Our Board

 

HELEN MCKENZIE

Chair & Licensed Independent Trustee

Helen has more than 30 years’ experience in the financial services industry spanning London and New Zealand, including as Head of Distribution for Tyndall (now Nikko Asset Management) and Head of NZ Institutional business at First State Investments (now First Sentier Investors).

Helen is also a Licensed Independent Trustee for;

  • Fletcher Building Retirement Plan,
  • New Zealand Steel Pension Fund,
  • BIL NZ Group Pension Plan,
  • BOC NZ Pension Plan,
  • Carter Holt Harvey Retirement Plan,
  • Ford Motor Company of New Zealand Limited Pension Plan,
  • Heinz Watties Limited Pension Plan, and
  • Nestle Pensions (NZ) Limited.

 

Ralph Stewart

Trustee & Managing Director

In 2014, Ralph established Retirement Income Group, the umbrella organisation for Lifetime Asset Management. With three decades of experience in New Zealand’s financial services sector, Ralph’s journey includes senior leadership roles at Tower Insurance and chairmanship of Spicers Wealth Management Limited.

Ralph was CEO of AXA Insurance and Asset Management in New Zealand for 10 years. When AXA was sold to AMP Ralph assumed the role of CEO at Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC).

Ralph is currently a Director of the Police Welfare Fund and the Police Health Care Plan Limited.

 

Dame Diana Crossan

Trustee & Chair of Retirement Income Group (parent company)

Dame Diana spent a decade as New Zealand’s Retirement Commissioner, where she played a pivotal role in establishing KiwiSaver and launching Sorted.Org. Following this impactful tenure, she joined Wellington Free Ambulance as CEO, contributing to the organisation for several years. With a diverse professional background, Dame Diana has held significant positions at AMP and served as the founding manager of the State Services Commission’s equal employment opportunities unit.

Her extensive board service includes roles at Mighty River Power, NZ Post, Good Shepherd, and Kaibosh. Currently, she serves as Chair of the Depression Recovery Trust, So They Can New Zealand, and WELLfed, showcasing her ongoing commitment to various causes.

In recognition of her outstanding leadership in the public service, Dame Diana was appointed a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year’s Honours in 2019.

 

John Strahl

Trustee & Chair of Audit and Risk Committee

John Strahl is a former partner and Chair of the board at international law firm, DLA Phillips Fox (now DLA Piper), during which he spent more than 20 years as the principal legal adviser to Tower Insurance.

During his tenure as Chair, Phillips Fox was one of the largest legal firms in Australasia, with 190 partners and 1500 staff in 10 offices across Australia, New Zealand and Vietnam.

 

Dennis Church

Trustee

Dennis is an experienced senior executive in the financial services and corporate trustee industry, including as General Manager of Public Trust’s corporate trustee business.

He has over 30 years’ experience as a corporate trustee in the supervision of a wide range of securities and financial products, including KiwiSaver and other superannuation schemes, debt securities, securitised assets, covered bonds, retirement villages, and marinas.