Institute of Directors Announces Distinguished Fellows
The Institute of Directors is pleased to announce eleven Distinguished Fellows for 2006.
Distinguished Fellow Awards are awarded annually to members who have sustained a prominent and distinguished career as a
director; or who have given outstanding participation and services to the Institute or eminent or special contributions
to the community or business.
The 2006 Distinguished Fellows are:
Colin Andrew Neilsen Beyer Colin Beyer was admitted to the bar in 1962 and practised law in Wellington for more than
four decades specialising in company and securities law and mining law. He has acted for a number of listed companies
and is currently a member of the Securities Commission. He was Chairman of the Accident Compensation Corporation,
Government Property Services Ltd., Capital Properties NZ Ltd., Tower Corporation, Tower Ltd. and Summit Resources Ltd;
and a director of Capital Power Ltd and TrustPower Ltd. He served as a Porirua City Councillor and was a ministerial
appointee on the Wellington Area Health Board and the Wellington Polytechnic Board. He has been Honorary Consul-General
of Finland for 13 years and is currently Dean of the Consular Corps in Wellington. Geoffrey Thomas Bowes, MNZM A
graduate of the Royal Military College Duntroon, and of the RNZAF Command and Staff College, Geoffrey retired from the
Army in 1979 as a Lieutenant Colonel with qualifications in HR, politics and public administration. He was CEO of the
IoD for 12 years and is considered one of the leading world authorities in corporate governance. He is currently CEO of
the Commonwealth Association for Corporate Governance, Chair of Building Connextions Ltd. and The Boardroom Practice.
Previously he was founding Chairman of Planet Earth, Chair of the Copthorne Hotel Commodore Ltd. and GPR Dehler Pty.
Ltd. and Deputy Chair of Synergy International Ltd.
Robert Adam Burnside Farmer and company director Robbie Burnside currently farms near Balclutha and as a young farmer
was involved at all levels in the Young Farmers’ Movement. He was a Nuffield scholar in 1972 and was Chairman of the
Apex Group, Copax New Zealand Ltd., the Otago Power Ltd., Balclutha Saleyards Ltd. and Telford Farm Institute Board. He
was a director of B.Brooks of Norwich, and the South Otago Hospital Board. Robbie has served 33 years on the board of
PPCS, chairing it for over 17 years and continues as a director. Currently he chairs Farm Enterprises (Otago) Ltd. and
is a director of Clutha Community Health Ltd. and Balclutha Saleyards Ltd.
William John Falconer, CNZM Bill Falconer is a professional company director, having chaired and directed many of New
Zealand’s large companies and several Government enterprises. He worked in the overseas trade division of the Department
of Trade and Industry both here and overseas, and in 1976 became a director of the Liquid Fuels Trust Board, then became
Deputy Secretary of Energy. He was appointed Chief Executive of Petrocorp, then Fletcher Challenge, where he held
several senior appointments in the Energy Division. His past chairmanships include Natural Gas Corporation Ltd.,
Southern Petroleum NL, Maui Development Ltd., Port Taranaki Ltd., Restaurant Brands (NZ) Ltd., ACC, St. Luke’s Group
Ltd., ERMA and the NZSE Market Surveillance Panel. He was also a director of the New Zealand Refining Co. Ltd. and
TrustBank NZ Ltd. Currently Bill chairs Hellaby Holdings Ltd., the Meat Industry Association, Oyster Bay Marlborough
Vineyards Ltd. and is a director of Westfield Trust (NZ) Ltd., Tower Ltd. and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
Ian James Farquhar, QSM Dunedin businessman, director and author Ian Farquhar is probably best known for his long
association with and his outstanding contribution to the Otago port authority. He joined Tapley Swift Shipping Agencies
Ltd. in 1949, becoming Managing Director in 1988. He was Chairman of the Otago Harbour Board and Port Otago Ltd. He is a
Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, London and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and
Transport in New Zealand. Ian was Deputy Chairman of Reid Farmers Ltd., Chairman of R F Wool Scour Ltd., and director of
other Reid Farmers’ associated companies. He was President of the Dunedin Philatelic Society, the Friends of the Hocken
Collections Inc., the Otago Peninsula Trust and the Nautical Association of Australia. He is the Patron of the
International Sailors’ Society of New Zealand and an honorary member of the New Zealand Ship & Marine Society. Ian was Honorary Consul for Sweden and has received numerous community awards including the QSM. He is
the published author of many articles and books on shipping history.
John William Gilks John Gilks is a professional director whose earlier life was spent as a public chartered accountant
in Dunedin. He founded Motor Trade Finances Ltd. and was its Managing Director for 22 years. He was also President of
the Otago Chamber of Commerce and the Dunedin Rhododendron Trust. He has been a director of Arthur Barnett Ltd., the
Electricity Corporation of New Zealand and the National Bank of New Zealand among others. He is currently Chairman of
Port Otago Ltd. and of Receivables Management (NZ) Ltd., and is Deputy Chair of Fisher and Paykel Appliances Holdings
Ltd. He is a director of Fisher and Paykel Finance Ltd., Dunedin City Holdings Ltd. and its subsidiaries, Business
Mentors Ltd., Botry-Zen Ltd. and other smaller companies.
Richard Barton Johnson, QSO After studying agriculture both in New Zealand and overseas, Richard took over the
management of the family owned Mt. Torlesse station. He was a director of Selwyn Plantation Co. Ltd; the Canterbury
Jockey Club, the Tawera Pest Destruction Board and President of the Canterbury and Malvern A and P shows, the New
Zealand Ski Association and the New Zealand Jet Boat Association. He was Chairman of the North Canterbury Catchment
Board which later became the Canterbury Regional Council. Richard is currently Chairman of the Christchurch Cathedral
Foundation and was awarded the QSO in 1999 for public service. He is the Honorary Consul for Mexico.
Alison Mae Paterson, QSO Alison Paterson has held positions on around twenty boards, mainly in the areas of agriculture,
health and infrastructure. She currently chairs the Electricity and Gas Complaints Commission, BPAC New Zealand Ltd.,
the National Research Centre, Growth and Development (University of Auckland), Ambulance NZ, Emergency Response
Committee and is Deputy Chair of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. She is a director of Abano Healthcare Ltd., Metrowater
Ltd., Nga Pae O Te Maramatanga. She is a councillor at Massey University and Barnardos. She has been Chairman of
Landcorp Farming Ltd., Waitemata Health Ltd. and DHBNZ and a director of Transpower NZ Ltd., Wrightson Ltd. and Health
Benefits Ltd. She was a member of the NZX Surveillance panel and was awarded the QSO in 2000 for services to business.
Trevor Donald Scott Trevor is a professional company director and founder of T D Scott & Co. He has served on numerous boards since 1986 involving the publishing, manufacturing and hospitality industries. He
was Chair of Blis Technologies Ltd., the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Science Ltd. and Steele Bros. Ltd. He was a
director of Countrywide Banking Corp Ltd., Donaghys Ltd., Radioworks Ltd., Dunedin International Airport Ltd., Shotover
Jets Ltd. and Scenic Circle Ltd. and was financial advisor to NZPA and number of regional newspapers. He is currently
Chairman of Arthur Barnett Ltd., Harraway and Sons Ltd., Mercy Hospital Dunedin Ltd., Pacific Edge Biotechnology Ltd.
and Tamahine Holdings Ltd and is a director of Argent Group Ltd, Hirequip Ltd, ING Property Trust Management Ltd, Neuren
Pharmaceuticals Ltd, New Zealand Seed Fund, Scott Technology Ltd., Tasman Farms Ltd. and Whitestone Cheese Ltd.
Brian Hughson Tolley Brian Tolley has had an in depth career in the electricity industry, as a manufacturer, consultant
and venture capitalist. He created Natural Systems Ltd. to establish electricity generation on dairy farms and a new
form of hydro generation. After studying overseas, he joined and later became Managing Director of the family firm
Tolley and Son Ltd. He was Chairman of Cube Billing Ltd., and Total Metering Ltd. (now Energy Intellect Ltd.) His past
directorships include Ivon Watkins Dow Ltd., New Zealand Industrial Gases and Clyde Engineering Ltd. Brian was President
of Wellington Manufacturers Association, Vice President of the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation and Chairman of the
Japan New Zealand Business Council. He was also on the Government Manufacturing Development Council and was Chairman of
the Government Energy and Minerals Advisory Council.
Donald Gordon Trow Don Trow was Professor of Accounting at Victoria University. He is a past director of the NZX and of
the Northland Co-operative Dairy Co. Ltd. a trustee of the New Zealand Law Foundation and a council member of the New
Zealand Society of Accountants. He is currently Chair of the Equiticorp Advisory Committee, of the NZX Discipline
Committee, Smartshares Ltd., the audit committee of the Royal Society and a director of Ryman Healthcare. He has been a
regular contributor to the IoD’s prestigious Company Directors’ Course since its inception nearly 20 years ago.
ENDS