Our Board:

• sets our strategic direction, makes decisions about funding allocations and provides guidance on our operations
• monitors the performance of the Chief Executive and the organisation
• oversees management of strategic risk.

Dr Wayne Ngata, Acting Chair

Ngāti Ira, Ngāti Porou, Te Aitanga a Hauiti

Wayne joined the Board in November 2019 and in 2023 was appointed Deputy Chair. His wealth of experience gives strength to our equity focus and integrates te ao Māori and mātauranga Māori into TEC’s governance processes, particularly in honouring the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi partnership.

Wayne is a strong supporter of the revitalisation of te reo Māori and education models that are underpinned by Māori processes. He has had a number of academic, management or governance roles particularly as Chair of Te Taumata Aronui (MoE) and Te Pae Roa.

Raised in the Tairāwhiti, Wayne resides in Ūawa (Tolaga Bay). He is a specialist in Māori literature, specifically mōteatea, and a long-time practitioner, composer and advocate for haka. Wayne is also a practitioner and active supporter of waka hourua navigation and voyaging, and is currently secretary of Te Hau Kōmaru National Waka Hourua Charitable Trust. He was invested as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2020 in recognition of his continuous contribution to Māori and education.

Dr Alastair MacCormick, Commissioner, Chair Whatitata Whakau – Risk and Assurance Committee

TEC’s longest serving Commissioner, Alastair was first appointed to the TEC Board of Commissioners in May 2017, and appointed as Chair of the Whatitata Whakau – Risk and Assurance Committee in August 2017. He was also the Board's representative on the Programme Governance Board for the Reform of Vocational Education.

Alastair is an Emeritus Professor of the University of Auckland. He holds a Doctorate in Management Science from Yale University and an MCom in Economics and a BSc in Mathematics and Physics from Auckland. For a decade he was Dean of Business and Economics at the University of Auckland and subsequently Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic).

Alastair also served over nine years on the Grants Committee of Callaghan Innovation for the Government support of Private Sector R&D and is a professional director with global experience in both public, private and listed companies.

Alastair’s generosity with his time and expertise is demonstrated in his role as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Elizabeth Knox Home and Hospital (a voluntary role which Alastair has supported for almost 40 years) along with founding the New Zealand Education and Scholarship Trust in 1991. He has also spent 14 years on the Board of Trustees for Auckland Grammar School, serving as Chair of the Board for six years.

Alastair was awarded a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in The Queen’s Birthday and Platinum Jubilee Honours for services to tertiary education and the community.

Kirk Hope, Commissioner

“People are our greatest asset and the drivers of our economy.  Business needs a training and development system to ensure everyone can reach their potential and New Zealand continues to prosper”. 

Appointed in November 2019, Kirk brings strong current business sector knowledge to the TEC Board table. As Chief Executive of BusinessNZ Kirk’s finger is right on the pulse!  BusinessNZ is New Zealand’s largest business advocacy group with approximately 80,000 business connections. 

It is not just his knowledge and understanding of business that Kirk brings to TEC. He has held the positions of CEO of the New Zealand Bankers’ Association, Executive Director of the Financial Services Federation, along with several executive positions in both government and banking industries.

The pairing of business acumen with a strong financial base, a Master’s in Law, an honours degree in political science, easily makes Kirk a great fit for TEC.

Kirk and his whānau recently made the move from suburban Wellington to Tamaki Makaurau. His passion is giving back, so sometime in the future we could see him sharing his wealth of knowledge and business expertise through teaching – perhaps that will be after he finishes PhD in economic history (a long term goal) or when he isn’t surfing.

Vivien Sutherland Bridgwater, Commissioner

"I am on the TEC Board because I truly believe in the power of education to transform individual lives, whānau, and communities." 

Vivien joined the Board in 2018 and in 2020 was appointed Chair of Ohu Tangata – TEC’s People and Culture Committee. Her passion for equity and learner success throughout her career is evident in her support and encouragement of young people in the arts and education.

Honoured in the 2022 New Year honours as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, Vivien leads by example that the world needs more Māori women in governance.

Vivien’s career so far has been stellar – she co-founded Mai FM – a radio station with a purposeful Māori approach and is now New Zealand’s largest urban contemporary radio network. The initial mahi opened the door for Māori to be normalised in mainstream media.  Her work with Save the Children International, as a Trustee for the Sky City Community Trust, and Youthline, as well as Television New Zealand, are a few of her focused governance roles.

Vivien’s role as General Manager, University Relations (a broad portfolio, based on the concept of the customer journey) at AUT University was groundbreaking for AUT, Māori and Pasifika. Recognising that young Māori and Pasfika ākonga needed to see and hear from role models, Vivien assembled a recruitment team including young, edgy and degree qualified Māori and Pasifika people, and focused on the development of the AUT South Campus. Needless to say, enrolments for Māori and Pasifika soared.

Vivien is currently the Chair of the Auckland Theatre Company and was on the original board of ATEED (Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development) and now continues her work encouraging, developing, and mentoring to individuals and businesses, through her consultancy Stillwater Consulting.

Vivian resides in Tamaki Makaurau and is most proud of raising her three children as a single mother while building a successful career.

Samuelu (Sam) Sefuiva, Commissioner, Chair Ohu Tangata – People and Culture Committee

Sam has over 30 years’ experience in public policy, strategic and business advice, cultural and economic development and executive leadership. He has a strong professional and personal interest in the Pacific region particularly in human rights, social enterprise and public policy. Sam joined the TEC Board in January 2023.

Sam has mentored, led and facilitated senior executives in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific in improving international, regional and domestic non-government and community enterprise environments. His strengths are in high level policy advice and relations, strategic thinking, business planning and facilitation.

Currently his leadership roles include: Mana Whakapai-AMPTI (consortium) Manager, Auckland Māori and Pasifika Trades Training Initiative; Board Trustee and Chair Audit Risk Finance Committee, Pacific Business Trust; Trustee, Digital Wings Trust; Chair Generosity NZ; and Trustee Black Grace (Dance) Trust. Previously, Sam was Chief Advisor to the Race Relations Commissioner at the NZ Human Rights Commission.

Sam enjoys spending time with his family and including grandchildren, his wider Samoan fanau and village (Salani, Falealili), as well as some passive recreational activities such as reading, surfing, fishing.

Deidre Shea, Commissioner

"Accessible, quality educational opportunities for all New Zealanders throughout their lives are key to the health and success of our communities and our nation. I am privileged to be able to contribute to this as a member of TEC’s board.”

Commissioned in 2023, Deidre received her Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2022 Queen’s Birthday honours for services to Education.

Deidre held leadership roles with Ōnehunga High School (OHS) from 1995 and was Principal from 2007 until 2022. Her leadership extended to the Auckland Secondary School Principals’ Association from 2008 to 2015 and the Secondary Principals’ Association of New Zealand (SPANZ) 2014 to 2023. She became President of SPANZ from 2019 to 2021, leading through numerous challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic.

Deidre is committed to excellent, lifelong educational opportunities for all. She has overseen the establishment of a Construction School at OHS in 2005, followed by a Services Academy in 2007 and later a Health Science Academy. OHS operates the nation’s largest school-based Adult and Community Education programme.

Deidre has chaired Te Hikoi (formerly the AIMHI Alternative Education consortium) for the past decade and currently also chairs the NCEA Professional Advisory Group for the Minister of Education.

Bharat Guha, Commissioner

Bharat Guha is the current Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the Invercargill Licensing Trust. He is a chartered accountant with extensive experience in the education and hospitality sector.

Bharat has held numerous senior positions as CEO, Deputy CEO and CFO in different New Zealand and overseas organisations. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Bharat was based in London, working as the Group CFO for an LSE-listed company with branches in the UK, Malaysia, Singapore and Nepal.

Bharat was recognised as a Fellow of the Australia New Zealand Chartered Accountants for his financial work on the Zero Fee Scheme for the Southern Institute of Technology. In addition, he has developed and led successful government–private tertiary institution partnerships for attracting international students to New Zealand.

Bharat is a graduate of the University of Otago, undertaking a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Information Systems) and a Master in Business Administration. He also completed the Executive Leadership Programme at Oxford University and the Southland Leadership Academy.

Bharat is committed and passionate about ensuring the future growth of tertiary education in New Zealand.

Alan Bollard, Commissioner

Alan Bollard is Chair of the New Zealand Portrait Gallery. He is New Zealand Governor of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia, a Director of China Construction Bank (NZ), and Chair of the New Zealand Pacific Economic Cooperation Council. He has been Chair of the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Professor of Pacific Region Business at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington, and Chair of the Centres for Asia-Pacific Excellence.

Alan was the Director of the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research from 1987 to 1994, Chair of the New Zealand Commerce Commission from 1994 to 1998, and the Secretary to the Treasury between 1998 and 2020. From 2002 to 2012, he was the Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. He was the Executive Director of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Singapore from 2012 to 2018.

Alan has published a number of economics and popular books. He is a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, a Fellow of Royal Society Te Apārangi, and has honorary doctorate degrees from the University of Auckland and Massey University.

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