Sustainability Advisory Panel

(Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga, Ngāti Rārua)

Rachel is a prominent business leader and a strong advocate for the Māori economy and sustainability in the food and beverage sector.

Her commitment to kaitiakitanga has been evident throughout her career, from founder of sustainable seafood company Yellow Brick Road, to her time as chief executive officer of Māori-owned food and beverage company Kono, and now in her current role as co-founder of business design and brand strategy firm Oho.

Rachel presently chairs Moana NZ and the Wellington Regional Stadium Trust (Sky Stadium). She is a director for Sealord, ANZCO Foods, and The Warehouse Group where she chairs the Environmental, Social Sustainability Committee.  She is a member of the Asia–Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Advisory Council (ABAC), chaired the Council through Aotearoa, New Zealand’s 2021 year of hosting APEC, and this year will lead the Regional Economic Integration Working Group.

Rachel is invested in equity and opportunities for women through sport, and is co-owner of professional women’s basketball team the Tokomanawa Queens, and chair of the Queens Foundation.

Together with his wife Pauline, Adrian manages Dennley Farms Ltd, a 196-hectare fully integrated dairy and dairy beef finishing farm in Tirau.

In recognition of their commitment to environmental stewardship, Adrian and Pauline received the prestigious 2019 Gordon Stephenson Trophy at the Ballance Farm Environment Awards. They were also named the 2019 National Ambassadors for sustainable farming and growing, following their previous success as Farm Business Award winners at the Fonterra Westpac Dairy Excellence Awards.

Adrian holds a Certificate of Specialization in Strategy, with a focus on Sustainable Business Strategy from Harvard Business School. Additionally, he has completed programs in Change Management from the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), Governance Development from Fonterra and has undertaken an Advanced Directors course at the Institute of Directors NZ.

Adrian also serves as the Chairman of Rahinga Dairies in Dacre, Southland, and is an appointed Director of Silver Fern Farms Co-op.

Lou Sanson’s 40-year career has had a strong environmental focus with extensive leadership experience in the natural resources sector. Trained as an Environmental Forester he has achieved a distinguished career leading and transforming two of New Zealand’s most iconic organisations, Antarctica New Zealand, and the Department of Conservation.

Lou’s work with philanthropy and commercial partners (Air NZ, Fonterra, Meridian, Genesis, Fulton Hogan) has achieved win-win ESG Leadership outcomes for Aotearoa New Zealand and commercial entities where our natural resources sit at the heart of our economy. He has comprehensive experience in integration of environmental and social impacts into business. Lou brings with him an extensive track record in environmental and tourism sectoral leadership.

Lou has a Bachelor of Forestry Science (Hons) and was top graduate at University of Canterbury. He has completed a number of executive development programmes at Harvard University, Stanford University, Australia – New Zealand School of Government and New Zealand Institute of Strategic Leadership. In the 2015 New Years’ Honours list he was awarded the New Zealand Antarctic Polar Medal (APM) for services to Antarctic science and diplomacy.