OUR BOARD

Joan Withers MBA, CFinstD

Chair & Independent
Non-Executive Director

Joan has been a professional director for more than 20 years and spent over 25 years working in the media industry, previously holding CEO positions at The Radio Network and Fairfax Media. In addition to her Chair role with The Warehouse Group, Joan is also a director of ANZ Bank NZ Limited, Origin Energy Limited and Sky Network Television Limited and Chair of the Appointments Panel for Fonterra farmer-elected directors. She has previously held Chair positions at Television New Zealand Limited and Auckland International Airport. Joan is a Trustee of the Sweet Louise Foundation and is Chair of a steering committee working to increase the percentage of South Auckland Māori and Pacific Island students taking up roles in the health sector. She is also co-founder and a director of On Being Bold Ltd, a group of senior businesswomen working to help New Zealand women fulfil their career potential in tandem with enjoying a fulfilling personal life.

COMMITTEES

  • Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee (Chair)
  • Audit and Risk Committee
  • Disclosure Committee
  • People and Remuneration Committee
  • Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee
  • Environmental and Social Sustainability Committee

OTHER DIRECTORSHIPS

  • Sky Network Television Limited
  • ANZ Bank NZ Limited
  • Sweet Louise Foundation (Trustee)
  • Origin Energy Limited
  • On Being Bold Limited
Antony (Tony) Balfour BCom

Independent Non-Executive Director

Tony has extensive global retail and eCommerce experience with a strong track record in a diverse range of industries. Most recently, he was General Manager (Markets) for Icebreaker Clothing, with responsibility for the company’s global business units in New Zealand, Australia, USA, Canada, Europe and Asia as well as the development of the company’s rapidly growing eCommerce and retail business units. His prior experience includes senior roles in Monster.com and Seek.com, both successful online recruitment sites, and nine years in global senior roles with Nike, including General Manager of Asia Pacific. Tony’s governance career has included independent director roles at Silver Fern Farms, Methven Limited, Les Mills International and RealNZ.

COMMITTEES

  • People and Remuneration Committee (Chair)
  • Corporate Governance and Nominations Committee
  • Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee
  • Environmental and Social Sustainability Committee

OTHER DIRECTORSHIPS

  • Les Mills International Limited
  • RealNZ Limited
  • Pioneer Energy Limited
  • Bluelab Limited
  • Ravensdown Ventures Limited
Rachel Taulelei LLB Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga

Ngāti Rārua Independent
Non-Executive Director

Rachel is a prominent business leader and a strong advocate for the Māori economy, valuesbased business models, and New Zealand’s food and beverage industry. Her commitment to kaitiakitanga has been evident throughout her career, as founder of sustainable seafood company Yellow Brick Road in 2006, to her time as CEO 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 has held a number of governance roles, with particular expertise in primary industries. She presently chairs Moana NZ and the Wellington Regional Stadium Trust, serves as a director on the board of Sealord Group Limited and ANZCO Foods Limited, is a member of the APEC Business Advisory Council, acts as an advisor to venture capital firm Movac and chairs the Fonterra Sustainability Panel.

COMMITTEES

  • Environmental and Social Sustainability Committee (Chair)
  • People and Remuneration Committee
  • Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee

OTHER DIRECTORSHIPS

  • Wellington Regional Stadium Trust (Chair)
  • Moana NZ (Chair)
  • Sealord Group Limited
  • ANZCO Foods Limited
  • Advisory Board Member – Movac
  • Limited Partner, Movac Fund 5 LP
  • New Zealand APEC Business Advisory Council (Member)
  • Fonterra Sustainability Panel (Chair)
Julia Raue CMinstD, GAICD

Independent Non-Executive Director

Julia has extensive digital, customer, data, strategy and business transformation experience across a number of sectors including airline, telecommunications, local government and not-for-profit in New Zealand and Australia. She has a strong track record of delivering award-winning, innovative, customer-facing products and services. Julia has been a professional director for eight years, holding governance roles across a range of sectors including media, broadcasting, energy, retail, insurance, technology and healthcare. She has previously held director positions at Television New Zealand Limited and Z Energy Limited. Prior to governance, Julia was the Chief Information Officer of Air New Zealand, and in 2009 she was awarded the New Zealand CIO of the Year award.

COMMITTEES

  • Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee (Chair)
  • Audit and Risk Committee
  • Environmental and Social Sustainability Committee

OTHER DIRECTORSHIPS

  • Jade Software Corporation Limited
  • Southern Cross Medical Care Society
  • Southern Cross Healthcare Limited
  • MOVE Logistics Group Limited
  • Southern Cross Health Trust (Trustee)
  • Global Women NZ (Trustee)
  • New Zealand Rugby Appointments and Remuneration Committee (Chair)
Robert Tindall BA, BSc

Non-Executive Director

Robbie was elected as a director of the Group in November 2020, having previously been Sir Stephen Tindall’s alternate director since 2017. He studied Arts and Science at the University of Auckland before spending eight years at The Warehouse in various merchandise and buying roles. Since 2011 Robbie has been an Investment Director at K One W One, a family investment company, where his involvement in some of New Zealand’s most exciting technology and innovation companies sees him uniquely placed in understanding a broad range of technology trends as they come to market. Robbie is also a Trustee of The Tindall Foundation and the Finn Lowery Foundation.

COMMITTEES

  • Disclosure Committee
  • Corporate Governance and Nominations Committee
  • People and Remuneration Committee
  • Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee

OTHER DIRECTORSHIPS

  • K One W One Limited
  • Foundation Services Limited
  • The Tindall Foundation (Trustee)
  • Finn Lowery Foundation (Trustee)
Dean Hamilton BCA

Independent Non-Executive Director

Dean has significant CEO and financial markets experience. Most recently he was CEO of Silver Fern Farms Limited, where he led the business successfully through a period of significant change and improvement in financial performance, staff and supplier engagement, sustainability, and consumer trust in brand. His prior experience includes 12 years at global investment bank Deutsche Bank, working in both Australia and New Zealand, where he advised a wide range of companies on mergers and acquisitions, capital management, corporate restructuring and capital raising.

COMMITTEES

  • Audit and Risk Committee (Chair)
  • Disclosure Committee (Chair)
  • Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee
  • Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee

OTHER DIRECTORSHIPS

  • Fulton Hogan Limited (Chair)
  • Auckland International Airport Limited
  • Tappenden Holdings Limited
  • Ryman Healthcare Limited (Chair)
John Journee BCom, CFinstD, MAICD

Independent Non-Executive Director

John has had an extensive retail career, including executive experience across sectors that span general merchandise, fashion apparel, FMCG, consumer electronics, telecommunications, hospitality and electricity retailing. Over his 30 year career he has spent 15 years with The Warehouse Group, starting as a joint-venture partner in 1990 and progressing through senior roles in operations, marketing, merchandise, international sourcing and business development. John has also held CEO roles with Noel Leeming and foodservice distributor Southern Hospitality

COMMITTEES

  • Audit and Risk Committee
  • Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee
  • Environmental and Social Sustainability Committee

OTHER DIRECTORSHIPS

  • Farmlands Society
  • Colonial Motor Company Limited
  • West Auckland Trust Services Limited
  • Advisory Board Member – Data Insights Group Limited
Caroline Rainsford BCom

Independent Non-Executive Director

Caroline is the Country Director for Google NZ, where she is responsible for driving the overall revenue and business strategy for New Zealand. Partnering with government, policy teams and New Zealand business leaders, she is focused on helping New Zealand businesses grow and transform in the digital age. Prior to joining Google in 2017, Caroline was the Marketing and Product Director for the Latitude NZ (previously GE Capital) business as well as the Brand Director for the Australian and New Zealand regions. Her earlier career included roles with Philips Royal Electronics in the Middle East, Turkey and Africa. Caroline holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) from the University of Auckland.

COMMITTEES

  • Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee
  • People and Remuneration Committee
Jeremy O'BrienBCom (Hons)

Future Director

Jeremy is a highly experienced senior executive who excels in strategy, sales and marketing, with significant business experience across a number of industries ranging from aviation, financial services, telecommunications, food and beverage and media. He holds the position of General Manager, Short Haul Airline at Air New Zealand, where he is responsible for commercial and customer delivery across Air New Zealand’s Tasman and Pacific Islands network. Prior to this Jeremy held the position of General Manager, Brand and Marketing where he led the group brand and marketing division for Air New Zealand comprising global brand strategy, marketing strategy, digital marketing, retail marketing, loyalty marketing, social media, tourism, regional affairs, cultural affairs, customer research and inhouse media planning and strategy. He completed an Accelerated Development Programme at the London Business School in 2011 and has a BCom (Hons) in Marketing from the University of Otago.

Jeremy joined The Warehouse Group as a Future Director in April 2023.