Barbara Chapman
Independent Director and Chair
Barbara is a highly experienced chair, director and former chief executive with extensive leadership experience across New Zealand and Australian banking, insurance and financial services sectors.
She is Chair and Independent Director of Nippon Life New Zealand NOHC, Chair of Genesis Energy Limited, an Independent Director of Bank of New Zealand and Tourism Holdings Limited, and Deputy Chair of The New Zealand Initiative.
Prior executive roles include seven years as Chief Executive and Managing Director of ASB Bank, together with senior leadership positions at Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Sovereign. Her governance experience includes serving as Chair of NZME, Director and Acting Chair of Fletcher Building, an Independent Director of IAG and Non-Independent Director of Sovereign, Chair of Oxfam New Zealand and a member of the Board of Supervisors of Oxfam International, and Chair of the New Zealand Equal Opportunities Trust.
Barbara was named the New Zealand Herald Business Leader of the Year in 2017 and the inaugural INFINZ Diversity and Inclusion Leader in 2018. In 2019, she was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) for services to business.
Simon Tyler
Independent Director
Simon brings over 35 years of experience in banking and treasury, having held senior roles at both the National Bank of New Zealand and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. He most recently served as Chief Executive of the Government Superannuation Fund Authority and the National Provident Fund for a decade.
Simon currently serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director of Heartland Bank (New Zealand), an independent member of the audit committee for IHC New Zealand, a director of Palliser Estate Wines of Martinborough Limited, a director of NZ Bio Forestry Limited and a trustee of the Fale Malae Trust and the University of Otago Foundation Trust.
Rachel Walsh
Independent Director
Rachel is an accomplished governor and executive leader with over 25 years of experience of commercial leadership and governance roles across global industry sectors including technology, finance, healthcare, infrastructure, education, professional services and manufacturing in New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong and the United States.
Rachel currently serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director of IAG New Zealand, a Director of NZX Limited, where she Chairs the Clearing Committee, a director of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) and is a member of the External Reporting Board Advisory Panel (XRAP). Rachel is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors New Zealand and a Fellow of CA ANZ.
Anne Blackburn
Independent Director
Anne is a highly experienced chair, director and former banking executive with extensive governance, investment and financial services experience across New Zealand’s public and private sectors.
She is Chair of the Government Superannuation Fund Authority, the National Provident Fund, Annuitas Management Limited, Trust Investments Management Limited, Resolution Life New Zealand Limited and the Matatuhi Foundation, and a Trustee of Te Taumata Toi-a-Iwi. She also holds directorships across a range of natural capital investment vehicles associated with MEAG (Munich ERGO AssetManagement), the asset management arm of the Munich Re Group.
Prior executive roles include senior leadership positions with the Bank of New Zealand, where she held responsibilities spanning corporate and institutional banking, capital markets and business risk management.
Her governance experience spans banking, insurance, investments, infrastructure and Crown entities. Previous directorships include TSB Bank, Fidelity Life, Fisher Funds Management, Kiwi Wealth, Meridian Energy, Television New Zealand, AgResearch and Auckland Council property entities. She has also served on advisory boards to the Treasury and Export Credit Office, and has held a range of arts, cultural and community governance roles, including Chair of the Royal New Zealand Ballet.
Keith Taylor
Director
Keith has 30 years of experience as a senior executive and director of major companies in Australia and New Zealand. Keith is a qualified actuary and has contributed to a wide range of sectors including insurance, infrastructure, industrial operations, funds management, property, and regulatory authorities in both the public and private sectors.
Tomonao Gotoda
Director
Tomonao is a senior financial services executive with over 30 years of experience across investment management, corporate planning, governance, and international operations. He is an Executive Officer of Nippon Life Insurance Company and currently serves as Head of Oceania, where he oversees the company’s business operations across the region. He is also a Non-Executive Director for Nippon Life Australia and New Zealand NOHC Pty Ltd, Nippon Life Insurance Australia and New Zealand Limited and Resolution Life Australasia Limited.
Since joining Nippon Life Insurance Company in 1994, Tomonao has held a range of senior leadership roles across the Nippon Life Group, including General Manager roles for Global Business Planning as well as Executive Director of MLC Limited, Public & Investor Relations, and International Planning and Operations. Earlier in his career, he held senior positions at Nissay Asset Management, including Chief Compliance Officer and Head of Corporate Planning, and worked in New York with Nippon Life Insurance International as a member of the Alternative Investment Team. Tomonao holds a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Tokyo.
Shigeru Kuwahata
Director
Shigeru has more than 20 years of experience in the insurance industry, including international business management, finance, governance, and public affairs. He is Deputy General Manager of Oceania Business Unit, Global Business Headquarters at Nippon Life Insurance Company, where he supports governance and integration initiatives across the company’s Oceania businesses. Shigeru holds a Bachelor of Laws from Keio University and joined Nippon Life Insurance Company in 2006.
Before taking up his current role, Shigeru was Deputy General Manager of Global Business unit and oversaw the company’s insurance businesses in Asia. He previously served as Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary of Grand Guardian Nippon Life Insurance, leading business and budget planning and managing board operations. Earlier, he held senior positions at Nippon Life Asia Pacific, including Executive Vice President and Chief Representative of its Yangon Representative Office, where he led approval negotiations for a joint venture in Myanmar.