The objective of governance and leadership at the Polytechnic is to ensure the organisation develops and maintains a clear strategic direction, sound academic policies and regulations, robust reporting, monitoring and control mechanisms, and engages its key stakeholders.

Council and the Executive Office all play lead roles in achieving this objective.

The Polytechnic is governed by Council, and managed by the Chief Executive.  

Open Polytechnic Council

Chairperson

Graeme Hall – Ministerial Appointment

Graeme Hall is Director/Principal of Rutherford Sloan Ltd, management consultants, Wellington. Prior to that Graeme led the Performance Improvement Practice at Coopers & Lybrand Consulting. He has 20 years experience in leading a wide range of strategic projects, and advising executive management, and governance. He has held senior executive positions in NZ and multinational companies. His governance experience includes Deputy Chair of the Corrections Assurance Board, Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee of the Families Commission, former President of his Rotary club, and as a company director. His term of office commenced on 01 May 2010 and finishes 01 May 2014.

Deputy Chairperson

Dr Alan Barker – Ministerial Appointment

Dr Alan Barker is currently a senior consultant with Martin Jenkins and has extensive experience in public sector reform, strategic planning, organisation review and financial management. He was the head of PriceWaterhouse Coopers education practice in Asia, and has worked in the university and polytechnic sectors and the State Services Commission. He has been an advisor to two Ministers of Education. His term of office commenced on 01 May 2010 and finishes on 01 May 2012.

Council Members

David Hutton – Council Appointment
Chair of Audit and Finance Committee

David Hutton is an independent consultant specialising in financial services and public sector management improvement. He has extensive management experience both in New Zealand and overseas. Commencing his career in the Audit Office, David then held senior positions at Government Life (now Tower), the International Monetary Fund in Washington and ACC, before eight-and-a-half years as Chief executive of Public Trust. Until 2009, he was Chief Executive of the Institute of Financial Advisers. David has a Bachelor of Commerce and Master of Commerce (Hons) from The University of Auckland, a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Public Policy from Victoria University of Wellington. He is a Fellow Chartered Accountant. He has been on Council since 2003 as a Ministerial appointee. Current term of office finishes 01 May 2011.

Dr Ray Meldrum – Ministerial Appointment

Dr Ray Meldrum is currently the Executive Dean of Academic Development at Unitec. He is a Member of the Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia (HERDSA). His term of office commenced on 01 May 2010 finishes on 01 May 2012.

Sue Duncan – Ministerial Appointment

Sue Duncan has 20 years experience in the tertiary education sector, including 12 months as the acting Chief Executive of WITT. She has previously been a member of several boards of trustees including New Plymouth Boy’s High School. Her term of office commenced on 01 May 2010 and finishes on 01 May 2013.

Bill Armour – Council Appointment

Bill Armour is currently General Manager Finance at Vehicle Testing New Zealand Limited. Bill has a background in Corporate Finance having held CFO roles for several organisations, including Hewlett-Packard New Zealand and Computerland New Zealand prior to his current position. He is a past National Councilor and Fellow of The Institute of Chartered Accountants and a former Board of Trustee member at Wellington College. He is also a Member of The Institute of Directors and an Elder of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand. He has been on Council since 2004 as a Ministerial appointee. Current term of office finishes 01 May 2011.

Neville Baker – Council Appointment

Wellington-based Neville Baker (Te Atiawa) has devoted his life to the advancement and uplifting of Maori. He is highly respected in both the world of Maori and the public service, having held the position of Deputy Secretary of Maori Affairs from 1985-87 and Maori Trustee from 1987-90. Throughout his long career in the public service, Neville advised a number of governments on a wide range of issues concerning Maori. He is currently advising a number of organisations, including Te Puni Kokiri, Crown Forestry Rental Trust, Kohanga Reo National Trust and Department for Courts. He is a trustee of the Wellington Tenths Trust and Chairman of a number of runanga and marae organisations. He has been on Council since 2003 as a Ministerial appointee. Current term of office finishes 01 May 2011.

Cliff Daly – Council Appointment

Cliff Daly is a director of Daly Associates providing human resources and employment relations services across the public, private and 'not-for-profit' sectors. Recent work has been with employers in the government, elderly care, disability, transport and retail sectors and with several major trade groups. He was the founding President of EMA Central and a former Director of The New Zealand Employers Federation. Cliff has a strong interest in work-based training and education and is active in community organisations in the Wellington area. He has been on Council since 2007 as a co-opted member. Current term of office finishes 01 May 2011.