IN TOUCH : Buddle Findlay lawyer named Aspiring Director 2007

She’s lawyer, doctor, mother of three, an author, student and corporate director – to name few. Dr Marie Bismark is now also the recipient of the 2007 Institute of Directors’ Aspiring Director Award.
IOD Wellington branch chairman, Bryan Gundersen, said Bismark was named the winner because of her diverse background and the fact she has already secured significant directorship – on the board of ACC.
“Marie’s combined legal and medical background and training make her well placed to carry out range of significant and diverse governance roles. We felt very strongly that Marie has an exceptional future as company director,” he said.
Bismark works as member of Buddle Findlay’s Wellington medico-legal team, with special focus on health law and patients’ rights. She is also undertaking post-graduate training in Public Health Medicine, and was formerly doctor at both Wellington and Auckland Hospitals.
Her legal work sees her advising health providers, registration authorities, Crown entities and statutory bodies on legal matters and associated ethical and policy issues, and she has had secondments with the Medical Council of New Zealand and the Ministry of Health.
Her major appointments include board member Accident Compensation Corporation and member of Toi te Taiao: New Zealand Bioethics Council.
Bismark says it’s “hard being working mother full stop” and says she could not have realised her achievements without the support of family and friends.
She hopes she’s positioning herself as good role model for her daughters and says she wouldn’t be career-driven if she “wasn’t doing something important that makes difference to [her] children”.
Learning and experiencing the difference between management and governance fascinates her, and it’s boundary she says it’s important to maintain.