Trust Board
John Simpson
John Simpson has been the executive trustee for the Maerewhenua Trust Board since its inception in 1985 when it applied the foundation fund of $30,000 toward the deposit on its first property at Greenlane in Auckland.
In the years since, he has learned the art of cultivating good, positive and enduring relationships with tenants, real estate agents, valuers, lawyers, bankers, insurance brokers and tradespeople.
He credits his experience as a youth trainer at Auckland’s Penrose High School, the Boys’ Brigade and the Christchurch YMCA as the basis for these relationship skills that have been a key factor in the trust’s evolution into the entity that it is today.
He lives at Wainui on Banks Peninsula where his current interests include ridding his local neighbourhood of possums, learning more about sea kayaking and pack rafting, and taking up any opportunity to get into the hills with a pack on his back.
Mark Simpson
Mark Simpson grew up in Christchurch with a passion for the outdoors, excited for the next family Easter weekend tramp, YMCA summer cycling camp or YMCA winter ski camp.
Paragliding is now his primary recreational pursuit, but he is still a keen backcountry skier and mountain biker.
He is currently based in Telluride, Colorado where he raises a young family, works as a real estate agent, and owns a real estate investment entity.
His association with the Maerewhenua Trust began 20 years ago when, as a teenager he helped paint and maintain buildings that are now its cornerstone assets. He now looks forward to using his professional experience to assist in guiding the philanthropic efforts of the trust for many years into the future.
Duncan Bright – FMC Rep
Originally from the UK, Duncan moved to New Zealand in 2012 for the outdoor lifestyle. Having made Governors Bay his home, he enjoys tramping, mountain biking and sea kayaking on Banks Peninsula and across the wider South Island.
In his spare time, Duncan also volunteers for a number of organisations that align with his interests and hobbies, including as a current Trustee for the Rod Donald Banks Peninsula Trust. As a practicing Architect, he brings over 20 years experience in commercial architecture providing governance and management of complex property projects, to the Maerewhenua Trust. As a member of some of New Zealand’s mountain clubs, Duncan is excited about the opportunity to contribute to the governance of a trust that plays such an important role in supporting the Federated Mountain Clubs of New Zealand’s work and encouraging young people, plus those volunteer adult mentors who encourage them, into Aotearoa’s outdoor spaces.
Les Bouterey – BBNZ Representative
Les Bouterey has been in the Boys’Brigade for 60 years, starting as a youth member at the age of 14. He has since captained a large, active Christchurch Central City BB company for 25 years, been the National President for 6 years, and is currently the national adjudicator for the Queens Badge award.
He retired as an electrician for NZ Post with a 45 year service record, and has since project managed the St Paul’s Trinity Pacific Presbyterian church’s EQ rebuild and served as the Property Manager.
Les has always been grateful to the BB for introducing him to outdoor activities which directly led on to his enthusiasm for tramping and mountaineering into the wild places of NZ.
With this passion for the outdoors, he was inspired to enthuse teenagers of the younger generation, and he counts it a priviledge to have retained links with so many of these people whereby to this day, group trips into backcounty NZ are still an important part of their lives.