The University of Auckland Foundation

The University of Auckland Foundation is the steward and distributor of funds entrusted to it for specific educational charitable purposes, usually associated with the University of Auckland.

The trustees are drawn from the alumni of the University of Auckland and the general public. Current trustees are: David Carter (Chair), Roger France (Chair – Investment Committee), David Bridgman (Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee), Jonathan Mason, Dr Arthur Morris, Lyndy Sainsbury, Miriam Dean CNZM, KC and Alice Mew.

David Carter is a director of the Beca Group. Roger France is currently a director on the board of Southern Cross Medical Care Society and serves on the advisory panel of Next Foundation. Jonathan Mason serves as a director on the boards of Westpac and Zespri. Dr Arthur Morris is a clinical microbiologist and a director of Southern Cross Hospitals and Mercy Healthcare Auckland. Lyndy Sainsbury is a trustee of the Edmiston Trust. Miriam Dean is a King’s Council and independent Director. Alice Mew is the Manager of External Investments & Partnerships and Chair of the Investment Committee at the NZ Super Fund. David Bridgman is a corporate finance and strategic business specialist and independent director.

The trustees meet four times a year to oversee: the use of gifts, fundraising activity, investment of funds, and audit. In addition the investment committee meets with its investment consultant (Cambridge Associates) to review investment policies and performance, and the audit committee meets with its auditors (EY) to prepare the annual financial statements and audit. The Foundation is registered with Charities Services (Number CC 10985).

Each Foundation endowment gift is invested into, and allocated its share of, the endowment investment pool which is structured for long-term growth while also allowing for some of the investment income to be distributed. In order to achieve this the trustees have instituted an endowment asset allocation that is described in more detail in the “Publications” section. The Foundation, apart from term deposits with New Zealand banks, makes no direct purchases of securities in its endowment pool. Instead, it invests in a number of commingled funds, both managed and passive, on the advice of its external investment consultants Cambridge Associates.