Board members

Jon Mayson

Chair

Jon Mayson was the CEO of the Port of Tauranga Limited from 1997 to 2005 and concurrently CEO of Northport Ltd from 2001 to 2004, as well as serving as a director of associated companies in logistics and port related industries. 
 
Jon came from a Merchant Navy background, as a master mariner, before he took on a marine operations role as a pilot at the Port of Tauranga. This was followed by a role in operational management before becoming Chief Executive Officer. Since 2006 he has been a professional director and consultant and currently chairs the boards of several private companies involved in manufactured exports and logistics. His consultancy work in New Zealand and offshore has been focused around port privatisation and transport logistics.
He is a past president of Export New Zealand, a Fellow of the Institute of Management and a member of the Institute of Directors. He has an MBA in International Management and an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Waikato.
 
He was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) in the 2006 New Year Honours list. Jon joined the NZTE Board in February 2008 and became Chair in April 2008.

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Julie Christie

Julie Christie is the founder and CEO of Eyeworks New Zealand and Australia, formerly known as Touchdown Productions.  The company’s formats have been licensed to 30 countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany.  Julie also owns Sky’s Living and Food channels and two restaurants.
Julie is the recipient of the 2004 Women in Film and Television Award for International Achievement, the 2006 SPADA Independent Producer of the Year, the 2008 Veuve Clicquot Businesswoman of The Year, and was made an Officer of The New Zealand Order of Merit for Services to Film and Television.

Peter Conway

Peter Conway (MA Hons, BCA) is Secretary with the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions. He was previously CTU Economist and Director of Policy. He has been involved in a number of trade areas including the Doha round and union submissions on FTAs. Other relevant areas of work include productivity, innovation, economic development, industry training, and industry strategies.

Karen Fistonich

Karen Fistonich is the Chairperson of the Villa Maria Estate Board and has served on the Board of Directors for more 15 years, following a successful career in international banking with ANZ.
 
Karen has considerable experience in the wine industry. She has been involved in the development of two specialist vineyard companies and in Villa Maria’s Auckland winery, which opened in 2005.
 
Born into a Croatian family, wine has been in Karen’s blood from a young age. She started to show an interest in the family business as a teenager, and worked in the Villa Maria wine shop whilst studying towards her Bachelor of Arts Degree (Psychology) at The University of Auckland.
 
During her mid twenties, Karen worked a vintage at various Château owned or managed by the renowned French wine merchants, Etablissements Jean-Pierre Moueix.
 
Karen is married to Milan Brajkovich, Vineyard Director at Kumeu River Wines, and is a mother of two. 
 
Karen is also a member of the New Zealand Global Women network, which encourages women into senior and leadership roles.

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Charles Finny

Charles Finny is a Wellington based business consultant.  He was formerly CEO of the Wellington Regional Chamber of Commerce (5 and a half years).  Prior to that he had 22 years experience in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Prime Minister's Department.  He has worked in Singapore, Beijing and Taipei.
 
Charles is the Chair of the Education New Zealand Board and on the Boards of the New Zealand Film Commission and Kawarau Estate Limited.
 
He is also on the Council of Victoria University of Wellington.

Robin Hapi

Robin Hapi has extensive experience in the fisheries industry and has held the roles of Chairman of Aotearoa Fisheries Ltd and Board Chair of Sealord Group since 2007.
 
He was previously CEO of AFL for three years and CEO of the former Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commission for thirteen years.
He is currently Chair of BERL, a Commissioner for the Tertiary Education Commission, Deputy Chair of the Council of Te Wananga-o-Raukawa and an Adjunct Professor in the School of Business at Massey University.

Robin has both practical and operational skills at leading large commercial enterprises in the public and private sectors. He has many years of successful experience as a Chief Executive of multimillion dollar enterprises involved in local, national and international economies.
 
His Governance experience includes current membership of important government sector entities and large private enterprises dealing with complex shareholder arrangements and responsibilities.

Robin is a family man and resides in a rural community. He is very much involved in a leadership role with local projects of a Maori, Environmental and sporting nature. He operates a small lifestyle block and has an interest in thoroughbred race horses.
 
Robin is of Ngati Kahungunu descent and is a graduate of Hato Paora Maori Boys College and Massey University where he was awarded the degree of Master of Business Administration (MBA) with Distinction.
 
He was also awarded a Massey Medal in 2002 as one of their distinguished alumni celebrating Massey University’s 75th Anniversary.

Peter Townsend

Peter Townsend is the Chief Executive of the Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce and has held that position since 1996. The Employers’ Chamber has over 3000 members. Peter’s career has centred around exporting and international trade.  Peter holds several corporate directorships and is a Board member of the Ministry of Science and Innovation (MSI) Innovation Board. He is chair of the Territorial Force Employer Support Council. Peter is involved in a range of community groups in Canterbury that are in harmony with the objectives of the Employers’ Chamber.

Peter is the Honorary Consul for Chile for the South Island, a Fellow of the Institute of Directors and a Fellow of the Institute of Management.  Peter has a BSc (Hons) and a post Graduate Diploma in Business.