New look Board

By Courtney Ellingham-Prebble 

Seumas Fantham (The Todd Foundation) is the new chair of Philanthropy New Zealand | Tōpūtanga Tuku Aroha o Aotearoa (PNZ) and Tupe Solomon-Tanoa’i (Borrin Foundation) is the deputy chair. 

They were selected by fellow Board members at a Board meeting on Friday, following on from the Annual General Meeting on Thursday 1st December.  

At the AGM it was announced PNZ’s funder members had elected the following trustees: Seumas Fantham; Gemma Slack (individual member); Jeremy Faumuina (individual member); Terri Eggleton (Bay Trust); and Rose Challies (Seed the Change).  

We would like to thank Raewyn Kirkman (DV Bryant Trust) and Duncan McLaggan (Auckland Council) for also standing. 

These trustees join Tupe, who’s elected term continues, and Peggy Luke-Ngaheke - the mana whenua representative on the Board. 

The new Board met to elect the chair and deputy chair, and they also made offers to fill the two seats available for co-option. 

Leaving the Board were Ken Whitney, the former chair. Ken’s outstanding contribution as Board chair and to the sector over many years was acknowledged during the last Board meeting and the AGM. We thank Ken so much for his significant achievements towards the impact and sustainability of PNZ. 

The one-year term of the two co-opted members - Whetū Campbell (Wellington Community Fund) and Leighton Evans (Rātā Foundation) – also ended at this AGM. Whetū and Leighton’s expertise and commitment were also acknowledged. 

Lani Evans was voted in as a new Honorary Member for PNZ at the meeting. We congratulate Lani for this recognition of her outstanding service to philanthropy. 

The membership unanimously voted to support proposed changes to PNZ’s constitution. These changes were mostly minor, but also included giving PNZ the provision to have co-chairs; and that there is an ongoing Board seat for a representative of mana whenua, Te Āti Awa. 

Dentons Kensington Swan were reappointed as PNZ’s honorary solicitor. We have appreciated the significant pro bono contribution of Denton’s Kensington Swan over the years, including acting as scrutineer for voting at the AGM. We are pleased to appoint Moore Markham as PNZ’s auditors. 

We would like to acknowledge Te Āti Awa for generously hosting us at the Wāiwhetū Marae for our meetings.