Past Presidents & Life Members

Following several years assisting the sector, Alwyn moved on to other senior roles in NZTE, including trade commissioner positions in Los Angeles and Washington DC.  In 2008 Alwyn left NZTE and formed his own export consultancy specialising in the US market.

Chip has been very active as an investor in NZ software firms and as a Director of over 25 companies in New Zealand since arriving in 1989. He was an original member of NZTE Beachheads and has been the Convenor or Judge for Hi-Tech Awards, Westpac Business Awards and the Indian Business Awards for over 10 years. He has worked to grow software companies in the US, UK, Europe, Australia, and Asia. Chip Dawson is currently MD CEO of International Business Management Limited.

With experience in both start-ups and large organisations, Gavin is an active angel investor with strong international sales and marketing track record in the technology, communications, financial services and healthcare industries. Previously he headed global sales and marketing at MapInfo Corporation and held various senior management positions in IBM, Lotus Development and DoubleClick. He is currently chairman at Critchlow Ltd, a Wellington-based geospatial company.

This was taken up by other pharmacists, and in 1984 he ‘gave up his day job’ and went full time into further development of the package, serving the expanding the user base of NZ and Australian Pharmacists running their businesses on the software.

From 1988 the package was using an early form what is now known as Data Analytics, to extract meaning from the raw data and pro-actively advise users on the best course of action. This became increasingly powerful, aided by Genetic Algorithms (where the software evolves itself under Darwinian principles).

At the time of his retirement from the Pharmacy Software business in the early 2000s, software derived from the original package was in use by some 4000 pharmacies in eight countries.

However, ‘retirement’ turned out to be only partial, as Harvey and his sons more recently wrote an Airport Movement Management software package for use by their own small airport. At time of writing (February 2017) this was in use by many Airports across Australia and NZ.

Harvey was active in the NZ Software Association from its inception, and served in many capacities including President during the late 1980s. He was honoured to be appointed a Life Member in the early 1990s.

He comments that, “We’ve only scratched the surface” of the opportunities available in the software business, which are as great as ever, probably greater. He remains an enthusiastic support of this dynamic industry and a regular attendee, and occasional speaker, at NZSA monthly meetings.

When the project successfully concluded in 2006 Jane moved back into the private sector as a senior consultant and marketing manager working with a wide variety of technology companies from start-up to multi-nationals including Endace, Orion Health, EMC, Ingram Micro and Greentree, prior to its sale to MYOB in 2016.

Jane also continued her involvement with the NZ Software Association as a member of the Executive, serving a two-year term as its first female President from 2013. She is currently Vice President of Global Marketing for Invenco Group – a self-service payment technology company founded by Sir Peter Maire. Jane is also Convener of Judges for the NZ Hi-Tech Awards and holds the honorary role of Global Alliances Liaison for NZ Tech. In 2016 she founded a Special Interest Group for Tech Marketers acting on her belief that if New Zealand technology companies are going to reach their full potential they need to get a lot better at marketing globally from New Zealand. Jane continues to actively support the work of the NZSA and looks to help software companies to develop, whenever and however she can.

One was sold privately in New Zealand, one was listed in the US on NASDAQ and one was publicly listed in New Zealand. John has also chaired a UK publicly listed (AIM market) company.

John also has public company experience in businesses listed on New Zealand, United Kingdom and United States public markets. He has broad commercial experience with primarily hi-tech companies, founding and growing start-ups and also acquiring, operating, rescuing and divesting subsidiaries of public and private companies.

In between Peter has helped build a number of successful technology companies with a focus on international growth, led M&As from both sides and provided strategic advice to tech companies ranging from start-ups to multinationals.

A 1991 highlight was founding the New Zealand Software Exporters Association (now www.nzsa.org.nz) and helping other NZ software companies to achieve international growth. Peter continues to be actively involved in the NZ Technology investing and mentoring arenas.

Wayne Hudson is a Director of WHIPIT Limited, a company which provides consultancy services primarily to technology focussed start-ups, to assist them in preparation for investment and sale.

Wayne was made a Life Member in 2012, after having served two terms as President.

He continued to develop the business through a number of technology transitions. In the mid nineties Data Group spawned a number of subsidiary companies including, Data Group Services (third party servicing), Data College (computer training), Solomon Software NZ (distributor of ERP solutions) and AdvanceRetail Technology (developer of retail POS and back office solutions).

More recently Rollo has been involved in restructuring and management buyouts of a number of companies to form Adaptable Consulting Ltd (a Microsoft reseller of ERP and CRM solutions). Rollo continues as a director and CFO of Adaptable Consulting as well as working on other technology start-ups through his involvement in IceAngels and other connections.

Rollo is a chartered accountant, with specialist skills in financial accounting and ERP solutions. He is a founding member and past president of the New Zealand Software Association, member of the NZ Institute of Chartered Accountants and has also served on the NZ Hi Tech Council. With over 40 years in the software industry he has acquired considerable experience in most aspects of business acquisition, disposition and restructuring in the technology business area.