Stephen Franks is a Wellington-based public law practitioner; long-time small forest investor, and former MP.  He was appointed as Board Chair in 2021 to replace the founding Chair Geoff Thompson on his retirement.  Stephen's background also includes managing or advising beekeeping, meat and dairy businesses and institutional reform.

Graham West - Less than 1,000ha representative (Elected October 2021)

Graham is the current National President of NZ Farm Forestry association and chairman of the Forest Growers Levy Trust Small and Medium Enterprise Committee. He has a Master of Forestry Science degree from Canterbury and has had 48 years’ experience in forestry science at Scion, particularly in forest management systems, forest economics, strategic value chain management, and land use optimisation.

His senior corporate roles have been as a Software Business Unit Leader, Science Program Leader, and Principal Technologist. He has considerable experience with the broader forestry sector and has been a member of NZFFA and NZIF for more than 20 years.

Bert is also a shareholder in FEG. FEG’s subsidiary, Forest Enterprises Limited (FEL) is a licensed Managed Investment Scheme manager offering investment in forests. FEG manages over 65 forests comprising 32,000 hectares for investors. FEL represents over 6,500 essentially small forest owners. FEG harvests about a million tonnes of logs and replants more than 1,500 hectares pa.

He is a Registered Forester with the NZ Institute of Forestry and a Chartered Member of the NZ Institute of Directors and has the NZCF (Ranger Training) and a BBS (Massey).

Long-serving Trustee of the Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust, Chair of Future Forest Research Ltd for six years.  Phil is also the current President of the FOA, appointed in March 2020 for a three year term.

CEO Wenita Forest Products Ltd

David assumed his current role with Wenita in 2009. After graduating from the University of Canterbury School of Forestry, he has taken on various senior roles in forestry, encompassing marketing, woodflow and forest management.

He is a Registered Member of the New Zealand Institute of Forestry and also belongs to the New Zealand Institute of Directors.

David contributed his expertise to the New Zealand Forest Owners National Executive Council for six years and chaired its Biosecurity Committee up until 2019.

He lives in Dunedin with his wife Kirstin and loves the outdoor lifestyle that Otago has to offer.

Neil Woods - Greater than 1,000ha representative (Elected October 2021)
CEO of Aratu Forests Limited

Neil is based in te Tairawhiti and has held this position since January 2021. He has had a varied experience across the forestry sector since joining the NZ Forest Service (Forest Research Institute) in 1982 as a Technician before commencing study for Forestry Science at Canterbury University graduating in 1988.

Career movements include; operational roles with NZ Forest Products/CHH in Kinleith and Northern region, a period consulting with Jaakko Pöyry on both NZ and offshore consulting assignments. Neil also spent 4 years contracting to Ferrier Hodgson during the CNIFP receivership and was project leader for developing and implementing the business plan to setup what is now Timberlands. More recently, Portfolio Manager for the NZ Super Fund’s international Timber and Agriculture Investments.

Peter has recently resigned from the role of CEO of PF Olsen Ltd that he held for nearly 20 years.  He recently chaired the Ministry for Primary Industries One Billion Trees Advisory Panel and is now Independent Chair of the Mid-Rise Wood Construction Programme.  Peter's 40-year background in the forest industry includes forest operations and consulting assignments in SE Asia, China and the Pacific.  Peter holds an honours degree in Forestry Science from the University of Canterbury and is a Registered Member and Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Forestry.  He has recently held positions as President of the NZ Forest Owners Association and on the Board of the Wood Council of NZ.  He served on the Steering Group of the Business Leaders’ Health and Safety Forum from its formation in 2010 until October 2015.