John Palmer
Palmer, chairman of Air New Zealand, has been appointed chairman of five-member panel that will assess the qualifications, capabilities and experience of candidates intending to stand for election to the Fonterra Board. Other members of the panel are Fonterra Shareholders’ Council chairman John Monaghan, Shareholders’ councillor Paul Todd, Fonterra chairman Henry van der Heyden and Fonterra director Greg Gent.
The panel will assess candidates’ competency against criteria including governance and communication, strategic thinking, international experience/perspective, business and finances as well as industry knowledge. Its goal is to enhance the electoral process for Fonterra’s farmer shareholders and provide them with better information on the credentials of potential directors.
Nominations for the Fonterra Director Elections open in July with the elections being held in October.
Andrew Murray, Julian Gosse
Two new directors have joined the Blue Chip Financial Solutions board: Murray joins the board as an executive director in his new capacity as deputy managing director of the company. As chief executive of Blue Chip’s Australian operations, Murray was the alternate director to managing director Mark Bryers. He has strong background in the finance, financial planning and investment sectors.
Gosse has been appointed as an independent non-executive director. He has extensive experience in banking and broking both in Australia and overseas. He fulfils the board’s requirement to have another resident Australian director in anticipation of Blue Chip Financial Solutions’ public offer in Australia.
Therese Walsh
Walsh, general manager – corporate services with the New Zealand Rugby Union, has been appointed to the board of Save the Children New Zealand, extending the existing partnership between the two organisations. Save the Children New Zealand is the official charity of the NZRU and the All Blacks. The two organisations have worked together since September 2005 on number of projects, including Save the Children’s annual appeal.