Alan Monro

Al has extensive governance and business experience. He currently sits on the Boards of 3 high-tech companies, as Chair of Foster Moore (business registries, including the NZ Companies Office), Chair of Spidertracks (rotary and fixed wing aircraft tracking) and Chair of eStar (eCommerce). He is a past Director of Callaghan Innovation, the New Zealand Government crown entity responsible for growing the R&D investment of New Zealand’s high value manufacturing and services companies and administering R&D grants. He was Chair of the Grants Committee and was also on the Audit and Risk Committee of Callaghan Innovation. He is also a past Trustee of the New Zealand Hi-Tech Trust.

Al Monro is also Chairman of the Board and a shareholder of Wanaka-based Tarras Cherry Corporation, an orchard holding company with a 35-hectare, 24,000 tree orchard in the Ardgour Valley.

His business experience includes 18 years at IBM (National Sales Manager on departure) and having been Chief Executive of optical touch screen company NextWindow from start-up in 2002 until acquisition by NASDAQ-listed Smart Technologies in 2011. During that period the business grew from two employees and no revenue to in excess of 140 staff and US$46m in sales.

Since leaving Smart Technologies in late 2011, Al has been working with expansion-stage technology companies as an advisor and/or director helping them put strategies in place to grow globally.

Al and his wife Andrea have lived in Wanaka since 2017.

Al holds a Bachelor of Law degree from Canterbury University.