About us
A legacy of governance excellence, a future of purposeful leadership
A message from Paul Brown
It’s a privilege to lead Boardworks and build on the legacy established by John Page and Graeme Nahkies. With over 25 years of expertise and a reputation as trusted advisors, Boardworks has guided more than 650 boards towards effective, purpose-driven governance.
As I step into this role, my focus remains on delivering honest, practical insights that drive real impact. I’m committed to upholding the high standards set by John and Graeme, while introducing fresh perspectives to meet the evolving needs of boards today.
At Boardworks, we believe governance goes beyond compliance—it’s about fostering strong, dynamic boards that create lasting value. Whether you’re seeking an evaluation, ongoing advisory support, or mentorship, our team is here to guide you.
Thank you for being part of our journey forward.
Warm regards,
Paul Brown, Managing Director – Boardworks
Meet the team who live governance
Paul Brown
Managing Director
With a strong foundation in leadership across both private and for-purpose sectors, Paul brings a dynamic vision to Boardworks. Known for his deep curiosity and problem-solving skills, he excels at helping boards align their purpose, outcomes, and strategy.
Paul’s expertise includes guiding boards to uncover root causes of governance challenges, ensuring organisations stay on track for long-term success. He holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering and an MBA, along with executive education from Harvard, Duke, and IMD business schools.
Paul chairs a for-purpose board and is Executive Director for a commercial entity and Executive Director for a pioneering collaboration in the for-purpose sector. In Kenya, Paul was made an honorary Maasai chief for his work in bringing Maasai and Kamba tribes together.
Paul also serves on several advisory boards. Paul is a Member of the Institute of Directors and Member and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
As Managing Director, Paul builds on the legacy of Boardworks’ founders, leading with a commitment to clarity, accountability, and impact.
John Page
Senior Consultant
ohn has specialised in governance for nearly twenty years. He previously led Sport New Zealand’s highly regarded governance programme. Its resources, notably the Nine Steps to Effective Governance, are in use across New Zealand and around the world. The now widely embraced Governance Mark accreditation system is a world first.
John held senior roles in arts management including six years as General Manager of the Royal New Zealand Ballet. From this he brings a deep understanding of the nonprofit world, stakeholder management and how to work with teams of exceptional people.
He regularly shares his knowledge as a speaker, writer and thought leader in governance good practice.
John’s role at Boardworks is central to our review and development work. He helps clients understand causation and finding simple practical actions to lift boardroom performance.
John holds a Diploma in Marketing from the University of Auckland.
Susan Huria (Ngāi Tahu and Ngāi Tuahuriri)
Advisor, Māori Governance
With deep insights into Māori governance and indigenous leadership, Susan brings a unique perspective to Boardworks.
Susan holds a Master’s in Māori Leadership and advises boards on strategies aligned with the Māori economy and co-governance principles. Susan has facilitated governance workshops for over 20 iwi groups.
A Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors, Susan combines cultural knowledge with extensive board experience, contributing valuable guidance on strategy and governance for diverse organisations.
Susan chairs and serves on several commercial, for-purpose, iwi-owned enterprises and Crown entity boards.
Helen Burt
Associate, Culture and Performance Specialist
Helen brings a unique skill set in culture development, team dynamics, and interpersonal performance.
With experience across industries, strategic alliances, and major government projects, she helps boards and executive teams foster positive relationships and collaborative environments.
Helen’s expertise is grounded in a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management, and she is dedicated to strengthening boardroom dynamics to achieve optimal performance.
Helen has a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management from the University of Auckland. Helen mentors and advises directors and executive teams to enhance individual, team and organisation performance.
Craig Fisher
Associate, Financial and Risk Specialist
Craig is an acknowledged expert in financial and performance reporting and is a Fellow Chartered Accountant with thirty years of public practice accountancy experience. Craig’s work across government, commercial, and for-purpose sectors has seen him provide external audit, assurance, risk management and governance advice across a diverse range of organisations.
Craig has represented New Zealand internationally in assurance and ethical standard-setting matters. He has a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Accounting from the University of Auckland.
Craig holds governance roles in various organisations including charitable trusts, a professional association, a Māori Trust, and an Independent Crown Entity. Craig is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors.
Graeme Nahkies
Co-founder
Graeme recognised many organisations were struggling with corporate governance. That was back in 1997, when Graeme and Terry Kilmister established Boardworks as one of New Zealand’s pioneers in governance advisory services. With his deep experience, Graeme is acknowledged to be one of New Zealand’s governance thought leaders. He is a Chartered Member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors’ and a past winner of that organisation’s National Study Award.
Graeme is now – in his own words – trying to spend more time enjoying fly-fishing and golf.
We are fortunate that we can continue to draw on his wise counsel, leveraging his experience leading Crown entities as well as chairing boards in the public, private and for-purpose sectors.
Connecting you with other directors
Beyond the Boardworks team we maintain connection with a broad range of people with governance wisdom, allowing us to refer to our network of more than 250 past and current chairs, and over 750 directors. They can provide first-hand experiences, real examples and assurance that our clients appreciate.