Our Board

Mark O’Donnell (Chair)

Mark O’Donnell is a professional independent director.

He brings experience from a broad sector of businesses with experience in technology, fast moving consumer goods, retail, manufacturing, export and business to business and business to consumer services.

He relocated from Auckland in 2020 to take on a role as CEO of Rockit Global and retired at the end of 2024. He is based in Hawkes Bay living in Te Awanga, a small seaside area on a 10-acre lifestyle block.

Previously he has worked for House of Travel Holdings, Orbit World Travel, Fonterra Brands NZ, Spark/Telecom NZ and Lion Nathan.

He has held governance roles with Orcon, Super Liquor and The Icehouse. He joined the board of Ballantynes in 2020 and chaired Audit and Risk before becoming Chair in November 2024. He joined Fingermark Holdings in 2022 as an independent director and became Chair in late 2024. In 2023 he joined Farmlands as an independent director . Until 2024 he was on the board of Primary Collaboration NZ which is a Shanghai based company set up as an incubator for NZ exporters. He is a Member of the Institute of Directors in NZ and has a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance.

Jonathan Ballantyne

Jonathan Ballantyne has spent over 20 years in banking where he has held senior roles at BNP Paribas, Sumitomo Bank and Westpac. Most of this time has been focused on the financing of large infrastructure and resources projects. Prior to his banking career, Jonathan was a project manager for the property group, Lend Lease, involved in the development and refurbishment of shopping centres across Australia.

In 2018 Jonathan was an adviser to the Board of J Ballantyne & Co Ltd, assisting with the post-earthquake rebuild of the Christchurch store.

Jonathan holds Bachelor degrees in Commence and Civil Engineering and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Jonathan resides in Sydney but was born in Christchurch. He is the great-great grandson of the founder of Ballantynes.

Tim Loftus

With over 15 years experience leading innovation, brand strategy and sustainability within international corporations, Tim intimately understands the power of sustainability in galvanising team culture while creating new efficiencies and shared value.

Tim is a New Zealander raised in Canada and educated in USA. Tim lives with his wife and two daughters close to the coast in Ōtautahi Aotearoa.

Bachelors (Marketing) - UNC

MBA (Strategy) - Queens University

MBA (Sustainability) - Otago University

Chris Ballantyne

Chris brings 20 years’ experience working in the heart of government with many of New Zealand’s largest corporations. His roles in the public sector have included regulatory compliance, strategic planning and organisational change.

Chris has worked across a variety of sectors, including environment, transport and trading markets, with a diversity of community, council and business stakeholders. His expertise includes systems thinking, process design, implementing change, assurance, and risk management. Prior to joining government, Chris was a production engineer for Fonterra.

Chris lives in Ōtautahi with his wife and two sons. John Ballantyne, the founder, is his great, great grandfather. Chris holds an Honours degree in chemical and process engineers from the University of Canterbury, and a Master in Public Management from the Victoria University of Wellington.