Senior financial sector leaders united to drive long-term prosperity

Matt is Chair of Toitu Tahua, the Centre for Sustainable Finance. He is also Chair of FirstCape Group, Netball New Zealand, and the Independent Reference Group advising the Ministry for the Environment on the development of a Climate Change Adaptation Framework for New Zealand. 

Matt spent fifteen years working for the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation, joining as General Manager, Private Markets. He became Chief Investment Officer in 2014 and was appointed as CEO in July 2018, finishing in December 2023. During this time, the Super Fund become a globally-respected, high-performing sovereign wealth fund – delivering more than $40 billion in value to New Zealanders. 

Before joining the Guardians, Matt held roles as Head of Financial Sponsor Coverage for non-Japan Asia (Credit Suisse, Hong Kong) and Managing Director (First NZ Capital) and Vice President (Leveraged Finance Group at Credit Suisse First Boston, New York.)

Matt has previously served as Co-Chair of the Aotearoa Circle’s Sustainable Finance Forum, as a member of the World Economic Forum General Agenda Council on the Future of Investing, and as Chair of the InZone Education Foundation. 

Pip is an EY Partner and leader of EY New Zealand’s Climate Change and Sustainability Services team. She has extensive experience in working in sustainability and climate change areas, particularly at its intersection with the finance sector.

Pip led the Sustainable Finance Forum (SFF) Secretariat from 2019 up until the launch of the Centre for Sustainable Finance in July 2021.

Prior to joining EY, Pip worked for a derivatives trading desk at ANZ Bank in Melbourne and London. Pip holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) (Honours) and Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne and is a board member of the Carbon Markets Institute.

Bridget Coates was the establishment Chair of the Centre for Sustainable Finance. She has been Chair of Fonterra’s Sustainability Advisory Panel to the Board and is presently Chair of Koi Tu (a think tank based at the University of Auckland). She is also Chairperson of Comvita Ltd, a Director of Yealands Wines Ltd. and Director and Trustee of Mindful Money, a charity with a focus on encouraging responsible investment.

She has been a Governor of the NZ Superannuation Fund and a Director of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. Bridget has also been a Director of public companies, Sky City Limited and Fisher & Paykel Appliances Holdings Limited. She was formerly CEO of Carter Holt Harvey Plastic Products and Director of Research for CS First Boston NZ Ltd as well as being a Member of the University of Auckland Council. She holds degrees in arts, economics and finance from the University of Auckland and also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst qualification: she is a Chartered Member of Institute of Directors.

Michele has over a decade of experience as a Chair and Board Member for various private, non-profit, and public sector entities. Her roles include Chair of the External Reporting Board (XRB), Chair of Transpower New Zealand Limited, and board member of AIA New Zealand Limited, IAG New Zealand Limited, Kiwi Property Group Limited, Toitū Tahua – The Centre for Sustainable Finance, and the Australian Financial Reporting Council.

Michele chaired PwC New Zealand from 2016 to 2020, was a partner for 15 years, and held leadership roles in New Zealand and Asia. She is dedicated to promoting diverse and inclusive leadership in New Zealand. Michele co-chaired Champions for Change from 2018 to 2020 and served as Deputy Chair of Global Women from 2011 to 2018.

She is a CAANZ fellow, an INFINZ fellow, and a member of the Institute of Directors.

Fonteyn Moses-Te Kani (Ngati Porou, Ngati Maniapoto, Ngai Tahu, Tuhoe) is Poutiaki – Director, Māori strategy and indigenous inclusion at Westpac New Zealand. She is also a Director of Te Waiu O Aotearoa Trust and Tui Trust, and Co-chair of – Tāwhia – the Māori Bankers Rōpū. She has over 30 years’ experience working with Māori and Iwi businesses, Maori land collectives and community development.

This whakatauki is a reflection of Fonteyn’s view of what do for those that we are of service too.

Ka Whangaia, Ka Tupu, Ka Puawai: That which is nurtured grows and blossoms.

Simone was the former Assistant Governor and General Manager of Governance, Strategy and Sustainability at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. She was responsible for the Bank’s strategic planning and performance function, communications and audit teams, and the Board secretariat.

Simone was also responsible for leading and co-ordinating bank-wide strategies including Climate change, Te Ao Māori and South Pacific remittances. Simone brings with her a wealth of public and private sector experience, including successfully managing the role of Director of Strategy, Risk and Assurance at the Financial Markets Authority, as well as previous experience with the Securities Commission and in the private sector in banking and wealth management, and legal firms.

David (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu) is the Investment Manager of Endowments at Ngāi Tahu Holdings. He commenced working for Whai Rawa in October 2011. Prior to joining Whai Rawa, David worked in the finance and banking sectors in London for 20 years, holding positions within RBS/NatWest Bank prior to his return to Aotearoa New Zealand.

David is the Chair of Te Poho o Tamatea Ltd, a holdings company of Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke (Rūnanga) and a Trustee at Mindful Money and Trustee at The Christchurch Foundation.

David has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Massey University.

Chris is a public servant with over 20 years’ experience in New Zealand and overseas. He has held leadership roles at the Treasury responsible for the Crown’s portfolio of commercial and financial entities, commercial transactions, infrastructure policy and PPPs, housing, climate change and energy policy. He has delivered projects including the sale of minority stakes in Meridian Energy, Genesis Energy and Air New Zealand, the transfer of social houses to community housing providers, the establishment of Te Waihanga/New Zealand Infrastructure Commission and the establishment of New Zealand’s Sovereign Green Bonds Programme.

He spent three years as a policy advisor to the Prime Minister in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet on economic strategy, macro-economic issues, fiscal strategy, the Budget, tax policy and commercial ownership policy, and served for two years as New Zealand’s Alternate Executive Director at the board of the International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC. Chris holds a Bachelor of Arts (English) (Honours) from the University of Leeds and an MBA (Distinction) from Victoria University.

David has extensive experience in financial and non-financial boards. He is Acting Chair of NZ Green Investment Finance, a director of Hiringa Energy Ltd, the Social Investment Board and of Brightlight NZ; he is a former Chair of the Impact Enterprise Fund and of the NZ National Advisory Board on Impact Investing, and a former Director of Whai Rawa Fund Ltd. He is a member of the Sustainability Committee for LGFA, and a member of the Advisory Board for Auckland University Business School. He also sits on an overseas board for LOLC Group, El Oula Microfinance Company Egypt.

Before moving to New Zealand, David was the Managing Director of Oikocredit International, a large private sector development finance and impact investing company based in the Netherlands. Born and raised in Ireland, he is a graduate of Harvard University.