Sean Gibbs | Waipapa Taumata Rau | Business School Kupe Leadership Scholar

Bachelor of Laws (Honours) | Bachelor of Commerce (Economics)

Without a doubt, artificial intelligence (AI) is a transformative technology that will shape the future.

Within the past decade, artificial intelligence has been catapulted from a seemingly distant possibility reserved for supercomputers into a commonplace software available through basic internet browsers.  The New Zealand Government defines AI as an engineered system that generates outputs for a particular set of objectives without explicit programming. The UK Government goes beyond this definition, defining AI as technologies that can mimic tasks that would otherwise require human interaction.  

My postgraduate research focuses on the extent of interaction between AI and the role of corporate governance within New Zealand. Notably, whether director duties, set out in the Companies Act 1993, have implicit requirements for AI to be utilised by a director. If AI can mimic tasks that would otherwise require human interaction, to what extent will corporate governance law require the adoption of AI in New Zealand now and in the future? 

Sponsor: Waipapa Taumata Rau | Business School

Mentor: Vanessa Stoddart

Vanessa Stoddart assumed the role of Board Chair for the Tonkin + Taylor Group in January 2025. An independent board member, she brings extensive governance experience, having served on various boards in New Zealand and Australia, including roles with listed, private, public sector, and cooperative organizations. Prior to her governance career, Vanessa held senior leadership positions at Air New Zealand and Carter Holt Harvey Packaging Australia. She is a strong advocate for inclusion, serving as a member of Global Women and a mentor for Kupe Scholarship candidates and Multiethnic Young Leaders. Vanessa holds a BCom/LLB (Hons), a PGDip in Professional Ethics, is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD), and a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors (CFInstD). She is a Companion of Engineering New Zealand and an Honorary Fellow of the Human Resources Institute of New Zealand.