Guy Beatson

Guy Beatson is a governance advisor and facilitator with over 30 years of experience across the public, private, and non-profit sectors in New Zealand and internationally. He was formerly General Manager of the Governance Leadership Centre and Registrar at the Institute of Directors New Zealand (IoD), leading governance thought leadership, director development, and national standards for board practice. He also engaged with government and public sector stakeholders on legislative and policy reforms affecting governance. His duties at IoD will end on 27 March 2026.

Prior to the IoD, Guy held senior roles in the New Zealand public service, including Deputy Chief Executive – Strategy and Organisational Performance at Te Puni Kōkiri, where he led strategic planning, performance management, evaluation and research, and cross-agency collaboration focused on outcomes for Māori (indigenous) communities. He was also Deputy Secretary – Natural Resources Policy at the Ministry for the Environment, overseeing reforms in resource management, freshwater governance, and climate resilience.

In 2018, Guy founded Beatson Company Limited, providing advisory services in governance, policy, financial management, and institutional strengthening. His consultancy work spans the Pacific, Asia, and Gulf States, supporting public service transformation and regulatory reform.

Earlier in his career, Guy worked at the New Zealand Treasury, Ministry of Economic Development, World Bank, and Fiji’s Ministry of Finance, advising on public sector reform, fiscal policy, legislative design, and performance management.

Guy is active in non-profit governance. He chairs Youthline Wellington, is a Trustee of Youthline Auckland, chairs the Youthline National Chairs Forum, and serves as a Trustee of Youth Search and Rescue. He is also Deputy Chair of New Zealand’s Legislation Design and Advisory Committee.

A frequent speaker and author on governance and policy, Guy led the development of key IoD publications such as the Director Sentiment Survey, AI Governance Guide for Boards, and Health and Safety Governance: A Good Practice Guide.

He holds a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Canterbury and an Executive Master of Public Administration (Distinction) from the Australian National University. He is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors.