The Committee for Auckland is pleased to announce the appointment of four accomplished individuals to its Board of Directors. These new directors bring a wealth of experience, leadership, and expertise, strengthening the Committee’s commitment to advancing the region’s prosperity and well-being.
The newly appointed directors are:
- Professor Frank Bloomfield – Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research), University of Auckland
- Ilona Haghshenas – Principal, Auckland, Warren & Mahoney
- Adithi Pandit – Partner, Strategy & Business Design, Deloitte
- Frances Valintine CNZM – CEO & Founder, academyEX
All leaders in their fields, they will strengthen the Committee’s business, education, innovation, place making and technology direction.
Committee for Auckland Director Mark Thomas said, “We are thrilled to welcome such high-quality individuals to our Board. The industry leadership and insights they bring together with their extensive networks and understanding of Auckland will be invaluable as we work towards our vision for a vibrant, innovative, and more sustainable Auckland.”
The incoming directors are expected to play a pivotal role in advancing the Committee’s mission to promote Auckland as a world-class city, attracting investment, fostering innovation, and enhancing the region’s liveability. They will help capitalise on the momentum underway since the release of the State of the City international benchmarking on Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.
New Committee for Auckland Directors
Frank Bloomfield – Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research),
University of Auckland
Professor Frank Bloomfield is the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research) for
the University of Auckland and a member of the Universities Management Team.
He commenced in March 2023, and prior to this, was Director of the Liggins Institute, one of the university’s Large Scale Research Institutes with a focus on mothers’ and babies’ health. He is a Professor in Neonatology, having worked clinically for many years as a Consultant
Neonatologist at Auckland City Hospital.
Frank trained in Manchester, Auckland and Toronto and is passionate about how research makes an impact on individuals and on society. He led both the Perinatal Society of New Zealand and the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand and has contributed to national initiatives to improve outcomes through research.
Ilona Haghshenas – Principal, Auckland, Warren & Mahoney
Ilona is the studio Principal for Auckland and a member of the Executive team of Warren and Mahoney, an Australasian architectural and interior
design practice founded in 1955.
She joined Warren and Mahoney in 2016 as a New Zealand registered architect with over sixteen years’ experience in New Zealand, Ireland, the UK, and Iran. Ilona has contributed to a diverse range of projects in the
community, commercial, residential, education and aviation sectors. Ilona is currently co-leading the New Zealand International Convention Centre
(NZICC) project in Auckland.
Ilona is passionate about architecture and the journey that takes a project from design to delivery. She enjoys the challenges of complex projects; the problem-solving that is at the heart of what architects do. She is drawn to civic and community projects like the NZICC, that not only define and regenerate their environments, but also enrich the lives of their users and neighbours.
Adithi Pandit – Partner, Consulting, Deloitte
Adithi is a Partner at Deloitte, leads the public sector industry practice for Consulting, the Future of Government focus for the Asia-Pacific region and sits on the Deloitte New Zealand Board.
Her passion is for bringing together individuals and organisations to address ‘wicked problems’ at multiple levels: changing systems to transform outcomes, redesigning services to be simpler and generate better outcomes, and shifting mindsets to focus on equity, sustainability,
and impact.
Her work has included redesign of social housing services, welfare
payment services, accident compensation services and care and protection services in New Zealand. She is the co-leader of Deloitte’s State of the State reports on the topics of Social Investment, Resilience, Inclusive Growth, Government Reform and Navigating Uncertainty.
She is a University of Auckland alumna with a Bachelor of Commerce honours degree in economics and international trade.
Frances Valintine (CNZM) – CEO & Founder, academyEX
Frances Valintine CNZM is the founder and Chief Executive of academyEX, a post-graduate institute focused on professional
development and knowledge in the fields of technological advancement, education, sustainability, and leadership.
She is a passionate educator and futurist and an active researcher.
She participates in and contributes to multiple global think tanks on global communities where her passion for cities, connections and innovation is shared with others who are committed to impactful futures.
Frances is a globally sought after speaker on the future of work, education and technological advancements including AI. The recognition for her work includes a wide range of global accolades. Frances became a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her lifetime contribution to education and technology. She holds a Master of Education Management from the University of Melbourne.
Frances sits on the board of Watercare and is a selection adviser to EHF (Edmund Hillary Foundation), a judge on the Hi Tech Awards, and the National Expert for the global World Summit Awards and a Board Director for the University of Silicon Valley. Frances is a Director to On Being
Bold, an initiative to support and encourage emerging female leaders and female students to aim high and dream big.
