New Chair and Deputy Chair for our Board

Michelle Tsui has been elected Chair of Foundation North, with Ngaire Rae now in the role of Deputy Chair.

Michelle has been a Trustee on the Foundation’s board since July 2018 and takes over as Chair from Walter Wells, whose first four-year term on the Board ends this year. Walter continues to serve as a Trustee until appointments have been confirmed.

Michelle is a qualified actuary with over 30 years’ experience in the actuarial and investment consulting industry. Originally from Hong Kong, she studied and worked in the UK and has lived in New Zealand since 2002. Now a full-time governor of a variety of organisations, she also puts to work her keen interest in integrating culture by assisting new migrants settle into New Zealand society.

“Our purpose as Foundation North is to enhance lives through responsible guardianship of our investments and focused funding, anchored by our commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi,” said Ms Tsui. “It is an honour for me to help steer our waka with my fellow trustees, so that the Foundation continues to make good progress in aligning social investment to strategy, enabling the kinds of intergenerational social impact that we all want to see.”

Moving into the position of Deputy Chair is Ngaire Rae (also a Trustee since July 2018), who replaces David Whyte. David continues as a Trustee on his second term on the board. Ngaire has lived in Te Tai Tokerau all her life and spent many years working in health promotion throughout the rohe focusing on community development, housing, and child and youth health.

Both appointments are effective from 1 June 2024. Currently Trustee appointments to the board of Foundation North are open. The process is managed by the Department of Internal Affairs and more information can be found here – nominations close at 5pm 14 June 2024.