Governance & Leadership
Te Whakahaere me te Rangatiratanga
The Foundation ensures that good governance practices reflect the nature of the Foundation, its charitable structure and the range of interests of its stakeholders. It is governed by a Board, which is the legal authority for the organisation. The Board provides strategic leadership and oversight, upholding the integrity of the decision-making process and ensuring that its strategic focus, policies and practices are ethical and consistent with The Selwyn Foundation Mission and Constitution. Its members represent the interests of The Selwyn Foundation, both constitutionally and morally. As such, both the Board and its members are entrusted to ensure that the Foundation is soundly managed for the benefit of all through the Chief Executive and Executive Leadership Team.
Board composition and tenure
The Board may consist of up to ten members and no fewer than five, each of whom occupies a ‘seat’ for a three-year term (except seat 10). The Chair is appointed by the Bishop of the Diocese of Auckland (being the President of The Selwyn Foundation), and up to six members are appointed by the Auckland Diocesan Council. Board members may be reappointed for a maximum of 12 years and are eligible for re-election after every period of three years. Board members in seats 1 -7 are communicants in the Anglican Church. Board members appointed to seats 8 -10 should either be communicant Anglicans or declare their support for the ethos and mission of The Selwyn Foundation at the time of their appointment.
The Board may co-opt one member to seat 10 who has special skills or abilities, with such appointments reconfirmed on an annual basis for a maximum of three years. This position may or may not have voting rights at the Board’s discretion.
Governance framework
The Board meets monthly to review the organisation’s achievements, financial performance and charitable activities, and holds an annual Strategic Planning workshop to consider outcomes from the past and plan for the year ahead. The Board maintains a separation between governance and executive action and has delegated the management responsibilities of the Foundation to the Chief Executive. It also has four Committees: Personnel, Operations (Ops), Finance and Investment (F&I), and Social Impact and Mission (SIM) that meet every six weeks to two months. Board and CEO performance, development and succession are managed by the Personnel Committee. Minutes and decisions of all meetings are recorded.
Joint Venture Partnerships
As 51% shareholders in Haumaru Housing LP, The Selwyn Foundation Board appoints three individuals by sit on the Haumaru Housing Board, with the other two Board members appointed by Auckland Council.
Risk framework
The Board and Executive Leadership Team monitor the risk status of the organisation through the respective Committees, including Health and Safety risks.
Annual General Meeting
An Annual General Meeting is held usually no later than 31 October each year and is chaired by the Bishop of the Diocese of Auckland as President of the Foundation. Notice of the AGM is publicised to residents. During the event, the Foundation’s financial statements and annual reports are considered, the appointment/reappointment of the auditor agreed, and the election of Board members confirmed, as required.
A quorum of 15 members of the Foundation is required for an Annual General Meeting (who may be Board members, the Bishop of the Diocese of Auckland, Life Members, individuals who have been admitted as members by the Board on terms and conditions established by the Board, and Selwyn residents). All members, except residents, are entitled to vote on any resolutions put forward, with voting decided on a show of hands. In the case of an equality of votes, the Chair of the meeting will have the casting vote.
Our Board
Meet our Board
Hon. David Cunliffe
Chair
(QSO, BA (Hons), MPA., Dip. Soc. Sci., M.Inst.D, HFIITPNZ, HFCSNZ)
Appointed as Chair early 2020, David has significant expertise in strategic development and in building the capability of organisations to deliver sustainable growth. He has extensive consulting and leadership experience across a wide range of industry sectors, with his skills and networks uniquely spanning central and local government in addition to the business and commerce arenas. David has considerable policy and governance expertise and has held governance roles with The Asia New Zealand Foundation, the New Zealand Business and Parliament Trust, and the Anglican Church. He was a former Minister of the Crown (Health, Immigration, ICT, Assoc Finance, Assoc SOEs) and Leader of the Opposition and Opposition Finance Spokesperson. David is a partner in a leading NZ management consulting firm and was previously at The Boston Consulting Group, a Fulbright Scholar at Harvard University, and a NZ diplomat.
Eru Lyndon
Deputy Chair | Common Director - Selwyn Village Limited
(LLB, MBA (dist.))
Eru Lyndon is of Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Whatua, Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Kahu and Ngati Toa descent. As an executive, Eru was the Regional Commissioner for Social Development, Northland, at the Ministry of Social Development, and the inaugural Public Service Commissioner for Northland on behalf of the Public Service Commission. Eru holds a portfolio of governance roles spanning tourism, health, and sport, and has also held governance roles in the tertiary education sector including as a current member of the University of Auckland Business School’s advisory board.
Eru has experience in pre and post-settlement hapu and iwi contexts, and is proud of the extensive work he has led in relation to the Crown-Maori relationship most recently leading, in partnership with iwi Maori and local government leaders, two regional responses to COVID related lockdowns.
Eru holds a Bachelor of Laws, an MBA (dist. and valedictorian), and has completed executive programmes at IMD (Lausanne, Switzerland), Stanford and MIT (Boston, USA).
Rt Rev Bishop Te Kitohi Pikaahu
(ONZM, LTh, MTh (Oxon))
The Right Reverend Te Kītohi Pikaahu is the Bishop of Te Tai Tokerau and the faith leader to Mihingare (Māori Anglicans) in Northland and Auckland. He has served as a priest within Te Tai Tokerau for more than three decades and as a bishop for over twenty years.
As one of the highest ranking and longest serving indigenous bishops in the global Anglican community, Bishop Kito has advocated for the wellbeing of Māori and indigenous communities and as Chair of the Anglican Indigenous Network of the worldwide Anglican Communion. He has also held senior governance, chaplaincy and advisory roles with kaupapa Māori-based social service providers and with the New Zealand Defence Force and New Zealand Police.
Bishop Kito’s vast knowledge and experience contribute to our greater understanding of Te Ao Maori, as the Foundation deepens its work amongst tangata whenua across Tamaki Makaurau and Te Tai Tokerau.
Rev Dr. Helen Jacobi
(MNZM, BA, Dip Soc Wk, BD, DMin, MInstD)
Helen is an Anglican priest and the vicar of St Matthew-in-the-City, Auckland. She was the first woman to be dean of a NZ cathedral (Waiapu) and also served parishes in Wellington. The focus of Helen’s work has always been supporting practical inner city ministry and the engagement of church in society.
Helen previously served on the Board and as Chair of the Touch Compass Dance Trust, a professional company of disabled and non disabled dancers.
Hamish Bell
Chair, Finance & Investment Committee | Common Director - Selwyn Village Limited
(CMInstD)
Hamish is an experienced independent director and chair with a wide range of governance experience across a range of industries. He has worked in banking, corporate finance, private equity, investor relations, public relations and stockbroking both at home and overseas. A former Partner at PwC and executive at ANZ National Bank, Hamish continues to serve on the boards of various high-profile and successful organisations throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.
Jennifer Gill
(ONZM, BA Dip Tchg)
Jenny has been involved in the philanthropic sector in Aotearoa since 1985 when Sir Roy McKenzie employed her to manage his personal foundation. She has had extensive experience as a trustee and chair of a number of national philanthropic trusts including Philanthropy New Zealand and the J R McKenzie Trust. In 2019 she completed 15 years as the CEO of Foundation North.
Jenny is currently Chair of the MAS Foundation, and a Director of Te Rourou One Aotearoa Foundation. She is regarded as a champion of effective philanthropy, playing a leading role in the development of the sector.
Jenny has completed executive leadership programmes at Stanford and Oxford Universities and was named a Kiwibank local Hero in 2016 and was a Westpac Women of Influence finalist the same year. In 2017 Jenny was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to philanthropy and was the inaugural winner of the Philanthropy NZ - Perpetual Guardian Lifetime Achievement in Philanthropy Award. In 2018 she received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Auckland.
Leadership Team
Meet our leadership team
Denise Cosgrove
Chief Executive
Denise has a leadership career spanning more than 30 years with significant CEO experience leading large, complex operational businesses focused on social and commercial outcomes in the government and not-for-profit sectors in both New Zealand and Australia. Most recently CEO of Presbyterian Support Northern (PSN) for the past five years Denise was responsible for the provision of social and health and disability services in the upper North Island under the brands of Lifeline, Shine, Family Works and Enliven. Her earlier career has included roles as Chief Executive of the Victorian Work Cover Authority in Australia, General Manager (Claims Management and People & Business Services) at ACC, Assistant Auditor General (Strategy) at the Office of the Auditor-General and General Manager (Organisational Development and Communications) at Housing New Zealand Limited. In addition to serving as a Board member with a number of NGO and social enterprise organisations, Denise supports New Zealand’s contemporary art and design sector, especially new and emerging talent.
Rev Diana Rattray
General Manager Spirituality
Diana oversees the chaplaincy team at Selwyn Village and the Selwyn Foundation Chaplains based in Metlifecare villages, and is part of The Selwyn Foundation Executive Leadership Team.
She has served as a priest in both the north and south islands of New Zealand, most recently as Priest Associate of St Matthew-in-the-City, and Vicar of All Saints Anglican Church in Ponsonby
Diana has a Bachelor of Theology and was ordained in 1998, before having roles in Fendalton, Christchurch, Akaroa (Banks Peninsula) and was the Associate Dean of Christchurch Cathedral. She served on governance boards within the wider church and is an alumnus of the Leadership New Zealand Programme.
Diana's role includes providing spiritual leadership, advocacy and relationship management to the Foundation as we advance our Vision of ‘Respectful Ageing for all, within communities that thrive’ – Oranga Mātua | Oranga Tangata.
Anthony Wilson
Kaihautū Mātua | General Manager Tangata Whenua Strategy
Anthony has held senior leadership roles in a number of high-profile Māori organisations within the business and finance sector and retirement village industry, including with Eastcliffe Retirement Group (a joint venture with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei ), Aotearoa Credit Union (a lender to Māori/Pasifika and small business) and with the Māori Development Corporation (a privately owned Māori investment company). Of Ngātiwai/Ngāti Hine/Ngā Puhi descent, his community interests include a governance role as Director of Ngā Whare Watea Ltd (owned by Manukau Urban Māori Authority), and he has also been involved with Pasifika and urban Māori groups in Auckland for over 30 years through his faith-based group.
As Kaihautū Mātua General Manager, Anthony leads the development of strategies to deliver on our social impact objectives with Tangata Whenua.
Liz Hunter
Legal and Risk Manager
Liz Hunter...
