Richard Gordon

I have dedicated my career to making science valuable and creating organisational cultures in which people can give of their best and be respected. In 2022, I retired from my 11-year role as CEO of Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, which is New Zealand's national research institute for the land and biodiversity. That role was a huge privilege, both for leading the organisation in its purpose and for making a difference in the sustainability of te taiao (people's relationship with the natural world). I was a director of Toitū Envirocare Ltd (an innovator in achieving carbon zero performance), which emerged from my team in the early 2000s. I am now a member of the Sustainability Advisory Panel for the Pāmu (Landcorp) Board, I provide CEO mentoring and am continuing research with Prof Jan Bebbington at Lancaster University. Prior to coming to Aotearoa New Zealand in 1995 I worked with Syngenta in the UK and Japan, improving environmental performance in the agchem sector. A career highlight was documenting the values and value created by Manaaki Whenua in: Te Āpōpōtanga – Our land, our people, our future (see publications).