Speakers

Sophie is NZTE Lead and Commercial Advisor for the NZ-UK FTA and NZ-EU FTA

She has nearly 10 years’ experience in the NZ Inc environment including time as a Ministerial Advisor, in New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Leadership & Strategy Teams and working with New Zealand Exporters as a Customer Manager. Sophie was seconded to the High Commission in London to head up NZTE’s planning, engagement and successful implementation of the NZ – UK Free Trade Agreement. With the UK FTA underway the role rapidly evolved to oversee the now ratified NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement and to continue to assist New Zealand Exporters to take up the opportunities these agreements present and support to navigate particular challenges of the UK and EU markets, namely Brexit and Sustainability policy.

Timothy is an NZTE Commercial Advisor Food and Beverage UK/ Ireland.

He has three decades of experience within the Wine & Spirits sector including selling and marketing in the domestic market and heading Exports Globally for Nobilo Wine Group in the 2000s, through its growth and inclusion into Constellation Brands. Most recently, previous to joining NZTE in 2021, Tim was Vice President of Constellation Brands EMEA. Tim has worked across North America and EMEA with a large portion of time in market within the USA, UK, Nordics, Russia, Switzerland, UAE and Germany.

Stephen Franks is a lawyer in law firm Franks Ogilvie. He’s had commercial mānuka honey apiaries on his land since 2006, shortly after two terms in Parliament as an MP with the ACT Party. For the first few years he worked in partnership with the beekeepers.

Before he went to Parliament, Stephen’s legal practice was mainly commercial, specialising in capital markets, mergers and takeovers. Since then it has focused more on public law, including advice on cooperative and corporate structures. Stephen and his firm have developed specialist expertise in taking policy to the government and Parliament, building on experience that started with law drafting for the government.

Nathan Guy took over as Apiculture New Zealand’s Independent Chair in July 2022. Nathan has a rich background in the primary sector, being a former Minister for Primary Industries and a dairy farmer.  He brings a strong understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by the apiculture sector and knowledge of the key areas including biosecurity and honey regulations as well as experience of international markets and consumers.

Kristen has had a long career in governance and executive management roles in both iwi, philanthropy and in the wider finance industry.

Kristen is presently Chair of Mercer New Zealand a subsidiary of global investment firm Marsh McLennan and a Ngai Tahu Holdings Corp director. She is also the Executive Director of Te Pitau Limited, a NZ Mānuka industry and Māori entity.

Kristen was also a previous Chair of Whai Rawa Fund Limited, Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu’s managed investment scheme and the first female director appointed to Ngāti Porou Holdings Company. Previous held directorships also include, ASB Community Trust and Aotearoa Credit Union.

After completing an LLB/BA Kristen commenced her corporate career with KPMG and a short stint at Minter Ellison while later leading the development of the first corporate wide Māori banking strategy for a large New Zealand bank.

Kristen is from Te Whānau a Tarahauiti hapu, Rangiata Station, East Cape and from a number of hapu in Te Waipounamu. Her mother is Australian. She is married to Barry Soutar and they have five children together and live in Gisborne.

Niha has worked for the past 10 years in various roles in the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). Prior to joining the Management Agency, she led and managed post-border biosecurity responses to complex pests and pathogens in the Response Group in Biosecurity New Zealand (MPI), in collaboration with mana whenua, industry and non-industry partners.

Niha is passionate about driving a system and education change for eliminating AFB in New Zealand, through her understanding of complex biosecurity issues and in partnership with the sector.

Randy Oliver sees beekeeping through the eyes of a biologist.  He now helps his sons to run a commercial beekeeping operation of around 1500 hives in the foothills of Northern California, managing them for migratory pollination, nuc sales, and queen and honey production — freeing Randy to engage in full-time in beekeeper-funded research projects.  Randy analyzes and digests the scientific research, and is in touch with beekeepers and researchers from all over the world, not only to broaden his own depth of knowledge, but to figure out best management practices for beekeepers everywhere, which he then happily shares through his various articles in bee magazines, speaking engagements, and on his website: www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

Sarah Wilson is the General Manager of Advocacy and General Counsel at New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW). Sarah’s work covers regulatory and compliance matters related to winegrowing, both within New Zealand and overseas. As General Counsel she also provides support to the Board and the wider organisation on legal and governance matters, including coordinating NZW’s most recent votes under the Commodity Levies Act in 2021.

Prior to joining NZW in 2018, Sarah spent several years as a criminal prosecutor specialising in regulatory matters. She has also worked in public law and commercial litigation.