MEET YOUR TRUST BOARD: Angela Bull

As part of a series to get to know our talented Board Members a little more, we sat down with Angela Bull to chat about business, the Board, and … boys!

We’re lucky enough to have one of the most successful women in New Zealand property as a St Cuthbert’s Board Member. Not only has Angela Bull had an illustrious legal and corporate career, but she is also an active leader on several New Zealand round tables.

She lights up the most when talking about her two young sons – who keep her busy on the sports field.

Business

Angela’s LinkedIn work history is filled with commercial roles that tell a story of ambition and leadership, but also an openness to change. “I think being open to taking a chance, and always loving what you’re doing, are the key to it all.”

Her positivity is palpable and it’s clear she has always made an impression in each role she has held.

As a law graduate from Auckland University, Angela worked as a property law specialist – focusing on environmental law, across complex commercial property development cases.

Her mum often reminds people that Angela’s dream at school was to become a criminal lawyer, which she dabbled in early on. She jokes that she was heavily influenced by eighties court dramas. But the property space turned out to be her calling, and she spent ten years practising in this area of law instead. Angela attributes much of her later corporate business success to her law experience, “I think the ability to mitigate risk and solve problems is an obvious learning – but there were many building blocks I’ve carried with me.”

This skill set was acknowledged in 2006, when Foodstuffs offered her a role in the property development area of their company. It was a dramatic turning point for Angela, but one that has paid off in droves, “I’m so glad I took the leap of faith,” she says.

Soon after, Angela was heading up a team delivering a $150 million-a-year programme to refurbish and expand supermarkets across the upper North Island.

In an interview to the NZ Herald, she reflected on one of her first Foodstuffs roles, to deliver a large North Shore supermarket that had been delayed by many issues.

“It was still an empty building, all wrapped up in the courts, and it was getting ugly. So we went for a new resource consent, publicly notified instead. We knew it had community support because people would phone in and ask about it. It opened two years later. That was one of the biggest highlights of my career because it was looking at a complex problem as a puzzle and solving it,” she told the Herald.

Before long, Angela was a General Manager, making multimillion dollar planning decisions about property and supermarkets across the North Island.

Angela has most recently been the Chief Executive of Tramco Group, a large New Zealand owned property investment company which specialises in largescale land holdings, including the Viaduct Harbour precinct in Auckland, and Wairakei Estate in the Waikato.

We asked what advice she would give budding female leaders, and she was quick off the mark, “Be confident, but not arrogant. Be self-aware and know your strengths and weaknesses. Always respect other people’s opinions. And at the end of the day, just love what you do!”

Boards

Angela has her fingers in many pies from a business perspective, as an independent director across New Zealand companies including Foodstuffs South Island Ltd, Vital Healthcare Property Trust, Property for Industry (PFI) and realestate.co.nz

When Angela was first approached to apply for the St Cuthbert’s Board, she was initially unsure, only because she didn’t have children at the school.

“I have two boys and was one of the only Board members who didn’t have girls there. But I now realise this offers a different angle”

A passionate Old Girl, Angela attended St Cuthbert’s from Year 7–13. She has relished the opportunity to be involved in governance and to offer her expertise to the community that she believes nurtured her and instilled a sense of loyalty.

“In a way, it’s a sense of duty,” she explains, “I got so much from my time at St Cuth’s. Not just in terms of education, but the way it shaped my worldview, my selfconfidence, and it gave me a wonderful network of lifelong friends. This is a way to give back.”

When it comes to governance, she really enjoys shaping strategy. “I think about risks – but I love flipping these into opportunities”. She also values a collaborative team who each bring different skills to the table.

Helping to develop the Campus Plan strategy also appealed, “Part of a Board’s function is to look beyond the immediate needs of the College and consider the long term. This plan is about futureproofing the College for generations - it’s exciting to be part of that.”

Bowling, batting and boys

With two busy boys, Angela acknowledges that having young children and balancing demanding leadership roles is a challenge at times. “Like many mums and dads, you want to be the best parent you can be - but also feel like you’re doing a good job at work. It’s a fine balance! But everyone is different, and you do what’s right for your family. There are no rules.”

Like many Kiwi parents, weekends are spent watching and supporting Nathan and Wilson, aged 11 and 8 respectively, from the sidelines at sports games. For Angela, going from field-to-field isn’t a chore, as she and her husband love going outdoors to watch their boys, at anything from football to swimming. “Although at the moment, it’s all about cricket” she said.

To get a well-deserved break, Angela manages to play netball – which she describes as just a bit of fun.

Angela poignantly reflects, “St Cuthbert’s taught me that girls can do anythingwhich back then was a bold statement, but I just believed it.” She loves that this message is still the same, “Instilling that confidence in women is just as essential as ever.”

We are honoured to have someone with her experience, insight, enthusiasm and knowledge on our Trust Board!