Two new directors have been appointed to the board of Crown Research Institute Scion.
Tony Allison and Murray Sherwin CNZM have joined the board, effective July 1. They joined existing board members and newly appointed chair Richard Westlake for their first official meeting together in Rotorua on July 25.
Westlake said the latest appointments strengthen the governance and strategic direction of Scion.
“Both individuals bring extensive experience and a wealth of business knowledge to the organisation. I look forward to working closely with them as we guide Scion through a period of change with the Science System Review underway.
“What’s not changing is the value that our scientists continue to add to forestry, advanced manufacturing and industrial biotechnology sectors that drive economic growth for New Zealand, especially in the regions.”
Allison joins the board with a career spanning various executive and governance roles. He is currently managing director and owner of Smiths City Finance. Previous roles include chair of Otago Polytechnic, where he successfully established the transition board and contributed positively to the creation of Te Pukenga. He has held other significant governance roles, at Delta Utility Services, Dunedin International Airport, Mornington Health Centre, Night ’n Day Foodstores and City Forests Limited. He is a Chartered Accountant and a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors.
Sherwin is an economist with over four decades of experience in public policy and various leadership roles across national and international organisations.
His professional history includes appointments with the OECD, the Prime Minister’s Policy Advisory Group, membership of the World Bank Board of Executive Directors, deputy governor and deputy chair of the board of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, director-general and chief executive of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, chair of the New Zealand Productivity Commission and chair of the Innovation Partnership, a Google-initiated collaboration that explored opportunities for smart application of internet technology in New Zealand.
He was also a member of the Thought Leaders Group supporting Te Puna Whakaaronui – a Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) policy group exploring emerging technologies and their potential impact and opportunities for the food and fibre industries.
Sherwin’s current roles include chair of the Plant Germplasm Import Council (a collaboration between MPI’s Biosecurity New Zealand group and the industries engaged in imports of plant germplasm), a member of the Advisory Board of Iron Duke Partners and a trustee of the Reserve Bank Staff Superannuation Scheme.
