The newly formed Bioeconomy Science Institute, which brings together AgResearch, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, Plant & Food Research and Scion into a single organisation, has appointed the first two people to its new leadership team.
Keri-Anne Tane has been appointed as chief people officer and Quentin Smith as chief financial and operating officer.
The institute says in a statement that Tane has been a human resource leader for 28 years in both the private and public sectors.
Keri-Anne Tane.
She spent eight years at Scion as GM, people, culture & safety and joined Plant & Food Research in July 2024 as director people and culture. Prior to this, Tane also worked with Fletcher Steel, Mercy Hospital, OfficeMax, Unilever, Toi Ohomai, and Te Pūkenga.
As chief people officer at Te Pūkenga she was responsible for executive leadership of people, culture and wellbeing, bringing together 10,000 people from 25 previously separate educational organisations.
Tane has whakapapa to Te Arawa (Ngati Rangiteaorere, Ngati Uenukukōpako) and Te Rarawa. She will be based in Rotorua.
Quentin Smith.
Quentin Smith joined Plant & Food Research in 2018, with responsibility for the finance function and the management of infrastructure and information technology.
The institute says that prior to joining Plant & Food Research, Smith was the director of finance and development for McDonalds Restaurants (New Zealand) with responsibility for the finance, equipment, real estate and construction functions for NZ and the Pacific Islands.
He joined McDonalds in 2002 and held a variety of roles in the finance, operations and property areas.
Smith started his career at Price Waterhouse. He will be based in Auckland.
The Bioeconomy Science Institute was formed on 1 July 2025, with Mark Piper as transition chief executive and Barry Harris as chair. The institute notes that it’s “conducting research to advance innovation in agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture, forestry, biotechnology and manufacturing” and it will “protect and enhance ecosystems from biosecurity threats and climate risks; and develop new bio-based technologies and products”.
It is a Crown Research Institute, owned by the New Zealand Government and governed by an independent board of directors.
