Biographies: Biotechnology Taskforce
Bill Falconer (co-chair)
Bill Falconer is director of a number of public companies and practices as a
commercial barrister. His current positions include the chairs of the Meat Industry
Council, Hellaby Holdings, Kiwifruit International, Oyster Bay Marlborough Vineyards,
Restaurant Brands and Westgate Transport (Port Taranaki). He is a director of
Evergreen Forests and a member of the Stock Exchange Surveillance Panel. Mr
Falconer has extensive corporate experience in the energy sector and has chaired
the Accident Compensation Corporation and the Environmental Risk Management
Authority. From 1960-85 he had an extensive career in government, initially in trade
policy and ultimately as Deputy Secretary of Energy.
Professor Garth Cooper
Dr Garth Cooper is Professor in Biochemistry & Clinical Biochemistry with joint
appointments to the School of Biological Sciences and the Department of Medicine at
Auckland University. While undertaking doctoral studies in biochemistry and
molecular biology at Oxford University he discovered the hormone amylin, developed
amylin-replacement therapy for diabetes using the engineered hormone symlin, and
subsequently founded the NASDAQ-listed US biopharmaceutical company, Amylin
Pharmaceuticals. He returned to New Zealand in 1992 to take up his position at
Auckland University. Dr Cooper is listed as inventor on more than 40 US and
European patents and has pioneered the development of proteomics in New
Zealand. He is chief scientific officer of Protemix, an Auckland-based
biopharmaceutical corporation.
Professor Diana Hill
Professor Diana Hill is chief executive of Global Technologies NZ, a joint venture in
biotechnology between herself and the South Island meat processing company
PPCS. She has a doctorate in molecular biology from Otago University and carried
out post-doctoral studies at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK,
developing new DNA and protein sequencing methods with Nobel laureates Dr Fred
Sanger and Dr John Walker. From 1982 to 1989, she was a research fellow at Otago
University, founding the joint AgResearch - University of Otago Molecular Biology
Unit in 1986 and becoming its director in 1989. Dr Hill is a Fellow of the Royal
Society of New Zealand, a foundation member of the Asian-Pacific International
Molecular Biology Network and chair of the Marsden Fund Council.
Mrs Elizabeth Hopkins
Elizabeth Hopkins is chief development officer at the Auckland biotechnology
company NeuronZ, where she leads the progression of candidate medicinal
compounds from pre-clinical studies to registration with regulatory authorities and
plays a key role in the strategic development of the company. Mrs Hopkins trained as
a research biologist at Oxford University, where she investigated the role of genetic
inheritance in breast cancer and graduated with distinction in applied biology and
computer sciences. In 1992, she joined Pfizer in the UK, initially to work on assay
miniaturisation and robotic applications for drug discovery, and studied for a degree
in pharmacology, graduating with first class honours. She has led research teams in
urology and neurology and lectured extensively on drug discovery and development.
Dr Claire McGowan
Dr Claire McGowan has been a senior investment analyst at Northington Partners
Limited, a New Zealand-based investment bank, since mid-2001. She has a PhD in
molecular microbiology and an MBA from Otago University. Her MBA project in risk
management of pharmaceutical projects was undertaken within the Pfizer
Pharmaceuticals European Research Centre in the UK. Dr McGowan returned to
New Zealand and worked for Genesis Research and Development before moving
into venture capital. She also has experience in the information technology sector.
Dr McGowan is the Auckland regional convenor for the Association for Women in the
Sciences (AWIS).
James McLean
Jim McLean is head of business development at Genesis Research & Development,
an executive director of Genesis and a director of subsidiary BioStore New Zealand.
He is a member of the executive of Biotenz, the biotechnology industry trade
association. He joined Genesis in 1994, shortly after the company was founded, after
helping with its initial capital raising as a consulting partner with Ernst & Young. With
Genesis Mr McLean has been involved with early, mezzanine, and late-stage capital
raising, intellectual property management and collaborations with Genesis’
international partners. He previously spent fifteen years with Ernst & Young as a
consultant on strategy, financial, and business planning.
Bruce Munro
Bruce Munro has a number of professional directorships in both the public and
private sectors, including the chairmanship of The New Zealand Wool Board and a
directorship at Gallagher Group Limited. He holds key shareholdings in a number of
start-up companies, where he contributes to the strategic and financial development
of the businesses together with managerial input as required. He holds Bachelor of
Science and Bachelor of Commerce and Administration degrees from Victoria
University and is an Associate member of the Society of Accountants. Mr Munro has
had extensive experience in both CEO and directorate roles. As an executive director
he specialized in managing corporate recovery, rationalizations and investment.
Ray Potroz
Ray Potroz is national secretary of the New Zealand Dairy Workers Union (NZDWU)
and has a long history in the trade union movement, in both national and international
roles. He is chairman of Dispute Resolution Services Ltd, a member of the boards of
ACC, the health insurer Unimed and the Waikato Trade Union Centre, and is on the
world executive of the Geneva-based International Union of Food Workers.
Dr Max Shepherd
Dr Max Shepherd is an executive director of Zenith Technology Corporation, a
Dunedin-based biotechnology company that conducts bioequivalence studies for the
pharmaceutical industry and develops, manufactures and markets animal health
products. Dr Shepherd is also a director of the publicly listed companies Blis
Technologies, Botry-Zen and PharmaZen. He lectured in the Biochemistry
Department, University of Otago, from 1969-1981 and was Foundation Professor in
Experimental Oral Biology from 1981-1992. His research into the human pathogenic
yeast Candida albicans is internationally recognised. He has published more than
100 original articles in international journals and contributed to books and reviews on
the physiology and biochemistry of microscopic fungi. Dr Shepherd was a member of
the Otago Polytechnic Council for 14 years and chairman from 1995-1999. He is a
Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand.
Paul Tocker
Paul Tocker became chief executive of Crop & Food Research, a Crown Research
Institute, in early 2001 after two years as general manager of the institute's research
service. He is leading an ambitious plan to support business development by
continuing to produce top quality science, developing partnerships and collaborations
nationally and internationally and adding value to the science by vigorously selecting
and commercialising intellectual property. Before 1998 he was chief executive of
Tasman Milk Products, and has over 20 years experience in food technology,
farming and business management in the dairy industry.