Welcome

Sue Suckling

Professional Director, Futures Strategist & Independent Consultant

The pursuit of excellence comes in many forms. For Sue Suckling, it is a relentless focus on strategic thinking, collaboration and disruption that results in a constant cycle of improvement and new opportunity within the contemporary global environment.

“Sue has used her roles as founding Chair of Callaghan Innovation and Chair of NZQA to drive her vision of NZ: a smart digital nation that leverages converging technologies to become an economic, social and environmental leader. During her 6 years at Callaghan Innovation, revenue of its TIN 200 customers rose 4 times faster than other firms. In education she has crusaded for a digitised secondary assessment system, set to be achieved by 2020. Throughout she has worked to ensure Māori benefit equally.”

Intro

“Sue has used her roles as founding Chair of Callaghan Innovation and Chair of NZQA to drive her vision of NZ: a smart digital nation that leverages converging technologies to become an economic, social and environmental leader. During her 6 years at Callaghan Innovation, revenue of its TIN 200 customers rose 4 times faster than other firms. In education she has crusaded for a digitised secondary assessment system, set to be achieved by 2020. Throughout she has worked to ensure Māori benefit equally.”

Sue recently became a finalist of the NZ Hi-Tech Awards: IBM Inspiring Individual 2018

The pursuit of excellence comes in many forms. For Sue Suckling, it is a relentless focus on strategic thinking, collaboration and disruption that results in a constant cycle of improvement and new opportunity within the contemporary global environment.

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Areas of Expertise

Sue recently became a finalist of the NZ Hi-Tech Awards: IBM Inspiring Individual 2018

Disruption, Innovation & Sustainability

One of Sue’s greatest strengths is her ability to identify the potential for opportunities and new business models associated with the exponential growth of converging digitised technology, and the challenges facing organisations responding to sustainability and the new future of working paradigms. She understands design thinking, customer centricity and how to adopt a MVP and beta test modus operandi.

 She starts each governance and consultancy assignment with the vigour and courage required to tackle permissionless innovation, utilising her deep understanding of global trends and understanding that technology is disrupting the very foundations of business. Combined with her strong leadership skills, Sue has an enormous ability to empower colleagues and clients to achieve great new heights through taking this approach.

Finalist, NZ Hi-Tech Awards: IBM Inspiring Individual (2018)

Governance & Leadership

As one of New Zealand’s most influential and effective board governors, Sue’s far-reaching experience spans both private and public sectors from start-ups through to listed companies operating in multi-jurisdictions. She is a highly revered and focused board professional. Her governance leadership contribution has been recognised with numerous awards. She is recognised for her leadership and understanding in sustainability and innovation.

Key Note Speaking

Sue is a much sought after public speaker. She is a provocative, passionate, articulate and well-researched presenter. Sue has presented numerous forums, including the first ever Singularity U New Zealand Summit on The Future of Education, Amplify 2017, and the New Zealand Women in Leadership Symposium. She is valued for her presentations on exponential technology challenges, the future of work, facing up to sustainability and tenacity and grit in leadership.

“Bravest and potentially the most disruptive speech of the Summit from
@suesuckling NZQA Chair. Great leadership #SUNZSummit.”
Mandy Simpson, fellow Singularity U presenter and CE of Cyber Toa

Strategy

An experienced and skilled futures strategist with exacting standards, Sue’s ability to ruthlessly clarify purpose and help develop future focused relevant new operating models has helped shape highly compelling customer propositions for the wide range of businesses and organisations she has consulted to. Sue’s governance style ensures significant growth strategies and results.

Performance Improvement

Sue has lead performance reviews for a number of the country’s key government departments and ministries. She has also successfully utilised the NZ Government Performance Improvement Framework (PIF) enquiry model methodology to assist with performance and evaluative consultancies for a number of sectors, including agriculture, environment, health and sports.

Indigenous Community Enablement

The enablement of indigenous communities is an area close to Sue’s heart, and one she has provided significant leadership in. Through her sound guidance and experienced wisdom, Sue’s personal commitment to providing support has seen positive achievements for Maori being made in the areas of education, health and economic development.

Pursuit of Excellence

Sue has had a unique career in governance, which started in her twenties when she named NZ’s Business Woman of the Year. Since then she has amassed significant commercial wisdom and expertise through a large number of significant private and public sector governance positions. She has lead and directed large organisations and international businesses through mergers and acquisitions, capital raising and new venture establishment, and has focused and motivated her colleagues to achieve highly successful outcomes.

With Sue, a strategic lens is always applied to every project, incorporating her knowledge on convergent digital technologies, future of work, sustainability, marketing and market research, export and international markets, change management, competitive positioning, product development and innovation.

Personally, Sue is straightforward, easy to relate to and direct. Positive and goal-oriented, Sue’s vibrant energy and objective nature lends itself well to open communications. She is unafraid of challenging the status quo when required, whilst at the same time remaining commercially realistic and approachable. Those who have worked with Sue previously enjoy her determination, nous and strategic vision, calling her a strong leader and role model who has given exceptional contribution to Australasian business.

Testimonials

LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE HIGHLIGHTS

Sue chairs the SkyCity Sustainability Committee which oversees holistic organisational sustainability including our people, our communities, our environmental sustainability, ethical supply chain management and harm minimisation.

LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE HIGHLIGHTS

As independent chair of privately owned SMEs, has driven successful growth and investment in innovation and technology. In addition, Sue has also contributed to the success of top 50 NZX companies in her Board Director capacity.

LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE HIGHLIGHTS

Led the restructure of an iconic New Zealand private sector tech company to enable shareholder alignment and unfettered growth.

LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE HIGHLIGHTS

Chaired the Independent Governance Committee for one of NZ’s largest agricultural cooperatives to identify and implement a new relevant and contemporary governance model.

LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE HIGHLIGHTS

Chaired the Governance Board for the Minister of Health to develop and implement a new ownership model for the DHB shared services crown entity, HBL.

LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE HIGHLIGHTS

Leading the digitisation strategy for New Zealand’s secondary school education system through her role as a Chair of NZQA.

LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE HIGHLIGHTS

Implemented the Government strategy (with measurable traction) to accelerate the commercialism of technology and innovation with New Zealand firms through her role as Established Chair of New Zealand’s Innovation Agency (Callaghan Innovation).

Current Directorships

  • Chairperson – Jacobsen Holdings Ltd
  • Chairperson – Jade Software Corporation
  • Chairperson – IFSO (Insurance and Financial Services Ombudsman)
  • Chairperson – Eat My Lunch
  • Chairperson – Rubix Ltd
  • Chairperson – Taska Prosthetics Ltd
  • Director – SkyCity Entertainment Group
  • Director – Asia Pacific Health Group
  • Director/Shareholder – Sue Suckling Holdings Ltd (formerly Acemark Holdings Ltd)

Awards & Recognition

  • Finalist, NZ Hi-Tech Awards: IBM Inspiring Individual (2018)
  • Finalist, Westpac Women of Influence Award: Board of Management (2015)
  • Honorary Doctorate of Science (2015)
  • Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award: Massey University (2012)
  • Companion, Royal Society for outstanding leadership in Science (2010)
  • OBE, for contribution to NZ business (1996)
  • New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal (1993)
  • Sperry/Moore New Zealand Business Woman of the Year (1985)
  • Mauri Bros & Thomson Award for Higher Studies in Technology (1978-79)
  • New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology: Young Technologist of the Year (1978)
  • Alliance Freezing Co (Southland) Limited Post-graduate Scholarship (1978)
  • Catherine Baxter Scholarship (1978)

Professional Societies

  • Inaugural Fellow, NZ Institute of Directors
  • Inaugural Member Global Women
  • Alumni Singularity University
  • Alumni Massey University