Meet The Committee

Lawyer
Honorary Consul for Finland in Auckland

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Chris is a corporate / technology lawyer by trade, and a Celt by origin (her family hails from the Shetland Islands and Ireland – both with strong Viking connections).

 

Chris likes the Scandinavian approach to business, life, and family, and their outward-looking focus, finding that there are deep similarities between New Zealand and Scandinavia. Chris has advised Nordic companies on their business operations in New Zealand, and after meeting the Danish Trade Commissioner in 2005, she joined NZSBA. 

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Her interests include family, swimming, and music.

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Email: chris.linton.nz@gmail.com

Founder & Funds Manager, Pacific Wealth Creators Ltd

 

A kiwi living in Tauranga, James founded Pacific Wealth Creators in 2000. NZSBA committee member since 2007 and past-President of 4 years.

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James met two long-time Swedish friends from Stockholm while backpacking Europe in 1988. This connection inspired an interest in the Nordic region - a region with a rich history of thinking independently and differently - and involvement with the NZSBA. From this have come friendships, knowledge, and connections. 

 

Interests include value investing (naturally) running (slow), family and gardening.

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Email: james@pacificwealthcreators.com

Former Swedish Honorary Consul of New Zealand

Chair of Auckland Chamber Orchestra
 

Frank has had a long career in banking, and he has lived and worked in seven countries.

Frank has a passion to bring people together and humanise business.

 

In addition to his long business career, Frank has written a book called "Learning to Dance - Corporate Style, how to humanise business and get more out of life", where he explains that by designing work to create personal pleasure and fulfillment for each and every team member moves us towards the state of dance rather than a slog.

Frank is a keen reader and tennis player.

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Email: frank@olsson.co.nz

Lisa is from Sweden and immigrated to New Zealand in late 2008 after more than a decade in London.

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Lisa has spent the past 20 years or so working in financial services and investor relations in the UK and New Zealand and joined Milford as a Financial Adviser in Auckland in 2022.

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Lisa joined NZSBA in 2023 and is excited to reconnect with Nordic business and to help facilitate and promote partnerships between individuals and organisations in New Zealand and the Nordic region.

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Outside work Lisa enjoys spending time with family and friends, skiing and traveling, including returning to Sweden when she can to spend time with family and friends over there.

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Email: lisabrouneus@icloud.com

Owner / Director of JGN Consulting NZ Limited

 

Business Consulting – Strategic Planning

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Jolene, a kiwi, has worked in the freight forwarding industry for +30 years and ten of those years were spent working within the Freight and Logistics industry in Denmark. 

During her time in Denmark, she married a Dane, learnt the Danish language, and enjoyed learning the Danish culture and traditions.

 

Jolene and her husband returned to New Zealand in 2014, where she continues to work within the Freight and Logistics industry, joined the Danish Association, and became a member of the NZ Scandinavia Association.

Jolene founded JGN Consulting NZ in May 2024. 

 

Interests include reading, gardening, and exploring our area in Kinloch (Taupo).

 

Email: jgnconsultingnz@Outlook.com

International business development consultant 

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After a couple of years abroad in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, Linda is currently based in the Northern parts of Sweden together with her Kiwi partner and their two little boys. After her family's move to Scandinavia, she provides a valuable link to the region 'on the ground' for NZSBA.

 

Previously based at the Swedish Trade and Invest Council, Linda holds experience in strategic consulting and supporting companies to establish and grow internationally. With a passion for teamwork, she is excited to be a part of NZSBA to promote and facilitate networking and business opportunities between New Zealand and Scandinavia. 

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Email: lindahelenfransson@gmail.com 

Runs Scandibunz, a bakery and lunch bar with Swedish roots in Milford, Auckland.

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With roots in Northern Sweden and a life-long obsession with food and culture from around the world, Susanne is alongside her British partner creating a bakery space serving mainly traditional Swedish treats and bringing a bit of 'lagom' to Auckland.

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Susanne found her place in New Zealand in 2011 after a few years of seeing the world, and she finds that New Zealand is just the perfect mix of British humour and Scandinavian focus on life-work balance. AND the nature is just amazing to boot.

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Interests other than food include family, traveling, reading, and exercise.

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Email: susanne@scandibunz.co.nz 

Mirka is from Finland, based in Auckland and has been going back and forth between New Zealand and Finland since 2019. Mirka has worked for the New Zealand and Finnish Governments and the European Commission. Her professional experience is in communications and stakeholder engagement, journalism, digital channels and content, leadership, and policy.

 

Mirka is a true globetrotter who has lived in six different countries. With a wide network of contacts in New Zealand, Finland and Europe, she is excited to support the growth and success of the NZSBA. Interests include travelling, languages, hiking, gym, dancing, and of course – sauna. ​​​​

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Email: mirka.ukkonen@gmail.com

Special Advisor - Sustainability and Impact, Tonkin & Taylor

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Simon is a versatile and experienced sustainability expert. He's passionate about supporting organisations to strive for a just and regenerative future that we can all be proud of.  His experience spans strategic thinking and planning to implementation, measurement, reporting and disclosure, using a wide range of local and international tools and frameworks.

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Simon has been a member of the NZSBA for many years and has helped support or deliver a wide range of events with a sustainability focus.

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Outside of work, Simon loves golfing, biking and spending time with his family on Waiheke, which has been his home for the last 22 years.