Public Trust announces Board changes
Media release
31 March 2025
Karen Price has been appointed Acting Chair of the Public Trust Board from 1 April 2025.
She replaces out-going Chair Ian Fitzgerald, who has served on the Board for the past eight years.
Karen comes to the role with a strong background in law and governance. An experienced independent director, she currently chairs a range of SME boards such as Jasmax Group, Aotea Electric Auckland Ltd, and Freshco Ltd, and is a board member for the Institute of Directors.
Public Trust is an autonomous Crown entity and New Zealand’s largest provider of trustee and estate administration services.
She commented: “I am honoured to take up this role and support Public Trust’s purpose to empower all New Zealanders to build and protect their legacies.
“As New Zealand’s population ages and the pace of intergenerational wealth transfer quickens, our services are needed more than ever. New Zealanders count on us to be the best at what we do, and our role is to deliver for our customers, now and in the future.”
Karen Price joined the Public Trust Board in July last year. Reflecting on the recent Board changes, she thanked outgoing Public Trust Chair Ian Fitzgerald for his many years of commitment and public service.
“Under Ian’s leadership, Public Trust has strengthened its service delivery, financial performance, risk management and governance. Ian is a keen student of history – and I think this chapter in our history will be remembered as a time we became a more resilient and forward-looking organisation.”
This latest change follows the unexpected passing of Public Trust’s longtime Deputy Chair John Duncan, in February. “John served on our Board for 10 years and his passing is keenly felt by Public Trust,” she said.
ENDS
Media, please contact: Georgie Hills, Head of Communications, phone 0212593016, [email protected]
Karen Price
LLM, LLB, CFInstD
Public Trust Board member since July 2024
Karen is an experienced independent director and board chair. Her governance career has spanned a range of sectors including structural and water engineering, architecture, electricity, adult education, environmental science, green energy certification, and horticulture. Karen is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors and a member of its board.
Excited by innovation, Karen chose a pioneering career in climate change over 30 years ago. She has advised many companies, their boards, and several governments about their climate risks and how best to manage those.
Karen co-founded several successful private and public organisations – the NZ Society for Risk Management; the NZ Carbon Exchange Limited, and environment law firm ChanceryGreen.
Public Trust provides trustee and comprehensive estate administration services for individuals through our Retail business, and corporate trustee, supervisory and custodial services through our Corporate Trustee Services business. We also have an important part to play in the charitable trust sector. Our Investment team manages around $1.4 billion of funds (as at 30 June 2024), primarily for charities, estate beneficiaries, and students (through our Fee Protect service).
Established 150 years ago, Public Trust is a self-funding autonomous Crown entity. Our unique role is to empower all New Zealanders to build and protect their legacies.