ESNZ Board & Committees

Hannah Walton

Chair – Appointed
[email protected]

Hannah is committed to growing New Zealand businesses through best practice governance. She has broad industry experience covering health, telecommunications, air transport, ICT and financial sectors. Hannah seeks to bring a long term, strategic focus to the roles she performs and teams she works with, with particular emphasis on clarity of purpose and focus on execution. With a strong background in operations, technology investment, product development/delivery and finance, Hannah has deep experience in leading large scale transformative change. Hannah brings energy and commercial/business acumen to the board table, with a leaning towards the pursuit of opportunities over risk avoidance. Hannah sits on the Audit Finance and Risk Sub Committee and is an Appointed Board Member.

Lisa Marcroft

Deputy Chair – Appointed

For the past 14 years, Lisa has worked with New Zealand Trade & Enterprise, supporting technology, manufacturing, food, and service companies to expand internationally. She is a Trustee of the Waikato Equestrian Centre Charitable Trust and recently joined the ESNZ AFR Committee. Lisa brings energy, curiosity, and critical thinking to improve performance and has successfully secured sponsorship partnerships ranging from local events to FEI-level competitions. She is a member of the Morrinsville Te Aroha Dressage Group.

Fiora Au

Dressage

Fiora has been involved in Dressage as a leader and a competitor. She is the former president of the Auckland Manukau Dressage Group and an aspiring amateur competitor, including 2024 Nationals Bronze Medium Reserve Champion. Fiora is an ongoing contributor to the Judges’ Technical Manual updates and assisted with Dressage NZ Rule Book updates. Her governance and strategic leadership are demonstrated in her positions as a Board Member, including Hau Tutū (non-profit to attract Māori and Pasifika rangitahi into technology) and Kenza (fintech). Fiora has also been a strategic advisor for several technology-focused companies, from start-ups to multimillion-dollar global healthcare companies.

Struan Duncan

Endurance

Struan is the Director of the Makahiwi Land Company. An Endurance rider who is also a third-generation farmer, is passionate about breeding, training and competing Arabian horses for endurance on the Makahiwi station in the King Country. Struan’s interest in Endurance and CTR was inspired by his father, who competed in one of New Zealand’s first 80 km endurance rides from Tokoroa when Struan was just a young lad. Struan’s background includes field technician for Telecom New Zealand.

Hamish Butler Gallie

Eventing

Hamish Butler Gallie is currently a Director at BGA Marketing with a robust skill set that includes Marketing Communications, Marketing Strategy and more.  As Eventing National Safety Officer, Hamish has worked hard to improve Eventing NZ’s fall statistics by ensuring we are using all modern technology available in the Sport. This has included making considerable advances in the application of techniques that help horses read fences better, the placement and selection of appropriate fences, and the use of the first wave of frangible technology here in New Zealand. 

Penny Tapley

Jumping

Penny lives on Banks Peninsula in the South Island and is in her third year on the ESNZ Jumping Board.

She is a member of the Canterbury Area group and looks after Show Jumping Canterbury’s sponsors and sponsorship. She is also the secretary of the South Island Show Jumping Committee which is made up of all seven South Island Area groups and coordinates the SI Young Rider camp, SI v Victoria YR competition and the National Show Jumping Champs.

Glenn Forster

Appointed

Glenn Forster brings a wealth of senior executive experience, covering the strategic, commercial, and operational facets of businesses across a diverse range of industries, from small enterprises to large organisations. His background in accounting and his approach – which brings a strong emphasis on people – have helped him to achieve major cultural and financial improvements within multiple business sectors.  Glenn’s leadership was shortlisted for Law Firm Leader of the Year (<100 lawyers) at the 2023 New Zealand Law Awards.

Sharon Garrett

Appointed

 Sharon Garrett brings senior leadership experience in strategic marketing, communications, stakeholder engagement and sustainability, together with experience serving on governance boards and a lifelong connection with equestrian sport through participation, event delivery and volunteer involvement.