The Big Idea Trust Board is delighted to announce the appointment of Patrick Snedden as its new chairperson.

2017 arrived with The Big Idea needing an experienced leader to maintain the momentum created by outgoing chair Roger King. King had overseen more than two years of positive change; a new website and logo, as well as the appointment of a new CEO. All credit then to that CEO, Annie Ackerman, for convincing Patrick Snedden to lead her board. He brings extensive governance experience in both the corporate and not-for-profit sectors.

Patrick is also no stranger to creative entrepreneurship. He was a founding director of Mai FM, the first commercial Maori radio station, and was part of a Board and operations team that oversaw its progression from nil resources to a top rating radio station in Auckland.

Patrick chaired the Housing New Zealand Corporation and the Auckland and Counties District Health Boards. He is a current director of Ports of Auckland and a former one of Watercare Services. In 2011 he helped to establish a new educational trust devoted to accelerating improvement in Maori and Pasifika educational outcomes. Manaiakalani Educational Trust works in Auckland’s Tamaki region and around the country with 50 low decile schools and 12,000 children to deliver high-end digital learning and citizenship to lower socio-economic youth who might not otherwise get exposure to these critical skill sets.

Last year Manaiakalani picked up two top prizes at the New Zealand Innovation Awards:

Excellence in Social Innovation and Innovation in Education, Training and Development. Patrick remains the executive Chair of the Trust.

“I relish the opportunity to step back into the creative sector and I love the passion of Annie, the team and board members. They’ve all got big plans for the coming years and I am committed to their success,” says Patrick.

The Big Idea founder, Elisabeth Vaneveld, is clear about the significance of this development:

“Pat’s appointment is really significant and a coup. With such an experienced champion at the helm of The Big Idea, the next 12 months are going to be exciting indeed.”