Executive Team 2025-2026

Qaiser Rashid 

President 

Qaiser Rashid is an expert and senior business leader in industry training, tertiary education, sports major events & entertainment, and retail sectors in New Zealand.

His current roles include operating training service; and major sports events’ businesses. Qaiser was a CEO of Talent International Institute; Company Director of One Pure International; and CEO of New Zealand Messenger; and part of the executive leadership team at Huadu International Management Group.

Qaiser has successfully owned and managed a number of Private Training Establishments in New Zealand for the past twenty five years. His career pathway commenced from the roles of Tertiary Lecturer to Head of the Department, Dean, Director of Studies, Principal, Shareholder and Director, and CEO of medium to large-size private training establishments in New Zealand. Previously, he has a senior level management experience in Quick Service Restaurant, Textiles, and Cigarette industries.

Qaiser is currently an Honorary Tourism Ambassador for Tourism Development Corporation Punjab, Pakistan in New Zealand. Qaiser has been an Honorary Investment Counsellor for Pakistan in New Zealand from 2013 to 2018. He has played a key role in establishing strategic ties between New Zealand and Pakistan.

Agnes White 

Vice President 

Agnes is a qualified real estate licensee with her own business, Agnes White & Associates MREINZ, which was established to provide quality personal service to the highest ethical standards. Agnes has received continuous referral business from satisfied landlords, vendors and clients over many years, which is testimony to Agnes’ abilities and communication skills.

For a number of years, Agnes has been a member of Zonta, a global organisation of executives and professionals working together to advance the status of women worldwide. During this time, Agnes has held many positions at club and national level and has represented the Canterbury/Marlborough area on the New Zealand Board.

Agnes and her husband Graham are committed to Christchurch, and they have an in-depth understanding of earthquake and now coronavirus issues through their property management dealings and as central Christchurch residents.

Michelle MacWilliam

Secretary & Digital Communications Officer

A specialist in the areas of developing business relationships, particularly in the local domestic market and between New Zealand and China, she is experienced in strategic planning, executing events and projects and building long term relationships across cultures via her business Duo Communication Ltd.

Michelle also works alongside SME business owners under the brands Retail Selling & Michelle Mac in the areas of business process re-engineering & crisis management whilst ensuring that focus is retained on sales and marketing so as to ensure desired outcomes are obtained. from an omnichannel perspective.

In 2014 was a finalist in the North Canterbury Business awards, professional section and was a national category finalist for local and regional/influencer in the New Zealand Women of Influence awards.

Michelle is currently the South Island executive committee member for the New Zealand China Trade Association. Chair of the Christchurch China Sister Cities Committee and Chair of the Rewi Alley Foundation of New Zealand.

Sam Cherry

Treasurer

Sam Cherry is an experienced Chartered Accountant and Business Broker, who is a Partner at Tabak Business Sales. He also has several years of accounting and business banking experience under his belt, giving him a great breadth of experience and a wide and varied network in Canterbury. Outside of work Sam enjoys spending time with his family, travel and keeping fit. 

Warren Head

Committee Member

Warren is Managing Director of Head Consultants Ltd, providing services in business development, capital raising, financial public relations for listed and private equity businesses, media relations, and government relations.

He is also Chairman and Executive Director of MG Publications, a business media publisher in commercial and legal data, shipping & trade, investment, and current affairs. He is an award-winning financial writer and commentator.

Warren is a past president of the Christchurch Business Club and past secretary providing a depth of knowledge to the club’s history for the executive committee.

Michael Durie

Committee Member

Seasoned Marketing Professional Empowering Businesses

With nearly five decades of experience driving enterprise sales, marketing outcomes, and strategic business development, I’ve honed my expertise in marketing communications and customer relationship management through my roles at Durie Hill & Associates (since 2014) and Business Mentors New Zealand (since 2021).

At Business Mentors New Zealand, I passionately leverage marketing as a catalyst for sustainable growth and innovation, aligning with the organization’s mission to empower and grow small-medium businesses.

My commitment to this mission remains unwavering as I bring diverse perspectives and industry-leading competencies.

As Chair of the Marketing Association’s Southern Region and its manager for growth and development, I’ve been at the forefront of enabling marketers to excel amidst rapidly changing trends. Through our networking events, training workshops, and industry advocacy, we’ve cultivated a dynamic network that engages with local members across the South Island.

Nicola Woodhead

Committee Member

Nicola is a strategic marketing consultant and founder of Little Seed Collective, a Christchurch-based consultancy working with businesses to build clear, practical marketing strategies that support sustainable growth.

With over a decade of experience across in-house and agency roles in New Zealand and Australia, Nicola brings a broad understanding of strategy, brand development and marketing execution.

She works with businesses of all sizes, from established organisations to growing owner-led enterprises, and is known for bringing structure, clarity and momentum to complex marketing challenges. Nicola is passionate about supporting the Christchurch business community and helping local businesses grow with confidence and intent.

Sarah Dean

Committee Member

Sarah Dean is the Founder and a Trustee of the Road Traffic Accident Trauma Charitable Trust, which operates nationally as the National Road Trauma Centre. Her work focuses on strengthening cross-sector collaboration between transport, health, justice, emergency response, research, and community organisations, with an emphasis on evidence-informed decision-making, survivor-centred approaches, and system-level improvement. The National Road Trauma Centre works with government agencies, local authorities, professional bodies, academic institutions, and private-sector partners to improve outcomes across the full continuum of road trauma — from prevention and emergency response through to recovery, rehabilitation, and long-term wellbeing.

Sarah has held roles across local and central government in New Zealand and Australia and has co-owned physiotherapy clinics in Sydney, providing practical commercial experience within regulated healthcare environments. She also brings senior-level expertise and formal qualifications in Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance within the veterinary medicine pharmaceutical sector in Australia, including responsibility for product registration and distribution across the Asia-Pacific region. Her experience spans compliance governance, risk management, and cross-jurisdictional regulatory frameworks, supporting informed decision-making at Board and executive level.

Dr Edward Lee

Committee Member

Dr. Edward Lee is a general practitioner and a medical entrepreneur blending clinical expertise with innovative business acumen. A 2020 Otago Medical School graduate, he ranks in the top 5% for revenue generation as a General Practitioner at South Link Health, consulting 100 patients weekly and subspecialising in comprehensive skin cancer diagnoses and excisions from scalp to toe.

As Co-Founder and Co-Director of Vita Health Recovery and Rehabilitation Services Ltd, he develops and oversees clinical operations, facility designs, and GP services. He also founded Virtual Doctors NZ, a telehealth platform providing virtual care to 25-40 patients weekly.

Dr. Lee has served on a clinical governance group, interned as a medical consultant at Elevation Capital — contributing to a Product Disclosure Statement for medical technology fundraising — and acted as a sub-investigator with the renowned Auckland Vascular Intervention Research Unit which conducts numerous first-in-human and multi-centre vascular stent trials.

His professional networks include Executive Committee roles with the Otago Medical School Alumni Association and formerly the Otago Property Investors Association, plus membership in The Society of St George’s Hospital.

The roll of acknowledgement for the past presidents is

2010-11 T. Lord

2011-12 M. Rondel

2012-13 T. Westwood

2013-14 R. Naysmith

2014-15 M. Winder

2015-16 C. Stoelhorst

2016-17 R. Thorpe

2017-18 M. Durie

2018-19 W. Head

2019-20 N.C.H. Babbage

2020-21 Ms K. Foote

2021-22 D. Percy

2022-23 P Macdonald

2023-24 Dr P Burrows

2024-25 Q Rashid

2025-26

2026-27

2027-28

2028-29

2029-30