Candidates
› Allan Meikle
› Andrew Elder
› Grant Cuff
› Karen Sturman
› Zane Farrow
Allan Meikle
Hello I am Allan Meikle,
I am keen to continue on in the role of Trustee, this note is in support for re-election as a member trustee/director.
I have worked at NZAS in various roles on-site for 45 years, I have also been an elected trustee/director for 30 years, and over that time I have learned a lot of valuable superannuation knowledge.
The current Board of Directors functions very well, we have a good mix of skills within the trustee team.
Essentially my role as an elected trustee is:
- To represent all fund members when it comes to Fund membership. Recently this has been very important with the flood of new members coming on board, assisting with the knowledge required for these new members, allowing them to be able to make decisions and choices within the superannuation fund framework
- To maximise returns for all fund members
- To assist in educating all fund members for life after work.
I am happy to stand for re-election,
Allan Meikle
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Andrew Elder
My name is Andrew Elder and I am currently the Principal Business Analysis and Energy. I am a current member-elected trustee Director of the NZAS Retirement Fund, a position I have held since April 2021.
I started my life at Tiwai in 1995 as a graduate statistician in Reduction, which included a brief stint as an operator on Line 1. Over the last 27 years I have been involved with department and site strategic planning, business improvement, SAP upgrades, business analysis and now the energy side of our business.
Over recent years, I have been involved with:
- Supporting the site and the Rio Tinto energy team with energy contract negotiations
- providing financial analysis into commercial opportunities,
- managing operational aspects of the NZAS power and transmission contracts
- managing the significant commercial portfolio of NZAS’ carbon units it receives as part of the Emission Trading Scheme
- supporting the NZAS Company Secretary with governance processes associated with the NZAS Board
Currently, my role is focussed on supporting the energy strategy for a post 2024 NZAS operation. I have also recently been appointed as the NZAS representative to the Major Electricity User Group, which is an external trade association that works to improve the NZ electricity sector.
Our retirement fund is a great aspect of our employment here at NZAS, providing benefits far above the standard Kiwisaver option offered by most employers. It is well managed by professional advisors and performs well relative to other funds – even in the uncertain times we are currently experiencing.
As your NZAS Retirement Fund Trustee, I will listen and use my strong analytical skills to support sound governance decisions to benefit you and your retirement savings. I am approachable, solutions focused and communicate in an honest and pragmatic style. I believe it is important to make informed and sound investment decisions, to be in the best position to be able to enjoy retirement when the time comes.
Over the time I have been a member-elected Trustee, I have enjoyed getting to know the workings of our fund. I look forward to continuing to represent all fund members and be able to contribute to the success of our fund.
Thank you for your consideration.
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Grant Cuff
Hi, my name is Grant Cuff and I am seeking re-election as a trustee director of our Retirement Fund. My role at NZAS is in the Accounting team, where I have been for 30 years.
As a member, I have a strong desire to see our Fund perform through all types of markets, because I want to have the security of knowing this asset will be there when I leave NZAS. I know I can use my skills and experience gained as a trustee director over the years to assist in that goal for us all.
I would like for all members to be pro-active, seek relevant information and make informed decisions on how their Fund can work best for them to achieve their goals. Helping you understand your Fund is something I enjoy doing.
Without a doubt, this Fund is a fantastic bonus to our employment at NZAS. Having come across information showing what other companies provide their staff via a work-place employer subsidised scheme, our Fund stacks up very well by comparison, in both overall returns achieved over the long term and benefits provided.
We have the ability to control a great many aspects of how our Fund works for us; monthly changes, four options for investment choice, mix and match, insurance cover options, member trustee directors to represent us and member education provided.
The Fund is here to benefit you and of course, your family. There is no ‘hard-sell’ from an advisor, no fees for the majority of administration costs (covered by NZAS), immediate vesting of company contributions, highly rated professional Fund Managers, great asset class diversification, a KiwiSaver component (your locked in account) and a 10% company contribution rate.
While the financial road ahead for the world is uncertain, in our Fund you have trustee directors who constantly monitor and challenge the performance of the professionals we use, who are delegated the specialist tasks, like actually investing our money or administration.
I would be very happy to continue representing all members in the management of our Fund and seek your support to do so.
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Karen Sturman
My name is Karen Sturman and I have been at NZAS for fourteen and a half years. I started in Procurement as a Sourcing Analyst before working in a variety of departments including roles as Reduction Superintendent Strategy and Support, Superintendent Operations Procurement, Specialist Safety and Loss Prevention and I am now the Superintendent HSE Services.
Prior to joining NZAS I spent 10 years in the Education Industry as well as 4 years in the Insurance industry working on personal superannuation plans for AMP. I have a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Otago with a double major in both Economics and Statistics.
I have kept up my interest in economics and regularly read commentary about the world economic scene. We have had an incredible run in the markets but this last year there has been some head winds. I think the next three years are going to be interesting times. The amount of risk in the global economies continues to concern me. Additional uncertainty around Russian/Ukraine, US /China relations and now inflation no longer being transitory will be reflected in markets and our retirement savings. Therefore superannuation fund managers must act cautiously as they can be susceptible to these risks in the desire for positive returns. On the local front, it has been quiet regarding Rio Tinto reintegration and what this may mean for our retirement fund. NZ has different legislation and regulations than Australia and the rest of the world and any suggested changes will have to be carefully considered. Those of us wanting to retire within the next 5 years must do so with confidence that we have strategies in place for a constantly changing environment.
I enjoy working with a people and listening and understanding their point of view. I have enjoyed my nine years as your trustee and I believe I work well with the incumbent trustees to overcome the challenges ahead and deliver a world class superannuation fund. I would welcome the opportunity to be a trustee of our fund again.
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Zane Farrow
My name is Zane Farrow and I have been at NZAS for four years. I am the Specialist Analytical Capability in the laboratories. Prior to joining NZAS I spent 5 years at Massey University, completing a double major in Chemistry and Psychology before achieving a Masters in Science (Chemistry).
I have an interest in economics, especially regarding people’s behaviours around savings, market actions, and global trends. Recent and current events such as Brexit, the US political situation, Covid-19, and the big question of an upcoming (or already here!) recession have all resulted in an uncertain market. This market is different to what has happened historically, especially with instant communication allowing news to be instantly dissected and analysed, causing dips and spikes in the market regularly. These dips and spikes can cause panic and over-optimism respectively, and superannuation fund managers must be aware of their biases and act responsibly to maintain and care for the fund finances, providing returns without exposing the members to unacceptable risks.
Closer to home, we are awaiting an outcome from the power contract negotiations that were recently announced. Whatever the outcome of these negotiations, I believe that there will be a lot of questions and concerns from members about the fund, particularly for those looking at retirement in the next few years and for those that may be looking at getting into the housing market by using their locked in portion of the fund as part of their deposit.
I believe that I can add my analytical skills to the knowledge and experience present in the trustee directors. I read widely and am interested in global events and the ripple effects that events can have and believe that I would be able to add value to our world class superannuation fund as we navigate the current market to do the best for all members. I would welcome the opportunity to represent NZAS employees on the fund.
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