industry engagements.
At Fisher Funds Rebekah is the Responsible Investment Advisor, for the business and investment team. Responsibilities include reviewing and implementing the RI policies and processes, working with the investment team and leading Fisher Funds’ response to recently enacted climate-related disclosures in New Zealand.
Rebekah is a highly experience financial markets and funds management leader with her most recent senior leadership roles at Macquarie Asset Management (Head of New Zealand Public Investments) and AMP Capital (Managing Director).
Alec Tang
Partner - Sustainable Value at KPMG New ZealandAs a Chartered Environmentalist and Fellow of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment, Alec has focused his career on addressing the breadth of sustainability challenges and opportunities that are increasingly shaping our communities, society and economy. This has included a range of leaderships positions in academia, business and the public sector, alongside an active involvement in professional institutions, industry associations and networking groups. Well-practised in the identification of strategic and operational risks as well as the development and delivery of solutions to meet these challenges, Alec has built and led numerous diverse, multi-disciplinary teams through a focus on common values, aligned purpose and trust. His work has ranged from the development of high-level regional strategies on climate change, liveability and wellbeing, incorporating broad stakeholder and community engagement, through to the design of specific delivery programmes and the create of impact measures to gauge their success. Alec’s diverse background means that he can couple an in-depth knowledge of organisational and sustainability risks with an understanding of the operational contexts and behaviours that are present within complex organisations.
Rachel Tinkler
Co-Chair of RIAA's Aotearoa Collaborative Working Group and Head of Responsible Investment at Mint Asset ManagementRachel is the Co-Chair of RIAA's Aotearoa Collaborative Working Group and Head of Responsible Investment at Mint Asset Management where she supervises the continued implementation of responsible investment practices in Mint’s investment process. She is responsible for driving engagement with companies and policymakers on environmental, social and governance issues plus relevant thematic issues. Previously, she was the Sustainable Investment Analyst at Milford Asset Management where she implemented and maintained their sustainable investing framework. Rachel holds a double degree in Bachelor of Laws & Bachelor of Business from AUT University, and is an Enrolled Barrister & Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand.
Shane Solly
Director - Portfolio Manager of Harbour Asset ManagemementShane is portfolio manager for the Harbour Equity Focus Fund and the Harbour Real Estate Fund and supports the management of Harbour’s other equity mandates. He is responsible for equity research and ratings on the aged care and retirement, airline and leisure, infrastructure and real estate sectors across the New Zealand and Australian equity markets. Shane has more than 30 years of managing portfolios for investors at ANZ, Citibank, Goldman Sachs, ING and Mint, and has previously managed funds that have won numerous industry awards. Shane is a CFA® charterholder and holds a Bachelor of Business in Finance from Massey University, where he graduated as a Dean’s list scholar. He is a member of the board of the CFA Society in New Zealand.
Greg Liddell
Director Responsible Investments of BetaShares Holdings Pty LimitedPrior to joining Betashares, Greg was the Executive Manager Investment Sustainability at Suncorp where he drafted the first Responsible Investment Policy for the Suncorp Group and was responsible for implementation all aspects of responsible investment. Greg was a member of Suncorp’s Climate Change Action Plan Working Group and was involved in setting Suncorp’s strategy for the management of climate change risk.
Prior to Suncorp, Greg was the Director of Consulting & Advisory Services at Russell Investments and the Director of Implemented Equities at QIC. Greg spent 10 years at Mercer Investment Consulting as a consultant and was Head of Manager Research for Australian & New Zealand.
Greg is a past Director of the Investment Management Consultants Institute (IMCA - now the Investment & Wealth Institute) and member of the Management Committee of the Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC) for five years.
Chitra Hepburn
Managing Director, Head of APAC ESG and Climate, Head of South & Southeast Asia at MSCIChitra Hepburn is MSCI’s Head of APAC ESG & Climate, and Head of South & Southeast Asia. Based in Singapore, she is responsible for leading MSCI’s ESG and climate business across the diverse region, as well as managing and growing MSCI’s footprint and client relationships in South and Southeast Asia.
Chitra initially spent 15 years in Investment Banking, a number of those being in project finance in the green energy sector. Following that, she focused on cleantech investments in China, followed by a few years in corporate development and ESG.
Chitra has lived and worked in 10 countries across APAC as well as Europe. Chitra was on the Board of Collective Responsibility and Green Initiatives for a number of years. She holds a Master’s Degree in Environmental Economics from the London School of Economics, which spurred her on to a Sustainability-focused career path.
Sarah Minhinnick
Chief Executive at New Zealand Green Investment FinanceSarah leads New Zealand Green Investment Finance (NZGIF), New Zealand’s Crown-backed green investment bank that accelerates low emissions investment in New Zealand.
Sarah has over 18 years of experience in public and private capital markets, both in New Zealand and the United States, working across banking, financial services and law.
She was previously the General Manager – Capital Markets Origination at NZX, managing the group focused on deal origination, issuer relationships and issuer communication to investors for the Exchange's equity, funds and debt issuers. Before her time at NZX, Sarah was a Director, Capital Markets at BNZ, where she worked on capital markets transactions totalling more than $250 billion.
Sarah has a Bachelor of Commerce (majoring in Economics) and a Bachelor of Laws with Honours, both from the University of Auckland, and a Master of Laws (in Corporate Law and Finance) from New York University.
Daniel Aguet
Index Director & Deputy CEO of Scientific BetaDaniel Aguet is Deputy CEO and Index Director at Scientific Beta. He previously worked at BCV, a Swiss bank based in Lausanne, as a Quantitative Investment Manager for more than 10 years. His work was mainly focused on quantitative research and fund management in the equity space. He has been involved in the development and the management of smart beta portfolios both in a long-only and a long/short framework, as well as in research on the quantitative implementation of socially responsible investment. Daniel is a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) and holds a Master’s degree in Finance with a specialisation in Financial Engineering and Risk Management from HEC Lausanne.
Sarah Beale
Head of Sustainability at Property for IndustrySarah is the Head of Sustainability and Operations at PFI. PFI is an NZX listed property vehicle focused on the industrial sector. Sarah leads several areas of the business including sustainability, risk management, compliance, and facilities management. Sarah joined PFI in 2020, having previously held a variety of roles across property finance, risk, compliance and governance in the banking sector. She is a graduate of the University of Waikato where she completed her Bachelor of Management Studies with Honours.
Pablo Berrutti
Senior Director, Portfolio Specialist of Stewart InvestorsPablo is a Senior Director, Portfolio Specialist at Stewart Investors, a dedicated sustainable development focused, listed-equities manager. He is also the co-founder and managing director of Altiorem, a not-for-profit library and resource centre dedicated to supporting advocates for a sustainable financial system, and a member of the advisory committee to UNSW’s Human Rights Institute. Previously, Pablo was Head of Responsible Investment Asia Pacific at Colonial First State Global Asset Management (now First Sentier Investors) and Perpetual Limited. Pablo served as a director of the Responsible Investment Association of Australasia for ten years and was chair for six. Pablo has also served on the management committee of the Investor Group on Climate Change and the coordinating working group of the Australian Sustainable Finance Initiative, among other industry initiatives.
Carey Church
Financial Planner at Moneyworks NZ LtdCarey is a RIAA Certified Ethical Adviser, and holds the UNPRI Applied Responsible Investing Certificate. Carey has led the transition of Moneyworks to being Ethical Investment Advisers, developing the unique and proprietary Ethical Investment Analysis process and undertaking extensive analysis and research on the recommended fund managers.
Carey Church and Moneyworks were winners of the 2024 Best Ethical Financial Adviser award (Co-winners in 2023). Moneyworks sponsored the awards in 2021 and 2022, the conference in 2024 and Carey has also been a judge of the Awards in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Carey has worked with her financial planning and investment advice clients since 1997, prior to that she worked with a range of investment and insurance companies in Australia and New Zealand.
Carey holds a LLB (Hons-1st), BSc, GradDipFin(Finsia), Dipl Bus (Personal Financial Planning), UNPRI Applied Responsible Investing Certificate and is a CFP and CLU.
Alex Dallas
Investment Principal at Soul CapitalFollowing a long career in corporate finance (CPA qualified), Alex moved into the start up space as a CFO, raising capital and negotiating acquisition. She is involved in several start up’s and SMES at an executive or governance level. The last several years have been spent focusing on impact investing, as a senior manager in an impact fund based in Tauranga. In this role, Alex has led teams to evaluate and work with investee companies to make successful investments.
Valeria Dinershteyn CFA
Director of Sustainable Investing Client Engagement at Northern Trust Asset ManagementValeria Dinershteyn, Director of Sustainable Investing Client Engagement for EMEA at Northern Trust Asset Management, is responsible for education and innovation in the firm’s sustainable investing capabilities. Within her role, she helps clients in developing new strategies incorporating ESG and climate considerations in their portfolios and investment philosophies. She is a frequent presenter on sustainable investing solutions at firm and industry meetings and events.
Prior to joining Northern Trust Asset Management in 2019, Valeria worked at Kempen Capital Management as a responsible investment specialist. In this role, she covered environmental engagement activities, helped clients develop and implement their responsible investing policies and contributed to the company’s award-winning annual responsible investment (RI) report.
Valeria has broad international experience having studied in Russia, the U.S. and the Netherlands. She holds a bachelor’s degree in linguistics and social studies from St. Petersburg State Polytechnical University (Russia), a master’s degree in financial management from Nyenrode Business University (the Netherlands) and is a CFA charterholder. Valeria is fluent in English, Russian and Dutch.
Chris Douglas
Principal and Co-Owner at My FiduciaryChris is a Principal at MyFiduciary, one of New Zealand’s largest independent investment consultants, where he leads the fund manager research and adviser services. Chris has over two decades of investment experience working in Auckland, London, Sydney and Chicago. This has included working within financial advice, funds management, as well as research and investment consulting. Prior to joining MyFiduciary in 2018, he spent 12-years at Morningstar where he held leadership roles within the firm’s manager research and data group.
Andy Eakin
Chief Financial Officer at Goodman Property TrustAndy is Chief Financial Officer of Goodman Property Trust. His role involves managing the finance and treasury activities of Goodman Property Trust. He is also the Chair of the Trust’s Corporate Social Responsibility committee which encompasses ESG matters material to Goodman including providing sustainability leadership across the business. Andy joined Goodman in March 2011, has more than 30 years’ experience in finance roles in Ireland, Scotland and New Zealand, and is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Hamish McNicol
Co-editor at NBRHamish McNicol is the co-editor of the National Business Review. He re-joined the publication in mid-2020 after three years in the UK, and covers professional services, listed companies, managed funds and court.
Shalini Samuel
Head of Certification at RIAA- Aligning value with values: Standards across borders
- Sustainability Classifications for Financial Advisers – raising client value
With a combined 10 years of experience in ESG investment and certification of financial services entities, Shalini is accountable for the management and delivery of RIAA's Certification Program, Sustainability Ratings and associated projects.
Prior to joining RIAA, Shalini held various roles with organisations including B Lab Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, Minderoo Foundation – Walk Free, the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors and the UN-backed Principles for Responsible Investment. Her experience also extends to policy guidance for corporate reporting, as she represented institutional investor interests on the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department Working Group on Human Trafficking and Slavery in Supply Chains.
Leighton Evans
Chief Executive at Rātā FoundationLeighton Evans is the Chief Executive of the Rātā Foundation, the South Island's most significant community investment fund. He leads a team of 20 staff who manage a $670 million endowment and annually invest over $25 million into the community to support a wide range of initiatives across Canterbury, Nelson, Marlborough, and the Chatham Islands.
Leighton is passionate about creating opportunities for people and places to thrive, and he has forged strong relationships with partners across the region and beyond. Leighton values engagement and relationship building as essential elements of any organisation, as well as creating community and financial investment partnerships that result in inter-generational social change.
Leighton joined Rātā in 2017 and has transformed the way Rātā works with communities and stakeholders to achieve lasting impact. He has successfully implemented its strategic vision of creating positive change through collaborative partnerships and innovative approaches. Before coming to Rātā, Leighton headed the Eastland Community Trust in his hometown of Gisborne. He brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise from his previous executive and governance roles in various sectors and organisations, where he has shown his ability to adapt to change and drive innovation.
Lisa Hinde
Head of Sustainability at Precinct PropertiesLisa is Head of Sustainability at Precinct Properties and her key focus is developing and guiding implementation of long term sustainability, health and wellbeing strategies to support industry best practice across assets under management.
This involves integrated planning and management of new and existing asset performance using industry best practice and ESG technology solutions. She builds strategies by drawing on her extensive experience with sustainability, health and wellbeing tools such as Green Star, the WELL Building standard, Net Zero and Circular Economy principles. Her work is globally recognised as enabling scalable solutions to complex challenges in the built environment.
As a natural collaborator, she has a keen interest in developing practical strategies to assist all stakeholders with a streamlined application of sustainability initiatives, translating executive goals to real impact.
Rebecca Kingi
ESG Initiatives Lead at ANZRebecca Kingi is an enrolled barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand and subject matter expert in modern slavery. After commencing a legal career working in commercial litigation, Rebecca specialised in human trafficking and broader forms of modern slavery and worked in the UK for several years providing legal representation to survivors. She has subsequently held senior policy and advocacy roles for humanitarian and anti-trafficking NGOs, providing advice to various governments and stakeholders on legislation and broader efforts to address modern slavery, including as a member of New Zealand’s Modern Slavery Leadership Advisory Group. Prior to joining ANZ as ‘ESG Initiatives Lead’ she worked for the New Zealand government at MBIE, representing New Zealand at related United Nations fora and providing subject matter expertise and capacity building to support government activities to combat human trafficking and modern slavery. Her role at ANZ includes driving, delivering and communicating ANZ’s ESG work, and providing leadership on modern slavery and broader ‘S’ initiatives and goals.
Peter Lee
Principal at Ethical Investing NZ LtdEthical Investing NZ works with passionate, values-focused people and organisations, helping them to make smart decisions about their money. We provide strategic and integrated solutions in responsible and ethical investment, financial planning, insurance and employee benefits.
Founder and principal Peter Lee has over 30 years experience in financial services including as CEO of the Institute of Financial Advisers. He has developed and launched two responsible investment funds, including an ethical KiwiSaver fund, was a founder director of the Sustainable Business Network, and has been a board member of several nonprofits.
Peter Mence
Chief Executive Officer at Argosy PropertyPeter is the Chief Executive of Argosy Property Limited. An engineer by background, Peter has 40 years of experience in the property industry working with Progressive Enterprises, Challenge Properties, Richard Ellis and Green and McCahill. Peter joined Armstrong Jones (NZ) in 1994 and was appointed General Manager of Argosy (then known as ING Property Trust) in 2007. Instrumental in the rebranding and internalisation of the company’s management, Peter was appointed Chief Executive of the business in 2009.
Peter is a past lecturer in Advanced Property Management at The University of Auckland and is a past President of the Property Council New Zealand. He is a current Trustee of Saint Andrews Village, and the New Zealand Sailing Trust.
In 2013 Peter was honoured with the Stuart McIntosh award in recognition of his contribution to the University of Auckland. In 2021, Peter was honoured as the Property Council New Zealand Members’ Laureate, a lifetime membership awarded once a year to the industry’s most respected leaders. In 2023, Peter received the Supreme Award from the Property Institute.
Greg Munford
Senior Investment Strategist - Sustainable Investment at NZ Super FundGreg Munford is a Senior Investment Strategist with the Sustainable Investment team at the Guardians. With over 15 years in the climate, energy, agriculture, forestry, water and transport sectors spanning New Zealand, Asia, Pacific, Europe and the Americas, Greg has led dozens of successful environment, social and governance (ESG) initiatives with national and international partners, across investment, business, government and multilateral institutions. Greg brings this experience and cross-disciplinary training in physical and social/policy sciences to bear in addressing the NZ Super Fund's risks, opportunities and reporting requirements across the climate, nature and broader ESG spectrum.
Bill Murphy
Executive Director of Purpose Capital Impact FundBill Murphy founded Purpose Capital in 2019 with a mission to use the power of investment to drive social and environmental change and demonstrate a new way to make money work. With a first fund of $22m and additional $21m assets under management, Purpose Capital is the largest private impact investing fund manager in NZ. Purpose Capital invests in companies and projects where the long-term impacts include: environmental regeneration; mitigating climate change; sustainable, secure affordable housing; and social equity.
Diana Papadopoulos
CCO at Booster Financial ServicesDi is passionate about building the financial resilience of all New Zealanders. As the Chief Customer Officer at Booster she is focused on understanding the needs of customers and helping them to get on the financial front foot. Di spearheads the creation of tools, products and support that allows people to unlock their potential.
Vanessa Stevens
Senior Sustainability Analyst at Craigs Investment PartnersVanessa Stevens joined Craigs Investment Partners in September 2017. Prior joining Craigs Vanessa worked in the New Zealand electricity sector at both Mercury and Transpower in various analytical roles focusing on the wholesale electricity market.
Vanessa is a Senior Sustainability Analyst within the Private Wealth Research team; leading the development and implementation of Craigs’ sustainable investment framework.
Vanessa holds a Bachelor of Science from Victoria University with a major in Applied Statistics.
Ross Piper
Chair of RIAA Board and Chief Executive Superannuation at Australian Ethical Investment LimitedRoss Piper is the Chief Executive Superannuation at Australian Ethical, an $8 billion superannuation fund with over 100,000 members across Australia. He has over 25 years of leadership and management experience in corporate and non-profit contexts. Prior to Ross’ appointment with Australian Ethical, he was CEO of Christian Super for 5 years. He also served with World Vision International for several years in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and various countries of the former Yugoslavia.
During his career Ross has held a number of positions in the corporate sector, primarily in investment banking and mining. He was Head of Corporate Risk for Macquarie Bank for several years, and his early professional experience was gained in Indigenous communities and the mining sector, where he worked in the area of training and community development. For six years he served as a Director and Founding Chair of AgroInvest, a large microfinance bank serving rural families in Serbia and Montenegro, and currently sits on various other boards for organisations focused on social enterprise and technology. He is currently Chair of the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (www.responsibleinvestment.org).
Anson Chan
Senior Responsible Investment Analyst at RIAAAnson leads the implementation of the Responsible Investment Standard and Guidance Notes through assessments of financial products. In addition to conducting assessments, Anson contributes to ensuring that Guidance Notes stay refined, up-to-date and fit for purpose through his engagement with RIAA members. Currently, he manages product claims checks within the Certification Program and is responsible for analyst mentorship and management of the Certification Administration Officer.
Anson holds a Master of Arts (major in mathematics), Certificate in ESG Investing (CFA UK) and is a Charted Financial Analyst (CFA). Prior to joining RIAA he was an experienced equity research analyst focusing on emerging markets, and has published equity research as well as ESG thematic reports.
Lily Richards
Creative Director of Pathfinder Asset ManagementWith over 10 years of marketing experience in a variety of industries (such as publishing, creative arts and technology), Lily brings an outsider's eye to the financial industries. Overseeing PR, advertising, communications and brand, Lily is passionate about helping Kiwis harness the power of ethical investing to grow wealth and well-being.
Nayanisha Samarakoon
Head of Policy & Advocacy at RIAANayanisha is a senior lawyer with extensive federal public sector experience in governance, corporate compliance and regulation.
She arrives at RIAA after a long history at the corporate regulator, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). She was the project lead on ASIC’s thematic review into greenwashing by ‘green’ or ‘ethical’ managed funds and superannuation funds. This consisted of a review of the market, close engagement with international regulators and International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), and developing a deep understanding of both the existing Australian regulatory framework and government priorities as well as international development in this space. Through this review, she led a group across ASIC’s Corporations, Superannuation and Investment Managers teams to deliver industry and consumer guidance.
Outside of work, she volunteers as a board member and secretary at Juno Services Inc., a not-for-profit family violence and homelessness service provider based in Melbourne. She is also on the board of Fitted for Work, a charity focused on helping women experiencing disadvantage get work, keep work and navigate through working life.
Gary Shaw
Modern Slavery Specialist at Gary Shaw ConsultancyGary is a former detective and human rights investigator. He spent 4 years working in 12 countries documenting cases of modern slavery. This included working undercover inside criminal networks trafficking women and children into the commercial sex industry. He subsequently founded and directed a New Zealand anti-trafficking organization.
For the last seven years Gary has worked in the private sector as Social Impact Manager for outdoor brand Kathmandu. As Social Impact Manager for KMD Brands he expanded his influence across Rip Curl Australia and Oboz in the USA, implementing a mindset and practice that positioned the company as a recognised global example of sustainable business and a leader within the B Corp movement.
With Deloitte, Gary co-founded The Collaborative Advantage, a working group of New Zealand and Australian business participants who share insights and drive collective action to collaboratively address the social and environmental challenges common to all. He was appointed to serve on the Modern Slavery Leadership Advisory Group, providing guidance and expertise to the New Zealand Government as they formulated a legislative and culturally appropriate response to Modern Slavery.
Working within the public, non-profit and private sectors as well as across numerous cultures and nations has provided him with a unique perspective on business and investment and those factors that facilitate meaningful social, cultural and economic transformation. He currently works as a speaker, trainer and consultant in sustainability and modern slavery.
Frances Sweetman
Head of Sustainability at Milford Asset ManagementFrances is Milford’s Head of Sustainable Investment and a Portfolio Manager of New Zealand equities. Frances joined Milford in early 2017 as a Senior Analyst focused on New Zealand equities. Prior to joining Milford, Frances was a Senior Research Analyst at Craigs Investment Partners, responsible for the New Zealand and Australian equity exposures of the Private Wealth division. Frances has previously worked as an Analyst at Brook Asset Management focused on the property, finance and telecommunications sectors and as an Analyst at Macquarie Bank in Sydney in the institutional equities research team. She holds an MSc in Estate Management from South Bank University, a BA(Hons) in Economics and Business Management from Newcastle University and is a member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.
Dr Rodger Spiller
Founder, Managing Director and Financial Advisor of Money Matters (NZ) LtdRodger Spiller has been involved in responsible investment since the early 1980s. Martin Hawes described him as “undoubtedly the father of ethical investing in New Zealand”.
Drawing on Rodger’s unparalleled expertise, his ethical investment advice company Money Matters has led the field and raised the ethical bar for decades. Money Matters continues to bring clients new, higher impact funds and world-leading responsible investment opportunities.
He has also held several influential leadership roles, ranging from being a former member of the Securities Commission (now the FMA) to bringing the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) to New Zealand. Rodger was a Director of RIAA for over ten years.
Rodger has enriched the field academically, earning a PhD in responsible investment and responsible business in 1999. Rodger was Inaugural NZ Financial Planner of the Year, Inaugural Best Ethical Financial Adviser and the first NZ RIAA Certified Responsible Investment Adviser.
Tan Huynh
Manager at Impact Investing NetworkTan oversees the activities of the Impact Investing Network as enabled by the National Advisory Board.
Tan has successfully raised investments for impact enterprises, most recently at crowdfunding platform PledgeMe. His varied background has taken him across startups, corporate and government in diverse sectors such as investment, technology, creative, economic development and education.
Tan's expertise is in growing the capability and scale of enterprises and sectors through strategic investment and economic development initiatives. He has delivered major projects across New Zealand, Australia, the US, the UK and Vietnam.
Jackson Rowland
Director of Aotearoa New Zealand Stewardship CodeJackson Rowland is dedicated to accelerating the transition to sustainable finance. He is currently the Director of the Aotearoa New Zealand Stewardship Code, and the Program Manager of the Australian Sustainable Finance Institutes capability work, aiming to increase the sustainable finance capabilities of finance professionals.
Jackson was formerly Director of Ākina Invest at the Ākina Foundation, a development consultancy that aims to transform New Zealand’s economy by supporting the development of social impact businesses. In his five years as Director, Jackson launched New Zealand’s first impact investing fund, quintupled the reach of the organization’s investment readiness program and developed advisory partnerships with government agencies and investors to encourage impact investing.
He is passionate about the role of business in shaping our world, and the role investors play in influencing that while protecting value. Jackson is experienced in supporting investors to understand and adopt stewardship, ESG and impact practices, and has advised government leaders and corporations to support this work.
Previously, Jackson completed graduate study as an Obama Scholar at Columbia University in the City of New York, studying sustainable finance. He has also worked with several startups and as a lawyer in one of New Zealand’s leading law firms. He currently serves as a Board Trustee for Make a Wish New Zealand and was previously the Oceania lead for the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community. He holds bachelor’s degrees in law and science from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand and was a member of the 2019 class of the Obama Foundation Leaders program in Asia-Pacific.
Roy Thompson
Co-Founder and Managing Director of New Ground CapitalRoy is co-founder and managing director of New Ground Capital, a specialist impact investment manager known for pioneering New Zealand’s institutional build-to-rent housing and impact investing sectors since 2014.
Over the last 30 years Roy has founded and grown businesses spanning prefabricated housing, investment management and hospitality.
Aside from his business interests, Roy has held senior roles in banking and investment, including a global management position at Deutsche Bank, and a national management role at Westpac.
A keen outdoorsman concerned for the future of our natural environment, Roy and his wife own and operate the Mamaku Point Conservation Reserve on Rakiura Stewart Island.
Jorge Waayman
Manager, ESG Research at Harbour Asset ManagementAs the Manager, ESG Research at Harbour, Jorge is primarily responsible for Harbour’s ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) programme including research and implementation. Harbour’s primary ESG tool, the annual Corporate Behaviour Survey, is overseen by Jorge in conjunction with Kevin Bennett. Jorge holds a first class BCom (Hons) degree in Finance from Victoria University Wellington.