CFO Summit and Awards | 4 September 2025 | Cordis Hotel Auckland
Inspiring excellence — meet the winners
In an evening that brought together New Zealand’s finance sector, the CFO Awards celebrated excellence in leadership, teamwork, and execution across 5 key categories. The winners are:
NZ CFO of the Year
Sponsored by Hunter Campbell
WINNER – Stephen Morgan
GM of Finance and Commercial, Champion Flour Milling
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Stephen Morgan has steered Champion Flour Milling through an extraordinary period of volatility – from global supply shocks and local harvest challenges to a major ERP implementation and even a silo collapse.
His strong governance in pricing, hedging, procurement, and planning has not only stabilised the business but consistently delivered on financial targets. Stephen has also transformed the finance function into a high-performing, business-partnering team, building capability, resilience, and a culture of continuous improvement.
The judges commended him as a courageous and visionary CFO whose leadership exemplifies excellence in finance.
2025 Finance Leader – Growth Entity
Sponsored by eccuity
WINNER – Jennifer Tupou
Chief Financial Officer and Director of Corporate Services, The Fono Trust
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As CFO of The Fono Trust, Jennifer Tupou has transformed finance into a true strategic enabler, guiding the organisation through rapid growth while serving vulnerable Pacific communities.
Her leadership modernised systems, strengthened governance, and embedded financial literacy across the business – unlocking resilience and impact well beyond compliance. Jennifer’s vision and dedication have elevated finance into a platform for growth, empowering both her team and The Fono to deliver sustainable, community-centred outcomes.
The judges commended her for redefining what it means to be a finance leader in the not-for-profit sector.
2025 Emerging Finance Leader
Sponsored by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand
WINNER – Scott Mancer
Manager – Finance, Palmerston North City Council
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Scott has established himself as a trusted advisor at Palmerston North City Council, known for translating complex financial matters into clear, accessible insights for leaders, Councillors, and the community. He exemplifies leadership by putting people first – driving capability across the organisation, and leading with calm authority through change and challenge, including his work on 3 Waters and secondment emergency response in Westport. Approachable, articulate, and forward-thinking, Scott represents the next generation of financial leadership in New Zealand.
Highly commended:
Vidura Galpoththage, Chief Financial Officer, Marsden Maritime Holdings
Best Finance Team of the Year
Sponsored by Duco Consultancy
WINNER – T&G Global
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The T&G Global Apples Finance Team has shown exceptional resilience and leadership, guiding the business through the devastating impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle while driving structural change and rebuilding for the future.
They have led major transformation projects – from modernising grower payment systems to creating powerful orchard profitability models – turning complexity into clarity and enabling faster, smarter decisions.
The judges praised them as a high-performing team whose innovation, adaptability, and partnership approach make them a standout Finance Team of the Year.
Excellence in Financial Reporting
Sponsored by AICPA and CIMA
WINNER – The Fred Hollows Foundation NZ
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The Fred Hollows Foundation NZ’s 2024 Performance Report sets a new benchmark for financial and non-financial reporting in the charitable sector, combining transparency, accountability, and impact.
By integrating audited financials with clear measures of social outcomes, the report shows exactly how donor funds are invested to achieve sustainable change across the Pacific. It goes beyond compliance, addressing governance, risk, ESG, and progress against a long-term strategy in a way that engages a wide range of stakeholders.
The judges praised it as a powerful example of financial reporting used to build trust, strengthen relationships, and drive lasting impact.
Celebrating the full list of finalists:
New Zealand CFO of the Year Award
Andrew Allan, Community Finance & Community Housing Funding Agency
Debby Wong, OCS
Stephen Morgan, Champion Flour Milling
Emerging Financial Leader of the Year Award
Andrew Allan, Community Finance & Community Housing Funding Agency
Daniel Keys, Ritchies Transport
Shane Bryson, T&G Global
Scott Mancer, Palmerston North City Council
Vidura Galpoththage, Marsden Maritime Holdings
Finance Leader – Growth Entity
Jennifer Tupou, The Fono Trust
Simoli Patel, Freshco
Best Finance Team of the Year Award
Mars New Zealand
Champion Flour Milling
T&G Global
Excellence in Financial Reporting Award
Fred Hollows Foundation NZ
(The recipient was selected by the judging panel)
Thank you to our judges
Joanna Perry
Josh Hickford
Julia Fink
Peter Vial
Thank you to our sponsors
Hunter Campbell
Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand
eccuity
Duco Consultancy
AICPA & CIMA
