To be a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
HOLDSWORTH, Mrs Bronwen Scott, ONZM
For services to business and the arts
Mrs Bronwen Holdsworth is currently Finance Director and Chairperson of the Holdsworth Group, which includes manufacturing, farming, forestry, property and investment companies under the flagship organisation Pultron Composites Ltd.
She and her husband established Pultron Composites in 1983, which has grown into the biggest composite materials and technology pultrusion company in Australasia. She was Managing Director of Pultron Composites until 2007. Mrs Holdsworth has made a significant contribution to the cultural and artistic development of Gisborne. She has served on the Board of the Gisborne Opera Festival and oversaw the development of First Light Tourism, which organised the Gisborne 2000 celebrations. She is a current member of the Te Hā 1769 Sestercentennial Trust's planning committee for the 250th anniversary of Captain Cook's arrival in New Zealand. She has played active roles in setting up music, drama, language and reading programmes in Gisborne and has sponsored the Gisborne International Music Competition. She is a current director of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra; and a Trustee of the Gisborne War Memorial Theatre, the Gisborne International Music Competition, and the Sunrise Foundation. Mrs Holdsworth was a member of the APEC Women Leader's Network and Conference in 1999 and a member of the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology's Technology New Zealand Advisory Committee from 2000 to 2002.
HONOURS
Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, New Year 1997
New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal
To be a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
ROBERTSON, Ms Diane Elizabeth
For services to the community
Ms Diane Robertson has been the Auckland City Missioner since 1998, managing an $8 million budget, 85 staff and hundreds of volunteers, and overseeing numerous initiatives to help people in need.
Ms Robertson initiated, in conjunction with researchers from Waikato, Massey and Auckland Universities, the Family 100 Research Project, which followed 100 families who were long term users of food banks for one year to develop a better understanding of what stops people moving out of poverty. The research is being used to inform policy development and plan for service delivery. She has led successful media appeals including Trade Me Winter and the annual Christmas appeal, as well as campaigns raising awareness for the issues of child poverty and homelessness. She spearheaded the Become Someone's Angel initiative, which provides a direct way for Aucklanders to support struggling families with funds and food. She is a founding member of the Auckland Homeless Steering Group. She has established integrated medical and social services in the inner city. She was involved in the development of Herne Bay House, New Zealand's only hospice for people with HIV/AIDS. From 2002 to 2008 Ms Robertson was a director of the Committee for Auckland and is currently Chairperson of the Committee for Auckland Trust.
HONOURS
New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal
To be a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
WALSH, Mrs Therese Maria
For services to sports administration
Ms Therese Walsh is the current head of New Zealand's 2015 Cricket World Cup campaign.
Ms Walsh spent five years working at the New Zealand Rugby Union as Chief Financial Officer and General Manager Corporate Services, followed by five years at Rugby New Zealand 2011 Ltd as General Manager Corporate Services and Chief Operating Officer for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. As head of New Zealand's 2015 Cricket World Cup campaign she has successfully negotiated rights for the number of games shared between New Zealand and Australia, with the opening ceremony to be held in Christchurch. She also chairs the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade's International Development Advisory and Selection Panel, is a member of the Major Events Investment Panel and sits on the Boards of TVNZ Ltd, Westpac Stadium and NZX Ltd. Her ability to manage large workloads, work effectively in high pressure situations and strong relationship skills are well regarded by her peers. She was awarded the Westpac's Women of Influence Supreme Award in 2013 which recognises women who are having an impact well beyond their formal roles and titles at local, regional and national levels. Ms Walsh has proven to be an exceptional leader in running major international sporting events for New Zealand.