Social Investment Board

The Social Investment Board is a ministerial advisory committee to provide independent advice and assurance to the Minister for Social Investment, and guidance to the Social Investment Agency on the development and implementation of social investment.

The Social Investment Board was appointed in late 2024. The Board's term expires in May 2027.

Dr Graham Scott (Chair)

Dr Graham Scott’s experience as chair includes chairing the Central Regional Health Authority and the national Health Funding Authority. Dr Scott was Secretary to the Treasury and was awarded the Companion of the Bath (CB) for services to the New Zealand public sector. 

Dr Scott was a commissioner on the New Zealand Productivity Commission, is a director of the Sapere Research Group, and was lead reviewer on performance reviews of various New Zealand Government agencies (including Statistics New Zealand, the Inland Revenue Department and the Ministry of Transport) for the State Services Commission. He has provided economic advice globally and has published articles on social investment.

David Woods

David has extensive experience in financial and non-financial boards. He is a board member for the Centre for Sustainable Finance, Acting Chair of New Zealand Green Investment Finance, and a director of Hiringa Energy Ltd and Brightlight NZ. His previous roles include Chair of the Impact Enterprise Fund and of the NZ National Advisory Board on Impact Investing and Director of Whai Rawa Fund Ltd.

David is a member of the LGFA Sustainability Committee and a member of the Advisory Board for Auckland University Business School. He was the inaugural Chair of the New Zealand National Advisory Board for Impact Investing. He has significant experience in international investing including as a managing director at both ABN AMRO Bank and Oikocredit International, a social impact investor and worldwide cooperative. He also sits on an overseas board for LOLC Group, El Oula Microfinance Company Egypt.

Helen Leahy

Helen Leahy previously led the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency for the South Island and was chief of staff for the Māori Party. As Chief Executive of Ngā Waihua o Paerangi (Ngāti Rangi) Helen works with and for a central north island community that has experienced housing affordability and availability challenges, high unemployment and low household incomes.

Helen has a Masters of Education Policy and a background in sexual and reproductive health. She has previously been a member of two ministerial advisory committees: Modernising Child Youth and Family, and the Energy Hardship Expert Panel. She is also currently a member of the Understanding Policing Delivery independent panel.

Julie Nelson

An experienced director, Julie has been Chair of the Wise Trust Board since 2022. She was joint Chief Executive of the Wise Group for over 30 years, co-leading its establishment, development and growth. Governed by the Wise Trust, the Wise Group is made up of entities that provide varied services and resources across Aotearoa including mental health and addiction services, housing and homelessness services, violence prevention, employment support, education and training, community wellbeing initiatives and specialist dementia care.

Julie was involved in bringing the Housing First model to New Zealand and developed The Peoples Project, delivering Housing First in Hamilton and Tauranga.

Laura Black

Laura Black is CEO of Methodist Mission Southern. The Mission’s work includes providing an evidence-based development programme for pre-schools, three Youth Transition Houses in Otago and Southland, and virtual reality learning tools for adult and youth learners in prisons and alternative education.  

Laura brings extensive experience in governance and public policy. She currently serves as New Zealand’s UNESCO Commissioner for the Social Sciences and previously chaired the Dunedin Study Governance Group. She has been an independent member of the Treasury’s Social Investment Panel, advised the Social Wellbeing Agency on its work programme, and acted as a critical friend to the Ministerial Group overseeing the cross-government family violence and sexual violence initiative.

Mike Williams

Mike Williams ONZM is an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit. He has extensive governance experience, having served on numerous government and private sector boards. His appointments have included KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences (GNS), Ontrack, and Genesis Energy, where he served as Deputy Chair. He has also been a long-serving director of Ritchies Transport Ltd, a member of the Transit New Zealand Authority, a director of the Auckland Regional Transport Authority, and a trustee of Enterprise Waitakere.

Mike co-founded Insight Research Ltd with three business partners, helping grow the company before its sale and transition to UMR Research. He also helped establish Insight Data Limited, which was subsequently sold.

He is President of the New Zealand Howard League and previously served as an Executive Director of the charity. Earlier in his career, Mike worked as a secondary school teacher and as an organiser for the New Zealand Labour Party. He served as President of the New Zealand Labour Party from 2000 to 2009.

Katie Murray

Katie Murray (Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Kuri, Ngāi Takoto, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāpuhi, Queens Service Medal, New Zealand Order of Merit) is Chair of Te Rūnanga o Te Rarawa. Katie established, and is Chief Executive of, the Waitomo Papakāinga Development Incorporated society, a social service agency in Kaitāia that has been operating for over 30 years.

Katie has sat on several government and non-government boards relevant to the social sector, including the Ministerial Board for Sexual & Family Violence (where she was the Inaugural Chair and is now a member), the recent National Action Plan Against Racism and the Social Sector Commissioning Project Board. In addition to this, she is a current member on the Māori Reference Advisory Group to MSD Leadership, the Design Group for Oranga Tamariki Advisory to the CEO, a board member for E Tū Whānau and a member of the advisory board to the Attorney General.

Hon Te Ururoa Flavell

Hon Te Ururoa Flavell (Te Arawa, Waikato-Tainui, Ngāpuhi) was the Minister for Māori Development, Minister for Whānau Ora and the Associate Minister for Economic Development from 2014 to 2017. Te Ururoa was the Member of Parliament representing the Waiariki electorate from 2005 to 2017, and was the co-leader of the Māori Party (from 2013-2017).

Te Ururoa was previously Chief Executive of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. He is a former Chair of Te Arawa Whanau Ora and is current Deputy Chair of Te Arawa Lakes Trust. He also holds the position of Pro Chancellor of Waikato University and has been acknowledged by the same University with an Honorary Doctorate for services to Education.