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Distinguished Alumni Awards
We celebrate the ongoing accomplishments of our former students and congratulations on your achievement!
Former Managing Director - Scott Technology
New Zealand Certificate in Engineering
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Former Managing Director - Scott Technology
New Zealand Certificate in Engineering
Graham Batts
Former Managing Director - Scott Technology
New Zealand Certificate in Engineering
Former Otago Polytechnic tutor, Graham Batts, started his career in 1956 undertaking a five-year apprenticeship with J & A. P. Scott (later Scott Technology) and studying evening classes at the King Edward Technical College.
In 1965 he was awarded a scholarship to Britain to study hydraulics and pneumatics and worked for the makers of the Concorde supersonic aircraft. Through the mid-1960’s to mid-1970’s Graham was a tutor part-time at Otago Polytechnic.
Since 1969 Graham was the managing director of Scott Technology until his retirement in 2000. Graham continued as Director of Scott Technology after this time and in February 2016 he completed 60 years of service for the company.
Former Lecturer and Faculty Head - Northland Polytechnic
New Zealand Certificate in Electrical Engineering (1966)
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Former Lecturer and Faculty Head - Northland Polytechnic
New Zealand Certificate in Electrical Engineering (1966)
Lindsay Laing
Former Lecturer and Faculty Head - Northland Polytechnic
New Zealand Certificate in Electrical Engineering (1966)
Lindsay Laing was one of Otago Polytechnic’s founding students and its first student president, studying full-time for a year towards a New Zealand Certificate in Engineering at the newly opened Polytechnic in 1966.
Lindsay described his year at Otago Polytechnic as a turning point in his life and springboard to a most enjoyable career.
He went on to work as an education and administration officer with the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and then forge a secondary and tertiary teaching and administrative career.
The latter has included stints as the principal of Tokomairiro High School in Milton, lecturer and faculty head at Northland Polytechnic, and most recently the coordinator for Auckland University’s Tai Tokerau Campus in Whangarei. He also works as an educational consultant.
Co-founder and Managing Director - Arrow International
New Zealand Certificate in Building (1967)
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Co-founder and Managing Director - Arrow International
New Zealand Certificate in Building (1967)
Ron Anderson
Co-founder and Managing Director - Arrow International
New Zealand Certificate in Building (1967)
Ron Anderson went straight from high school to study for a New Zealand Certificate in Engineering in 1967, the year after the Polytechnic opened.
After graduating in 1971, he worked for Fletcher Building, becoming a senior manager before co-founding Arrow International in 1984. The company now employs more than 400 people, including Otago Polytechnic graduates.
Arrow International has managed the completion of 3,000 projects throughout Australasia including airport terminals, hospitals, post-earthquake construction in Christchurch and the preservation of historic huts in the Antarctic.
Away from work, Ron immerses himself in outdoor recreation as a keen hunter, angler and multi-sports competitor. He has completed the gruelling Coast to Coast and Southern Traverse endurance events multiple times.
Managing Director - Cooke Howlison and Oakwood Group
Advanced Trade Certificate in Toolmaking | New Zealand Certificate in Engineering
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Managing Director - Cooke Howlison and Oakwood Group
Advanced Trade Certificate in Toolmaking | New Zealand Certificate in Engineering
John Marsh
Managing Director - Cooke Howlison and Oakwood Group
Advanced Trade Certificate in Toolmaking
New Zealand Certificate in Engineering
John Marsh completed an apprenticeship in toolmaking at the Dunedin tap and valve manufacturer, Methven, while studying part-time at Otago Polytechnic from 1977 to 1981. He completed an Advanced Trade Certificate in toolmaking, and a New Zealand Certificate in Engineering in both mechanical and production engineering.
Afterwards John went on to become the production engineer at Methven and mechanical design engineer at the Dunedin engineering company, J. and A. P. Scott, before joining the family firm of Cooke Howlison, which the Marsh family had bought in 1963.
He worked as the vehicle sales manager for the Dunedin-based car dealership, and then was its managing director and the chairman of its parent company, Oakwood Group. Oakwood Group owns 10 vehicle dealerships throughout Otago and Canterbury, and a property investment company, and employs a staff of more 300.
Today, Cooke Howlison is the largest employer of automotive apprentices in Otago, with more than 12 apprentices regularly employed, covering various trades.
Founder - Emerson's Brewery
New Zealand Certificate in Science (1988)
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Founder - Emerson's Brewery
New Zealand Certificate in Science (1988)
Richard Emerson
Founder - Emerson's Brewery
New Zealand Certificate in Science (1988)
Richard Emerson graduated with the New Zealand Certificate in Science from Otago Polytechnic in 1988, before establishing Emerson’s Brewery in 1992.
Richard was a visionary driving force in the setting up of the Brewers’ Guild in 2006 and was the first president of the organisation. Richard was also the first recipient of an Honorary Fellowship, the Guild’s highest accolade in 2014.
Emerson’s Brewery continues to grow from strength to strength and Dunedin will soon be home to a new multi-million dollar custom-built Emerson’s brewery site.
Richard has had a long association with the School of Hospitality at Otago Polytechnic and helped with the first International Food Design Conference and Studio held here in 2014.
Arts Foundation of New Zealand - 2015 Laureate Award winner
Certificate in Craft Design (Jewellery) (1989)
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Arts Foundation of New Zealand - 2015 Laureate Award winner
Certificate in Craft Design (Jewellery) (1989)
Lisa Walker
Arts Foundation of New Zealand - 2015 Laureate Award winner
Certificate in Craft Design (Jewellery) (1989)
Widely regarded as one of New Zealand’s most influential contemporary jewellers, Lisa Walker studied at Otago Polytechnic’s Dunedin School of Art majoring in jewellery.
In 1995, Lisa travelled to Germany to study at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich and completed six years of postgraduate work. Her international career accelerated in 2001 when she was invited to exhibit at Galerie Biro in Munich and Galerie Ra in Amsterdam.
In 2007, Lisa won the prestigious City of Munich scholarship and in 2015 she received the Arts Foundation Laureate Award.
Deloitte Touche - New Zealand Young Executive of the Year Award 2002
Bachelor of Midwifery (1996)
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Deloitte Touche - New Zealand Young Executive of the Year Award 2002
Bachelor of Midwifery (1996)
Andrea McLeod
Deloitte Touche - New Zealand Young Executive of the Year Award 2002
Bachelor of Midwifery (1996)
Andrea McLeod was a busy mother of four with a music degree who decided to change paths and pursue midwifery as a career. She graduated from Otago Polytechnic in 1996 and worked as a lead maternity care practitioner for several years.
Andrea also gained qualifications in Public Health and Business and became New Zealand’s Young Business Person of the Year.
Andrea then moved into management roles for NGO’s, working as Chief Operating Officer at Plunket’s National Office before moving to Australia to take up the position of Executive General Manager of Community Services at the Royal District Nursing Service of Australia.
Co-founder and Chief Executive - Escea Gas Fires
New Zealand Certificate in Engineering (1997)
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Co-founder and Chief Executive - Escea Gas Fires
New Zealand Certificate in Engineering (1997)
Nigel Bamford
Co-founder and Chief Executive - Escea Gas Fires
New Zealand Certificate in Engineering (1997)
Nigel Bamford completed a New Zealand Certificate in Engineering in mechanical engineering in 1997. On completing his studies, he designed wood and gas fires for a Dunedin firm, and then co-founded and became the Chief Executive of the Dunedin-based gas fire manufacturing company Escea. The company now employs more than 70 people at its Green Island factory and exports gas fires to Australia, Britain and North America.
Nigel has maintained close links with Otago Polytechnic over the years. About 20 of his employees are former Otago Polytechnic students. Nigel has also sat on several Polytechnic advisory committees, and been a guest speaker at various Polytechnic events.
In 2006 Nigel was a finalist in the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award and was later admitted to the New Zealand Enterprise Hall of Talent.
Artist and Art Judge
Bachelor of Fine Arts (Printmaking) (1998) | Master of Fine Arts (Distinction) (2003)
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Artist and Art Judge
Bachelor of Fine Arts (Printmaking) (1998) | Master of Fine Arts (Distinction) (2003)
Lynn Taylor
Artist and Art Judge
Bachelor of Fine Arts (Printmaking) (1998)
Master of Fine Arts (Distinction) (2003)
Lynn Taylor graduated with her first Otago Polytechnic qualification in 1998 before re-enrolling to pursue a Master of Fine Arts degree which she was awarded with distinction in 2003. Lynn is an internationally-recognised practising printmaker and multimedia artist who lives in Dunedin.
Lynn is the winner of several awards including the Creative New Zealand Grant for Woosuk Residency in Korea in 2003, The Asia 2000 Grant, the Caselburg Residency in 2012 and the Scientific Excellence Award in the Luminescence Photography Competition in 2015.
Lynn also tutored artists at Otago Polytechnic for a number of years and won an Otago Polytechnic Excellence in Teaching Award in 2001.
Frequently giving back to the community, Lynn has been an Association of Book Crafts judge, Open Arts judge at the Otago Peninsula Exhibition and has served on the Cleveland Arts Centre Board, University of Otago Fellowship Advisory Board and Caselberg Trust Foundation Board.
Entrepreneur and Founder -
'Twentysevennames' fashion label
Bachelor of Fine Art (2005) - Rachel
Bachelor of Design (Fashion) (2004) - Anjali
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Entrepreneur and Founder -
'Twentysevennames' fashion label
Bachelor of Fine Art (2005) - Rachel
Bachelor of Design (Fashion) (2004) - Anjali
Rachel Easting & Anjali Burnett
Founders - 'Twentysevennames' fashion label
Bachelor of Design (Fashion) (2004) - Anjali
Bachelor of Fine Art (2005) - Rachel
Both Anjali and Rachel studied at Otago Polytechnic: Anjali graduated with a Bachelor of Design (Fashion) in 2004 and Rachel with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2005. Together they started the fashion label and business Twentysevennames in 2006.
Between them they have won numerous international awards including the 2010 Cleo Magazine’s Wonder Woman Award for Leadership and the 2010 DHL Express Fashion Export Scholarship.
In 2011 they were successful at securing British online shopping giant ASOS.com as a stockist and in 2015 the duo were selected to show the opening selection at New Zealand Fashion Week.
Project Manager - Naylor Love Construction
Certificate in Carpentry (Level 4) (2007) | Diploma in Construction Management (2014)
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Project Manager - Naylor Love Construction
Certificate in Carpentry (Level 4) (2007) | Diploma in Construction Management (2014)
Ryan Keogh
Project Manager - Naylor Love Construction
Certificate in Carpentry (Level 4) (2007)
Diploma in Construction Management (2014)
Ryan Keogh graduated from Otago Polytechnic in 2007 with his first qualification: the Certificate in Carpentry (Level 4).
After graduating Ryan gained employment with Naylor Love construction as a carpentry apprentice. In the second year of his apprenticeship he entered the Nationwide Master Builders Apprentice Challenge which he was successful in winning for that year.
Ryan is now a Project Manager at Naylor Love and was recently responsible for the $11million redevelopment of Invercargill Prison.
Ryan has also completed the National Diplomas in Quantity Surveying and Construction Management and is currently enrolled in Massey University’s Bachelor of Construction.
Entrepreneur and Founder -
'Kester Black'
Bachelor of Design (Fashion) (2008)
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Entrepreneur and Founder -
'Kester Black'
Bachelor of Design (Fashion) (2008)
Anna Ross
Entrepreneur and Founder - 'Kester Black'
Winner of the Young Telstra Victorian Business Women's Award (2016)
Bachelor of Design (Fashion) (2008)
Anna Ross graduated with a Bachelor of Design (Fashion) from Otago Polytechnic in 2008. She worked for several years as a design assistant in Australia before making a major career transition to an entrepreneur.
Anna is the founder of Kester Black, a brand of ethically produced vegan nail polishes and soaps. Four years on, Kester Black is one of Australia’s most recognised independent cosmetic brands and is sold internationally in the US, Malaysia and Japan.
National Midwifery Advisor for Continuing Education - New Zealand College of Midwives
Master of Midwifery (Merit) (2011)
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National Midwifery Advisor for Continuing Education - New Zealand College of Midwives
Master of Midwifery (Merit) (2011)
Elaine Gray
National Midwifery Advisor for Continuing Education: New Zealand College of Midwives
Master of Midwifery (Merit) (2011)
Elaine Gray is an experienced practising midwife who studied with Otago Polytechnic to obtain a Master in Midwifery degree, graduating in 2011.
Elaine is a midwifery advisor at the New Zealand College of Midwives and is responsible for the College’s continuing education programme for midwives. Elaine also facilitates national events such as the NZCOM educator’s day and the Joan Donley Midwifery Research Forum to encourage midwives to engage in scholarly activity.
Elaine is a strong supporter of Otago Polytechnic’s Midwifery Programme and a member of the Midwifery Permanent External Advisory Committee for Otago Polytechnic.
Director - GreenShoot Pacific
Queenstown Lakes District Councillor
Graduate Diploma in Sustainable Practice (2012)
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Director - GreenShoot Pacific
Queenstown Lakes District Councillor
Graduate Diploma in Sustainable Practice (2012)
Dave Watson
Director - GreenShoot Pacific
Queenstown Lakes District Councillor
Graduate Diploma in Sustainable Practice (2012)
Dave Watson completed an Otago Polytechnic Graduate Diploma in Sustainable Practice in 2012-13.
Dave has a background in the New Zealand film production industry, working as a production designer and art director on feature films, television programmes and advertising. He now works as a sustainability consultant, providing advice to event promoters, businesses and communities on energy efficiency, zero waste and sustainability, and undertaking sustainability training.
This has involved him in projects such as the Auckland Council’s ‘sustainable streets’ neighbourhood engagement project, and the Splore outdoor music and arts festival in Auckland.
Queenstown Lakes District Councillor
Graduate Diploma in Sustainable Practice (2012)
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Queenstown Lakes District Councillor
Graduate Diploma in Sustainable Practice (2012)
Alexa Forbes
Queenstown Lakes District Councillor
Graduate Diploma in Sustainable Practice (2012)
Alexa Forbes focused her year-long graduate study and research on the creation of Shaping our Future, a future development plan used to consider events, economic development, conservation, energy and food resilience. Since graduating with the Graduate Diploma in Sustainable Practice in 2012, Alexa has already put her research into action through her position as a Queenstown Lakes District Councillor. The Shaping our Future process has become a key mechanism to sort complex issues in the Queenstown Lakes district.
Engineer at OPUS
Certificate in Sustainable Practice (2013)
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Engineer at OPUS
Certificate in Sustainable Practice (2013)
Kathryn McDonald
Engineer at OPUS
Certificate in Sustainable Practice (2013)
Kathryn McDonald (Kat) undertook the Certificate in Sustainable Practice qualification at Otago Polytechnic in 2013 and has since utilised what she has learnt through her work at Opus International Consultants.
Drawing on the knowledge gained from the Otago Polytechnic programme Kat designed a collaborative approach to environmental assessment known as the Adaptive Management Framework. This won a best planning award at the New Zealand Planning Institute in April 2015 as well as a GEM Award for protecting the environment in September 2015.
Kat was appointed a Committee Member of the Sustainability Society in December 2015 and is the recipient of an Association of Consulting Engineers New Zealand Future Leaders Award.
Chief Executive Officer
Presbyterian Support South Canterbury
Bachelor of Applied Management (2013) | Master of Professional Practice (Business Management) (2015)
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Chief Executive Officer
Presbyterian Support South Canterbury
Bachelor of Applied Management (2013) | Master of Professional Practice (Business Management) (2015)
Michael Parker
Chief Executive Officer - Presbyterian Support South Canterbury
Bachelor of Applied Management (2013)
Master of Professional Practice (Business Management) (2015)
Whilst holding down the demanding position of Chief Executive Officer for Presbyterian Support South Canterbury, Michael undertook and successfully achieved his Bachelor of Applied Management via Capable NZ in 2013. Michael also graduated with a Master of Professional Practice (Business Management) in 2016.
Michael is responsible for several major achievements at Presbyterian Support South Canterbury including growth in income of 130 per cent, introduction of the Eden alternative care philosophy, and establishment of a dedicated earthquake response team.
Michael is an Associate Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Management, Australian College of Health Service Managers and New Zealand Institute of Health Managers.
New Zealand Blackcaps
Bachelor of Applied Management (Strategic Management) (2015)
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New Zealand Blackcaps
Bachelor of Applied Management (Strategic Management) (2015)