Board of Directors

Ken Benson

Ken has extensive experience as a senior executive in leading telecommunications companies such as British Telecom, Telstra, and Telecom New Zealand.

Today, he manages his own consultancy business focusing on strategic planning, business development and business case formulation, project management and delivery. Other experience includes executive accountability for international business; wholesale and operations. He has also served as Chairman/Director on numerous boards.

Ken is very focused on people and building great teams. He has coached and mentored numerous individuals with excellent results.

Taari Nicholas

Taari Nicholas (BMS, DipDevSt, CSAP, CA, AMInstD) is a chartered account with extensive experience at senior levels in funds management and investment banking.

He is director of Ngati Awa Group Holdings Limited, Ngati Ruanui Holdings Limited, Paininihi ki Waitotara Incorporation, and Singapore investment bank Aegis Private Capital Pte Ltd. He is chairman of the Kordia Audit Committee.

Rhoda Holmes

Rhoda Holmes has an extensive background in the telecommunications and ICT industries in the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

Currently running her own consulting business, Raghnall Ltd, she was formally CEO of Optimation New Zealand. She has over 20 years of industry experience, including seven years leading key aspects of Telecom/Gen-i’s Transtasman ICT business.

Rhoda holds an MSC in Telecommunications Engineering and Business Management, and is a Director of Kordia Solutions.

David Clarke (Chairman)

David Clarke (BE (Hons), ME, BBS, and MBA) is a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Management, a member of the Royal Society and member of the NZ Institute of Directors.

He recently joined Cranleigh Merchant Bankers in Auckland as a Director. He has been inaugural Chair for multiple leading high-technology companies (including Orion International – New Zealand’s leading software exporter), and has strong commercial and governance skills.  

Janine Smith (Deputy Chair)

Janine Smith (BCom) is an Auckland-based busniess advisor specialising in boardroom practice and organisational change.

She is a Director of The Warehouse Group Limited, The Boardroom Practice Limited and Chairman of McLarens Young NZ Ltd, and a member of Advisory Boards within the tertiary education sector.

She as previously Chairman of Custom Fleet New Zealand Ltd, Deputy Chairman of Airways Corporation, a Director of the Bank of New Zealand and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, a trustee of Venture Taranaki Trust, and General Manager and Executive Director of Arnott’s NZ Ltd and Telecom Directories Ltd. Janine is an Alumnus of the University of Auckland, and London Business School.

Phillip Meyer

Phillip Meyer (AFInstD, FNZIM, FAIM) is currently Chairman of the Australian Financial Services Group, the New Zealand Institute of Management Inc and its Central Board, and Deputy Chairman of the Wellington Zoo Trust.

He is Director of the Southern Cross Healthcare group of companies, and Chairman of the Wellington Regional Orchestra Foundation Inc, and the Institute of Financial Advisers.

Phillip is a member of the Disciplinary Tribunal of the Institute of Chartered Accounts of NZ and the NZ Markets Disciplinary Tribunal, and a Trustee of the Young Enterprise Trust as well as Crown Monitor of the Whanganui District Health Board.

Lorraine Witten

Lorraine Witten (BMS (Hons), CA) has 20 years experience in a range of senior management, finance and director roles.

Lorraine was General Manager of Telecom Mobile until 2001 and these Executive Chairman and major shareholder of telecommunications company CallSouth, which was sold to TrustPower in 2007.

She is currently a Director of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, Chairman of Sapphire Currency Fund, and Managing Director of Simply Security Ltd.