Institute of Directors Executive Breakfast Panellists
David Jackson
M’Com (Hons), FCA
David has been a professional Director for 20 years and is currently an independent Director of Mitre 10 (New Zealand) Limited. He is also Chairman of The Dame Malvina Major Foundation.
David was previously Chairman of The New Zealand Refining Company Limited and Tegel Foods Limited, an Independent Director of Nuplex Industries Limited, Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited, Pumpkin Patch Limited and Mediaworks Limited. He was also a member of the Securities Commission.
His professional career as an audit partner with EY spanned 33 years including a period as Chairman. His focus was on major national and international clients including export focused agribusiness, consumable goods, retail, forestry and manufacturing. He has had extensive international experience in Asia, United Kingdom, USA, and South America.
A member of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants since 1975, David was awarded a Fellowship in 1994. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Directors.
Greg Gent, ONZM
Greg began his governance career as Chair of the Ruawai Schools board of trustees, from there to Chair of Northland Dairy Co-op. He led that business into a merger with Taranaki based Kiwi Co-Op Dairies then became Chair and was one of the two Chairs to negotiate the formation of Fonterra. An inaugural director of Fonterra until his retirement in 2011.
Greg was also Chair of FMG Insurance for seven years, a government appointed director on the Northland DHB and Plant & Food Research a CRI. Greg has just stepped down after being Chair of the Southern Cross Healthcare Group for the last seven years. He remains Chair of Ashburton based Dairy Holdings, a board member of Co-Op Business NZ, and is an advisor to the boards of Maui Food Group, and Shanghai Pengxin, both owned by Chinese conglomerates.
Greg received an ONZM for services to governance and the dairy industry.
Greg lives and farms in Ruawai, Northland and enjoys all things equestrian.
Janine Smith MNZM
BCom, MPhil (Hons1st class), Principal – The Boardroom Practice
Janine has been a company director for over 25 years. She is one of the earliest women directors to hold board positions as director and chair in Public Listed Companies and State Owned Enterprises. In 2010 Janine completed a Master of Philosophy on Effective Boards from Inside the Boardroom, and she was also acknowledged in 2015, receiving a MNZM for services to corporate governance.
Janine was a founding member of The Boardroom Practice in 2002. Since then she has been both developing and teaching governance modules including the Fonterra Governance development programme, the Co-Op Mayfield programme and Chairing the Board for the IOD.
She is currently Chair of REANNZ (Advanced Research Education Network), the only independent member of Fonterra’s Governance Development Committee, Council member of AUT, President of the London Business School alumni Auckland chapter, a well- known judge of business awards and a member of ArcAngels and Global Women.
