Massey Student Wins Prestigious Pāmu Agriculture Scholarship
William John Poole, a third year Agribusiness student at Massey University, has been awarded the Dr Warren Parker and Pāmu Scholarship.
Angela Dixon, Stu Husband, and Brent Lawgun begin serving a three-year term from 1 August 2025.
Dixon is a seasoned consultant and finance specialist with extensive governance experience. Her background spans financial performance oversight, capital asset management, and digital innovation.
Husband is a dairy farm owner and operator, iwi negotiator, and former Waikato Regional Councillor. His strong connection with farmers and belief in Landcorp's role as a pathway to farm ownership for rangatahi underpin his appointment, says Pāmu.
Lawgun has over 30 years of business, with a focus on private equity, funds management, and board governance. His pragmatic approach to aligning governance with performance and culture makes him a valuable addition to the board.
Chair John Rae says each new appointee brings a unique blend of expertise, insight, and leadership "that will be invaluable as we continue to deliver on our strategic priorities and crown expectations".
"Their appointments mark a significant step forward in strengthening Pāmu governance capability and ensuring the board reflects the breadth of experience needed to navigate the future of farming in NZ," Rae says.
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Two months ago, Pāmu was issued a "please explain" letter by its shareholder, the Government, seeking answers on how it intends to strengthen its finances and focus on its core roles.
State Owned Enterprises Minister Simeon Brown wrote to the board expressing disappointment and concern at the state-owned farming company's "failure to make progress in improving its performance".
He cited as examples of underperformance and measures needing to be addressed, improving the five-year average of a 2.6% return on shareholder's funds, and it's failure to meet its cost of equity for at least a decade.
