Ā mātou tāngata Our people

Chief Operating Officer

Nick Thomson

Nick leads the Finance, People & Culture, Technology, and Business Support functions at Te Ara Ahunga Ora. He also supports the Retirement Commissioner to ensure the organisation operates efficiently and effectively with high quality strategic, operational, and finance leadership. Prior to taking on the COO position, Nick was the Director of Financial Capability and the Director of Learning at Te Ara Ahunga Ora. He is an experienced senior executive who has held a variety of senior leadership positions in education and operations.

Director – Policy & Research

Dr Suzy Morrissey

Suzy leads a team that supports the Retirement Commissioner to shape our policy and research work and activities. She oversees our research programme, the statutory three-yearly Review of Retirement Income Policies and the statutory role to monitor the effects of the Retirement Villages Act, the Regulations and Code of Practice. Suzy is a Chartered Accountant and spent eight years working for global accounting firms in Australia and New Zealand. She was made a Fellow Chartered Accountant in 2018. Since 2012 she has worked in the public sector and brings experience from Treasury and MBIE to her role at Te Ara Ahunga Ora. Her PhD in Taxation examined policy and gender.

Kaihautū | Director - Māori & Learning

Erin Thompson (Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Ngaati Tiipa)

Erin leads the Māori and Learning teams which supports implementation of the rautaki Māori, organisation-wide cultural capability and drives stronger outcomes for Māori across our focus areas and programmes, particularly schools and kura.

Previously the Kaikōkiri for the Te whai hua – kia ora, Sorted in Schools programme, Erin comes from a teaching background. She is a strong advocate for kaupapa Māori, te reo Māori, and mātauranga Māori, and has a wealth of experience in iwi and community planning and development, and iwi governance.

Director – Stakeholder & Communications

Anika Forsman
Anika leads the team responsible for the communications and stakeholder engagement activity for Te Ara Ahunga Ora, including the management and delivery of key government partnerships. Prior to joining Te Ara Ahunga Ora, Anika spent six years working for Auckland Unlimited, most recently leading the communications and marketing requirements for the Auckland Council group and Crown partners for the 36^th America’s Cup. Her previous roles included working in communications at Fonterra and as a journalist in Queenstown and Auckland.