RiskNZ Board 2025 Nominees

Kobus Dippenaar offers RiskNZ extensive expertise in governance, risk management, and assurance, with over 20 years of experience spanning public and private sectors. His leadership includes strategic roles on governance and steering committees, and as Chair of a Trust leading membership drives and financial sustainability, making him uniquely qualified to strengthen RiskNZ’s commitment to advancing risk management standards nationwide.

Kobus’s professional experience demonstrates his proficiency in strategic oversight and committee governance, crucial to RiskNZ’s mission. As Assurance Lead at New Zealand Fire and Emergency Services, he managed risk and assurance for a $59 million HRIS and payroll replacement program, affecting over 13,000 employees and volunteers. In this role, Kobus engaged with senior leaders through programme steering committees and governance groups, developing a robust risk and assurance framework to protect organisational assets and manage high-level risks. His success in embedding these assurance processes reflects his ability to enhance governance structures, align them with strategic goals, and provide steady leadership in complex initiatives.

His role as Programme Director at the Department of Internal Affairs demonstrates his capability to guide large-scale transformations while maintaining fiscal responsibility. Kobus led in an Executive Board to drive a government-wide digital transformation that achieved cabinet approval and reduced operational costs by over $100 million. He oversaw business case preparation, Treasury budget reviews, and established governance models to ensure ongoing accountability and alignment with government objectives. This extensive engagement across Treasury, digital agencies, and senior government leaders is evidence of his ability to foster inter-agency collaboration and navigate New Zealand’s regulatory and policy landscape.

Kobus’s governance experience is further reinforced through his volunteer work with ISACA’s Wellington Chapter, where he contributed to building educational programs and professional development for information security professionals. Serving as Chair of the annual Education Day planning committee, Kobus demonstrated his commitment to knowledge-sharing and his skill in driving high-impact initiatives that contribute to professional standards and networking. His approach aligns with RiskNZ’s mission of advancing risk management practices through active engagement with members and stakeholders.

A trusted advisor across New Zealand’s public service, Kobus held key advisory roles with New Zealand Customs, where he led the digital transformation of joint border management systems. Under his direction, the program stabilised after critical disruptions, including the Kaikoura earthquake, reinforcing his skill in steering organisations through crises with resilient governance and risk frameworks. His contributions in this and other advisory roles have established him as a thought leader in risk and digital transformation, trusted by senior leadership and stakeholders to manage high-value investments effectively.

Kobus also holds qualifications that emphasize his dedication to governance and sustainability. With certifications in Climate Change Governance Essentials and Company Direction from the Institute of Directors, he maintains an informed, future-oriented approach to risk and governance. He is currently pursuing a Master’s in Sustainable Business, further strengthening his alignment with RiskNZ’s values and enhancing his ability to integrate sustainable practices into strategic risk management.

His capacity for strategic, cross-functional governance, combined with his commitment to ethical, sustainable risk practices, makes Kobus Dippenaar a strong addition to the RiskNZ Board. His track record in leading committees, fostering stakeholder collaboration, and driving governance excellence will support RiskNZ’s objectives in promoting and evolving best practices for risk management in New Zealand.

An experienced risk practitioner, able to work across multiple sectors and layers of stakeholders. Currently Risk and Assurance Manager at Ravensdown Limited, responsible for the Enterprise Risk System, Internal Audit, and other assurance activities. Reporting directly to the Audit and Risk Committee.

Proven ability performing enterprise, portfolio, programme, and project risk management activities. This includes practical experience raising risk maturity levels and co-facilitating Board top-down risk and appetite workshops.

Prior roles demonstrate a diverse skill set and versatility. Roles cover advisory, audit and assurance for government entities, corporates and across industries (Construction, Agriculture, Education). Each required an emphasis on continuous improvement of processes and performance at entity, governance, and systems levels. These roles have included working for KPMG, Department of Conservation, University of Canterbury, Fonterra and CAANZ.

A CA risk specialist who holds a certificate in company direction with the IOD and other relevant qualifications.

I would love to use my skills and experience to progress the RiskNZ agenda and business plan. .

My passion for risk management began in 2003 when I developed a risk assessment process for the Auckland City Council Closed Landfill Asset Management Plan as part of my work as an environmental consultant. As I aligned the approach to the the former New Zealand/ Australian Risk Management Standard AS/NZS 4360 I discovered the joy of developing and implementing practical risk processes and I have retained my enthusiasm for it to this day.

Soon thereafter I was able to secure a role as the Risk Management Coordinator with North Shore City Council where I completely overhauled the Council-wide enterprise risk management framework and programme in accordance with 4360. In addition, I developed the project risk management guide together with Rob Verkerk from Auckland University as well as organisation wide business continuity plans. I facilitated strategic, operational and project risk workshops, inductions, was involved in pandemic planning and developed/ operated the council-wide intranet pages.

Audit New Zealand commended Council about the uplift in enterprise risk management and business continuity during that time.

I presented two papers during my time at Council on Risk at the 6th Internal Audit Forum 2005. “Are Your Audit Functions Really Risk Based?” and at the 4th Annual Enterprise Wide Risk Management Conference 2006 “Business Continuity Planning in the Face of Emerging Risks”. Both papers were very well received and available as White Papers for several years.

I left my role to start a family but attended conferences and maintained peer connections and keep abreast with changes and developments in the risk space. On my return to the workforce, I have since worked in permanent and contracting roles in Local and Central Government in enterprise, programme and project risk management, regulatory compliance and business continuity.

During that time, I have successfully developed and implemented numerous risk management frameworks as well as business continuity plans. In 2022 I had the great privilege to present a paper at the Risk & Resilience NZ Summit on Project & Programme Risk Management.

The organisations where I have worked since my return include Inland Revenue, Regional Facilities Auckland, Public Trust, Vector, Auckland District Health Board, Waka Kotahi. I am currently with ACC as the Manager, Integrity Risk Advisory.

My passion is to make risk come to life, uplift risk maturity and literacy across organisations and add real value.

In my experience one of the most effective ways to achieve this is through the development and implementation of fit for purpose enterprise and project risk management frameworks, associated processes, templates and well-run risk education sessions/ workshops.

I strongly believe that effective risk management not only enables organizations to achieve their strategic objectives but also safeguards stakeholders, customers, and employees.

I would greatly welcome the opportunity to provide best practice risk leadership to RiskNZ members as a RiskNZ Board member should my nomination be successful.

In my spare time I tend to a little self-sufficient lifestyle block in coastal West Auckland complete with chickens, ducks, dogs and a cat.

I have 3 girls between 12, 15 and 17 and we love to go fishing, skiing and hunting together when time allows.

Following a significant part of my career with PwC in their Risk Assurance service line, I decided to branch out and joined Fletcher Building. Here I found an aspect of corporate life which I fully enjoyed and that was being able to transform Fletcher Building’s assurance function. From there I joined Auckland Council with a broader role which includes internal audit, risk, resilience and insurance. I soon set about transforming council’s Risk and Assurance function, which continues to evolve to meet their everchanging needs. Being able to continue on the board with Risk NZ allows me to give back to a profession that I have been immersed in for many years and support others seeking a rewarding career in risk. Alongside these roles I have been a trustee for a not-for-profit organisation in the Waikato. Perry Outdoor Education Trust (POET) supports teachers in lower decile schools to run outdoor education programmes, which often without POET’s support and funding would not be possible. These experiences create lasting, positive memories for students who otherwise wouldn’t get the opportunity, and for some opens up a learning pathway beyond school.

Kia ora, I’m Jackson Calder and I’m running for my second term on the RiskNZ Board. Since becoming a Board Member in March 2023 I believe I have delivered on my ambitions of advocating for young professionals, new entrants into risk management, and speaking to the interests of the security industry which is often overlooked in broader risk management discussions. It was my pleasure to speak on two panels at the 2023 Summit and meet so many enthusiastic members and partners at the 2024 Summit. I have gained a vast amount of governance experience during this time and am proud of how we navigated the post-Covid environment, managing to host two well-attended summits and growing our membership all whilst other conferences were being cancelled. As we enter now into an exciting growth phase for the organisation I, if voted in again, aim to hit the ground running with new learning and development initiatives for members and more frequent social events in order to really cultivate a thriving risk community we can be proud to be a part of. I believe I’m only just getting started, and I would love the opportunity to continue this important work. Thank you.

A bit extra about me for new members: I am a foreign and defence policy expert by trade, holding a Masters of Strategic Studies from Vic Uni, and began specialising into risk in 2021 when I started JC Ltd, a geopolitical risk advisory firm. I also advocate for the use of forecasting and futures modelling to better harness uncertainty, see emerging risks on the horizon, and write better strategy. I now work for Global Risk Consulting (GRC) Group working primarily in the national security and emergency management spaces. We also advocate strongly for risk management best-practice in the security industry, pushing for higher quality training, risk and threat assessments, and futures-thinking. I have also been a Committee Member of the NZ Institute for International Affairs (NZIIA) in the Wellington branch and, more recently, Auckland branch where we facilitate discussion on geopolitics and host public diplomacy events.

I have worked in the tertiary sector for over 20 years, most recently in the role of Director of Risk and Assurance, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand. My line management responsibilities include risk, insurance, and audit.

In addition to managing enterprise-wide risk, I have worked extensively in the travel risk space to assist travelling staff and students to navigate the uncertainties faced by a myriad of travel risks, including those arising from the impacts of the global pandemic, supply-chain risk, and geopolitical instability. In recent years, there has also been an increasing focus on the identification and management of emerging risks like disinformation/misinformation, sensitive technologies, and climate change.

Following the earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 in the Canterbury region, I had operational responsibility for the substantial insurance claims that were ultimately settled in late 2014 for $550M. Strategic insurance issues continue to be a key component of my role.

As part of the Emergency Management Planning Group, I was part of a team that implemented an emergency management strategy for the University in 2007. In addition to being a founding member of the planning group, I had a frontline role in emergency response for several years and now act as an advisor to the UC Incident Management Team.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with whanau, keeping fit, and being an active spectator of a myriad of sports.

I have been living in sunny Hawkes Bay for that last 16 years after moving here when my wife and I started a family. In this time I’ve been fortunate enough to work for Hastings District Council (HDC) in serval roles, starting with a Quality Assurance position, and moving in to Risk Management and emergency management.

To prepare for the risk management role at Council I completed the Institute of Risk Management (IRM) UK 3 year Diploma in Enterprise Risk Management, and am now a Certified Member of the IRM.

In 2021 I was awarded RiskNZ emerging risk professional of the year based on the leadership I provided to develop the Council risk framework and risk appetite statements. My role at Council includes overseeing readiness for Civil Defence and Emergency Management, which was seriously tested during cyclone Gabrielle. Through this event I have gain considerable experience and insight to the value of having clarity on goals and roles to deliver effective results.

Prior to working at HDC I followed an early interest in aviation which lead to being awarded the first Masters in Aviation from Massey University and working as operational flight crew on B737 in Indonesia.

Since then I have held roles covering quality assurance, software product management and training. Including building a good understanding of aviation quality and safety systems through roles at the Aviation Industry Association and Air New Zealand. A lot of the concepts and practices used in this field has been invaluable background to support my current risk management work.

In my view good risk management is essential to provide assurance that goals can be successfully delivered. Only through understanding the risk in any undertaking can we understand whether the risk vs reward trade-offs are worth taking.

I see myself as a flexible and adaptable person, able to work well with a wide range of people. My vision for the Board is to create an effective team leading great services for RiskNZ members.