Hon Steven Joyce
Minister of Science & Innovation
21 August 2012 Media Statement
ATI To Be Named After Sir Paul Callaghan
Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce today announced that the Government’s new Advanced Technology Institute
will be named after Sir Paul Callaghan.
“The late Sir Paul Callaghan championed the idea that science could make New Zealand a better place,” Mr Joyce says.
“He believed that science was not only about great ideas, but about getting value from those ideas through innovation
and commercialisation. Those views exactly reflect the ambition of the Institute, so there can be few more appropriate
names.”
The details of the Institute name will be worked through with the Establishment Board and confirmed by Cabinet in the
coming weeks.
Mr Joyce also announced that NZQA Chair Sue Suckling would lead a seven-member Establishment Board tasked with having
the ATI up and running by the end of the year.
Board members are Industrial Research Ltd (IRL) Chair Michael Ludbrook, Plant and Food Research Chair Michael Ahie, IRL
board member Richard Janes, entrepreneur Neville Jordan, Auckland Transport director Paul Lockey, and Australian company
director Michele Allan.
The ATI will be a one-stop shop that will help high-tech firms become more competitive by better connecting them with
innovation and business development expertise within the Institute, around the country, and internationally.
“It will focus on industries with significant growth potential such as food and beverage manufacturing,
agri-technologies, digital technologies, health technologies and therapeutics manufacturing, and high-value wood
products. This will encourage innovation, competition and greater commercialisation in these sectors,” Mr Joyce says.
“The ATI will take over some business development functions that currently sit within the Ministry of Business,
Innovation and Employment. That will include the administration of some business research and development grants.
“This is a high-calibre board with a broad range of skills and experience that will be invaluable in decision-making in
areas such as the Institute’s strategic direction; its infrastructure and staff requirements, the recruitment of a chief
executive, and engaging with stakeholders and staff at a number of agencies that are affected by the Institute’s
formation.
“The Chair will play an executive role until a chief executive is employed, and Sue Suckling’s considerable experience
in change management and governance, including as the establishment Chair of AgriQuality NZ, will be of great benefit.
“With IRL’s functions transferring to the Institute, the presence of Michael Ludbrook and Richard Janes on the Board
will help assure close cooperation at board level in managing a smooth transition with negligible impact on IRL’s
business activities.”
-----------
Brief biographies of The ATI Establishment Board
Sue Suckling has extensive experience in both establishment and change at a governance level, including as Chair of the
establishment of AgriQuality NZ and NZQA. Ms Suckling is an inaugural Fellow of the NZ Institute of Directors, with over
20 years' governance experience covering agriculture, international marketing, electricity, education, health, banking,
science and technology, manufacturing, education, service sectors, communications, and government. She is currently
Chair of ECL Group, Barker Fruit Processors, and NZQA; a director of Sky City Entertainment Group and Restaurant Brands,
and HSR Governance; Managing Director of Acemark Consulting Group; and a member of the Takeovers Panel. Previously Ms
Suckling has been Chair of NIWA, and director and Deputy Chair of GNS. She is a Companion of the Royal Society for her
contribution to science leadership, was awarded an OBE in 1996 for her contribution to business, and this year was given
the Massey University Alumni distinguished achievement award.
Michael Ludbrook is the current Chair of IRL, having been appointed to lead the company through a period of change due to his depth of
experience. He is a management consultant specialising in strategic change and performance-improvement. Mr Ludbrook is
Chair of Southern Cross Aorangi Ltd, and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of New Zealand. He has more
than 30 years’ business experience, including as chief executive in the Australasian transport industry, and the New
Zealand electricity and health industries; and as a director of Aerocool Ltd, Norfolk Southern Cross Ltd, New Zealand
Forest Research Ltd, Te Papa Tipu Investments Ltd, and Da Vinci Robot Ltd. Mr Ludbrook was appointed Chair of IRL in
July 2011, following a term as director of Scion He holds, or has held, a number of directorships and Community Trust
positions, notably as a former Chair of the Waikato District Health Board.
Richard Janes is a current director of IRL. Dr Janes is a Wellington-based company director. His current appointments include Deputy
Chair of the New Zealand Lotteries Commission, and Chair of the Electricity and Gas Complaints Commission. He is an
Accredited Fellow of the Institute of Directors and a member of the Disciplinary Tribunal of the NZ Institute of
Chartered Accountants. Dr Janes is also a director of TelarcSAI Ltd, the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand,
Centreport Ltd, Gallagher Holdings, and Castlepoint Station Ltd. Previously he was Chief Executive of the New Zealand
Game Industry Board, and the Cervena Company Ltd; Director International Marketing at the International Wool Secretariat
(London, Melbourne, New York), Deputy Chair of the state-owned enterprises Landcorp Farming Ltd and AsureQuality Ltd;
Chair of Asure New Zealand Ltd, and Deputy Chair of Merino New Zealand, and a director of Kapiti Cheeses Ltd.
Neville Jordan is one of the New Zealand’s foremost entrepreneurs in the innovation and technology sector, through his companies MAS
Technology Ltd and Endeavour Capital. He is also an experienced director in both the private and public sectors, and is
involved with a number of university spin-out companies. He recently completed a term as President of the Royal Society,
and chaired the Crown Research Institute (CRI) Task Force which has led to reform of the CRI operating environment. He
has a close understanding of the fields of research and business in which IRL is involved. His strong business skills,
international commercialisation experience, and science system understanding will be valuable in guiding the
Establishment Board’s work.
Paul Lockey is a current director of Auckland Transport. He has broad governance experience, having served on subsidiary boards for
Lion Nathan Ltd, and the Board of the Enterprise New Zealand Trust. He brings strategic and corporate finance skills,
including in reporting and risk management, having served for five years as Lion Nathan’s CFO, as owner and managing
director of CSL Traffic Ltd, and as a consultant for McKinsey & Co.
Michael Ahie is a business owner and company director based in Wellington, and current Chair of Plant and Food Research. He is a
founding partner of leadership and business coaching company AltusQ, and a director of a number of companies including
Farmers Mutual Group, Vehicle Testing Group, The Bio Commerce Centre, and MIG Angels. His past roles include senior
roles with Toyota New Zealand Ltd, the New Zealand Dairy Board, and Wrightson Ltd. He brings international business and
governance experience with multinational companies in sales, marketing, global strategy, and business management.
Mr Ahie brings strong governance and strategic skills, knowledge of the CRI sector, and understanding of business
capability development processes to the Establishment Board.
Dr Michele Allan has leadership experience across many facets of the Australian food industry. Her areas of expertise include
manufacturing strategy, organisational strategy, risk and insurance leadership, food safety systems implementation, food
packaging innovation, and commercialisation. Dr Allan has held senior executive positions with Amcor Limited, Bonlac
Foods, Bioinformatics Centre of Excellence Tasmania, Kraft Foods, and ICI. She is currently Chair of William Angliss
Institute; and a director of the HEARing Cooperative Research Centre (a consortium of research, clinical, and industry
organisations), the Grains and Legumes Council, and Forest and Wood Products Australia. She was previously non-executive
director of MG Corporation, and until recently a member of the Food Standards Australia and New Zealand Board, and the
Board of the New Zealand Food Innovation Network.
ENDS