Board of Directors
Director
David Ferrier
Director (Chair)
Rob Hewett
Rob is the Co-Chair of Silver Fern Farms Limited, Chair Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited, New Zealand Woolscours Limited (Woolworks), Fern Energy Limited, Hilton Haulage Limited and Pioneer Energy Limited, as well as a Director of T&G Global Limited, Silver Fern Farms Co-operative Limited
and Woolcorp Limited.
Rob is immediate past chair of Silver Fern Farms Co-operative limited, a past Councillor of Lincoln University, previous Chair of the Strong Wool Action Group (now Wool Impact) and a past director of Pulse Energy Limited.
He is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors and a graduate of Lincoln University, holding an M.Com (hons)- (Marketing)and a B.Com (Ag) (Economics). Rob farms 10,000 sheep and beef stock units on a carbon positive breeding/finishing and forestry farm of 1020ha in Manuka Gorge, South Otago.
Rob won the Deloitte Top 200 Chair of the Year award in 2023, and the Co-operative Business New Zealand Outstanding Contribution Award in 2019.
Director
John Rodwell
John has extensive experience in the primary sector, both in corporate finance and governance, and in national science work supporting the sector. Currently
serving as a director of Manaaki Whenua / Landcare Research and the Biological Heritage Challenge, John has also chaired national agri industry entities like the Bio Protection Research Centre (CORE) and the Minister of Agriculture’s Wool Working Group (now known a Wool Impact), where he retains a Board Advisory role.
Additionally, he serves on the board of several farming businesses, as well as being a director of WoolWorks Ltd, the New Zealand wool scour operator. With a background in international business development and a commitment to industry improvement initiatives, John is a Co-Chair of the Te Taiao Steering Group and was previously on the Minister of Agricultures Primary Sector Council. John’s leadership skills and belief in community-driven initiatives promises positive impacts for WAI, our communities, and the local environment.
Director
Eka Nirapathpongporn
Eka began his professional journey at Carnegie Wylie & Company in 2003 in Melbourne with John Wylie, continuing with Lazard following its acquisition, before relocating to Sydney where he led Lazard’s Sydney office in 2010-12 alongside John Wylie. Between 2012 and 2018, Eka relocated to Hong Kong and Singapore as Lazard’s Regional Head of M&A and Regional Head of Natural Resources, Metals & Mining. In these roles, he played a key part in expanding Lazard’s Asia franchise and facilitated inbound M&A into Australia.
In 2019, Eka founded Fraction, a pioneering fintech focused on democratising investment access. Since then, he has held a range of public and private board positions and served on investment committees and advisory boards for investment firms, family offices, and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, bringing strategic insight and governance expertise.
As Head of Equities at Tanarra Capital, Eka looks across both Tanarra’s publicly listed and private equity investments and investee companies.
Eka holds a double degree in Electrical Engineering and Commerce (Finance) with Honours from the University of Melbourne, where he was a recipient of the University of Melbourne Scholarship, Trinity College Scholarship, and was recognised on the Dean’s Honours List.
