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Philip Morgan Rees – Head of Private Wealth, Milford Asset Management
Phil joined Milford in August 2017 as Head of Private Wealth and brings a breadth of experience at the Executive and Senior Management level from a 30-year career. Prior to joining Milford, Phil held senior management positions at several of New Zealand’s leading and long-established wealth and fund managers including roles as General Manager, Head of Product Management, Investments (NZ) and Head of Product Management and Marketing. Phil has been responsible for large Financial Advisory teams and has first-hand experience with High Net Worth and Institutional clients, complemented by experience in investment governance through; membership of three investment and asset allocation committees, Chairmanship of a Staff Superannuation Fund and Trustee of a large charitable trust. Phil is a Financial Adviser.
Phil’s experience with philanthropy includes being General Manager of one of New Zealand’s oldest Trustee Corporations and Wealth Managers where he had responsibility for the Philanthropy Division. The division managed the charitable trusts and foundations of some of New Zealand’s well-known wealthy North Island families, managing wealth of in excess of $1/2bn. The role brought him into contact with benefactors, donors, Philanthropy NZ and a range of recipients across a number of charitable sectors e.g. St John’s, Starship, Auckland Art Gallery/Toi o Tamaki. As part of this role, Phil acted directly as the professional trustee on the Charitable Trust of a high-profile New Zealand family where he helped the family take a legacy in the tens of millions of dollars and support the family members to transition from ‘pet projects’ to a clear and connected strategy while maintaining the preferences of the original benefactor.
Other direct philanthropic activities include as Chair of a Choir (Friendly Society registered with Charities Services) which itself raised funds for a range of causes e.g. Age Concern, Habitat for Humanity, and founding Trustee of the New Zealand Pops Orchestra Foundation established to develop opportunities for cross-over musicians in New Zealand. Phil’s governance-related activities include Chair of a Staff Superannuation Fund and an Asset Allocation Committee, membership of two Investment Committees and the management board of Kohimarama Presbyterian Church. Phil’s community and youth activities have included coaching juniors at Eastern Suburbs Football Club and five years of coaching juniors at Parnell Cricket Club.
Tiaki HuniaTiaki is from Te Teko and of Ngati Awa, Te Aupouri and Ngati Pikiao descent. With a wide range of governance experience and interest, Tiaki shares the same passion as the Milford Foundation to make a meaningful impact for Aotearoa and all its people. In particular how a Te Ao Māori perspective can contribute to a stronger and more caring Aotearoa of the future. Tiaki is currently the CEO of Maori Investments Ltd.
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Debbie SorensenDebbie Sorensen CCT,CMInstD
Debbie is a New Zealand-born Tongan, with family connections to Leimatu’a in Vava’u and Tongaleleka in Ha’apai. She is a health leader, international development practitioner, health strategist and management expert specialising in projects that address the health challenges that face Pacific communities in New Zealand and in the Pacific region. She is the current Chief Executive for the Pasifika Medical Association and the Pacific Whanau Ora Commissioning Agency – Pasifika Futures which has engaged over 202,000 Pacific people in Aotearoa through its partner network of over 60 partners.
Debbie has led the establishment of the Moana Pasifika Women’s Network, the Pasifika Medical Association Education Fund, Health Science STEM Academy at Otahuhu College. She is sought after as an international speaker including at the UN Gender Equality Forum in 2021. She also attended the Harvard Women’s Leadership Summit and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Strategic Leadership for the 21st Century.
In 2015 Debbie was invested as a Commander Royal Order Crown of Tonga, by His Majesty King Tupou VI in recognition of her services to the people of Tonga.
Rachel BrownRachel Brown, ONZM – Founder & CEO, Sustainable Business Network
As founder and CEO of the Sustainable Business Network (SBN), Rachel has played a critical role in advancing sustainability more than 20 years. The network includes approximately 600 organisations from a range of sizes and sectors.
Rachel has overseen the creation of systemic collaboration projects focusing on climate action, designing out waste, and regenerating nature. SBN runs the Sustainable Business Awards, New Zealand’s largest sustainability award programme. It also runs a series of successful training programmes, including a leadership course and packaging masterclasses.
Rachel sits on government panels to inform on policy. Currently she is on the Advisory Panel for Jobs for Nature, a Board member of the Milford Foundation and the business advisory panel for All of Government Procurement. She is a member of the advisory panel for the National Waste Strategy and the Million Metres Streams Advisory Board. Rachel also provides advice and support to a number of new and emerging businesses, individuals and social enterprises.
In 2009 Rachel was personally trained by Al Gore to present The Inconvenient Truth (part of the global climate change education programme). In 2012 she was invited by Al Gore to join an elite group of international presenters to be part of the Climate Reality Project broadcast. The broadcast reached over 3 million people across the globe.
As a regular presenter, collaborator, investor and driver of action within NZ communities, Rachel is committed to the role business plays in supercharging and transforming NZ’s economy into one that is smarter and more sustainable.
In 2018 she was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit for years of service to sustainable business.