Lance is a Principal with 2040 Ventures, the manager of Punakaiki Fund

Lance is a director of 9 of Punakaiki Fund’s Portfolio Companies. He was formerly a director of Linewize until his resignation following its acquisition by Family Zone in late 2017, of Devoli until early 2017, when he was replaced by Chris Humphreys and of NZ Artesian Water until he resigned in October 2019.

Lance combines a wide variety of global experience with helping high-growth companies in New Zealand. Lance has helped hundreds of high growth companies through his work with 2040 Ventures, via Zealand Trade and Enterprise’s (NZTE) programmes, through Return on Science investment Committees and independently prior to the formation of 2040 Ventures.

Lance was the investment-banking advisor for Trade Me on its sale to Fairfax Media, with McKinsey & Company in Washington DC, contracted to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London and consulted to BHP Billiton plants in South Africa, Australia and Mozambique. Lance was also an elected Councillor for InternetNZ, where he was a member of the Audit Committee.

Lance has an MBA from Yale University (Strategy, Finance) and a Bachelor of Technology (Hons, Product Development) from Massey University. He has been a regular judge for the Hi-Tech Awardsand other events.

Chris is a Principal with 2040 Ventures, the manager of Punakaiki Fund

Chris brings significant corporate finance experience and rigour to the team, leading the valuation, due diligence and formal processes such as contract review for a large share of the investment placements made by Punakaiki Fund. Chris performs investment investigations independently from Lance, and investments are only made when both agree to the investment and terms. Chris is a director of two of Punakaiki Fund’s Portfolio Companies.

Chris formerly performed financial modelling, due diligence, deal structuring and deal advisory work for clients while at PwC, where he was an Associate Director.

Chris holds a BSc and PGDipCom (Finance) from the University of Otago and a BCom (Accounting, Finance and Information Systems) from the University of Canterbury. Chris is a CFA charterholder.

Lance and Chris met at Pacific Fibre, a company, where Lance was a co-founder, set up to build a US$300 million fibre optic cable between Australia, New Zealand and the United States. Following Pacific Fibre ceasing operations, Lance approached Chris about forming 2040 Ventures, with the intention of establishing a new growth orientated investment company.

Chris is based in Te Anau, travelling regularly to Auckland.

Nadine Hill joined 2040 Ventures in October 2020, and was made a Principal in March of 2022.

Nadine has a BCom from the Massy University and has 15 years of experience in international capital in Australasia and the United Kingdom. Nadine was previously an investment manager at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, and a Director of Project and Acquisition Finance at Westpac.

Ben has Bachelors of Law and Commerce from the University of Otago. He has been admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand and has 16 years of experience in corporate finance. Before joining 2040 Ventures and Punakaiki Fund, Ben was at SkyCity for eight years where he was responsible for driving the development and execution of group strategy, overseeing M&A activity, supporting divisional and regional strategic initiatives, reviewing and executing major investment proposals, leading special projects, and managing the investor relations programme and treasury function (alongside the Group Treasurer). He’s ambidextrous but we don’t hold it against him.

Rohan has a BEcon and a LLB from Sydney University. Rohan has 25 years’ experience as a management consultant, strategic planner, and corporate executive with deep expertise in the impact of changing technology on business. Rohan performed investment analysis and project investment viability for private investors and the Provincial Growth Fund, led commercial analysis and due diligence for major climate-oriented projects for two well-known major New Zealand headquartered entities, and performed future strategy and analysis for a heavily climate-exposed Australian industrial company.

Jez has a Ph.D. in Engineering from Cambridge University, a BEng in Materials Science, and a GradDipComm in Economics. Jez has 15 years’ experience in policy and climate advice with the Royal Society, the Ministry for Primary Industries, and the Ministry for Business, Innovation & Employment, including translating climate science into mitigation and adaptation policy advice. Jez has 5 years of research investment and commercialisation experience as manager of both the Commercialisation Partner Network and the PreSeed Accelerator Fund as well as designing and supporting MBIE’s COVID-19 Innovation Acceleration Fund, a rapid turn-around $25 million fund.

Jez is a member of the Return on Science Physical Science Investment Committee for the past four years, reviewing 30-40 applications each year.

Cormac joined the 2040 Ventures team having spent the prior three years working with Snowball Effect to raise growth capital for kiwi companies. Before Snowball Effect, he was involved with a number of engineering businesses that ranged from early stage start-ups to global conglomerates. Highlights include carbon fibre structural design and project management with a global consultancy, design engineering for an early stage marine technology start-up, and project management work with Rocket Lab. Cormac received a BE(hons) in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Canterbury and spent time after university sailing around various parts of the world aboard superyachts. In his spare time, Cormac can generally be found in and around the ocean or trying to entertain a very energetic Australian Shepherd.

Tom comes to 2040 Ventures after seven years in the U.K. Whilst in London, Tom worked for NZ-founded startup, Publons, as their Head of Marketing. Publons went on to be acquired by Clarivate in 2017, a NYSE-listed data and analytics company. Tom worked in several marketing leadership roles at Clarivate, managing global demand strategy teams before deciding to move back to New Zealand with his young family in 2022. We’re glad to have him back in New Zealand.

Angela joined 2040 Ventures after recently moving with her family from the North Island to Te Anau, subsequently finding her place in their second office location. Angela is creative, adventurous, and gregarious. She has a varying background in sales, operations, and project management from a diverse range of industry sectors, including hospitality, dairying, and construction. Angela is engaged in many community projects in Te Anau and brings positive energy, confidence, and pragmatism to her role and to the team as Punakaiki Fund’s Finance Analyst.

Vincent is a writer and communications consultant specialising in the tech, food and
sustainability sectors. He is a venture advisor at the Punakaiki Fund and Climate VC Fund, the co-
founder of TheFeed.co.nz, a blog about the food sector, and host of mildly popular podcast 'This
Climate Business'. In a previous life he has been a maths and science teacher, a journalist and co-
founder of media brands such as Idealog, Stoppress, Good, The Register and Taste magazine. He
was founding chair of the Science Media Centre and was a publisher at AUT Media. He is on the
board of Adventure Specialties Trust, a charity dedicated to inspiring young people through outdoor
adventure and is married to Sarah, with whom he has four adult children.