Max is currently the owner of the South Island’s leading hospitality and property group. Indirectly the group has been involved in ownership of over 20 outlets for the last 25 years. It employs over 160 staff and currently operates six of Christchurch’s leading bars and restaurants.

The Oxford Group also runs The Bealey Quarter, which sleeps over 200 people. The group has been heavily involved in commercial property development in Christchurch since the earthquakes and also owns property in Dunedin. The group developed all the buildings from which it operates and also maintains a large rental portfolio.

In prior years, Max was employed in the ANZ Bank before playing professional cricket in England and The Netherlands.

Born in Dunedin and educated in Christchurch, Max played both first class cricket for Canterbury and first class rugby.

Max has 3 daughters and 2 grandchildren.

He is also a Trustee and board member for the City Mission foundation and a council appointed trustee of the Ellerslie Flower Show.

June says it is an honour to be Patron of the Trust. Over the past 30 years, June has been immensely proud to watch the growth of Rānui and is thrilled that so many children and their families have been cared for and supported.

In December 2022, June was awarded Honorary Life Membership by the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust – both June and Lew McIvor being the first recipients of such an honour. Read more about June and her award June Leeming Honorary Life Member.

The decision to be an Ambassador for the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust is deeply personal for Josh. He was just 23 when, in 2011, he was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, a type of cancer of the blood.

Josh was one of New Zealand’s most promising young athletes, until the sudden diagnosis of acute myeloid leukaemia at the age of 23, a diagnosis that took him on a 10-year battle with leukaemia, deep depression, a second cancer diagnosis, an allogeneic stem cell transplant, a coma, a graft vs host disease, and multiple complications, all while experiencing multiple heart attacks.

During his treatment in Christchurch, Rānui provided a home-away-from-home for 474 nights, enabling his family to stay close and connected while he endured his lifesaving treatment.

Josh tells us “It was the most challenging and desperate time of my life, but Rānui and the people there were my lifeline – a beacon of hope during a very dark time. They helped save my life. I’m thriving, my smile has tripled in size…because I should be dead, I should be dead more than once and here I am enjoying life, and now I’ve been given this opportunity to be an ambassador – to advocate and raise funds for Rānui, a place that’s helped me so much on my journey,” says Josh.

Josh is now cancer-free and enjoys life in Greymouth with his wife and 7-month-old daughter and is hugely honoured to be the Bone Marrow Cancer Trusts very first Ambassador.

Mandy is a respected leader in the non-profit sector, known for her exceptional leadership infectious energy and strong strategic and financial capabilities.  After two decades in leadership roles for some of New Zealand’s most recognised hotel brands, Mandy’s shift to the non-profit sector in 2013 signalled a desire to use her knowledge and expertise to make a positive impact on people and communities.  An exceptional leader with strong commercial capabilities, empathy and compassion are Mandy’s superpowers, along with her deep connection to the mission of the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust. Prior to joining the Trust Mandy held Chief Executive roles at Ronald McDonald House South Island and the Queenstown Trails Trust.

For the past 20 years, Cilla has been a Trustee on the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust. She’s passionate about cancer research, funding and driving research projects through the Trust. She also supports families and patients by cooking delicious meals on a regular basis at Rānui.

Cilla begun her working career as a primary school teacher and has owned food and clothing businesses. Her love of children led Cilla to help in the playroom in the children’s ward at Christchurch Hospital for 12 years.

Cilla is currently a Director at St Georges Hospital, Trustee of the Oncology Board, Chairperson at St George’s Cancer Institute Trust and Chairperson of the Fundraising Committee. She is a Family Mentor for the Salvation Army and sits on the Salvation Army Advisory Board. Cilla delivers food for 0800HUNGRY on a weekly basis.

Cilla has passion and love for people and philanthropy, and the Canterbury community drives her involvement with many charities. She is also a trustee of 180 Degrees, the Court Foundation, and The Flying Doctors.

In January 2014, Cilla was honoured for her contributions to the health profession and community by receiving the Queen’s Honour Award and was made a Member New Zealand Order of Merit.

After more than two decades with global accounting firms including close to 15 years as a specialist tax partner, in 2021, Geordie started his own tax advisory and accounting firm, Hooft Consulting Ltd. Geordie provides tax advice on a wide range of matters, as well as attending to clients’ general accounting needs.

In addition to serving on the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust Board, Geordie chairs the Board of Canterbury Education Services Ltd. In July 2021, Geordie was appointed as the South Island Honorary Consul for the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Geordie holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Business Administration) and a Bachelor of Laws, both from the University of Canterbury, where he is currently studying part-time for a Bachelor of Arts in History. He is a Fellow Member of Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand and a member of the Institute of Directors.

Sir John Hansen was appointed as a Judge of the High Court in 1995 and retired from the bench in 2008. In 2008, Sir John was made a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the judiciary.

In March 2009, Sir John was appointed to the Court of Appeal of the Solomon Islands and in April 2009 he was appointed to the Court of Appeals of Samoa.

He was Chairman of the Red Cross Canterbury Earthquake Appeal Commission and of the Legal Services Agency Board. Sir John was also the Chair of the Board of Inquiry for the MacKays Crossing to Peka Peka Expressway Proposal in 2012 and the Convenor of the Canterbury Earthquake Review Panel, established under the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act 2011.

He chairs the Independent Hearing Panel responsible for the new Christchurch District Plan. Previously he chaired the Forsyth Barr Operating Company and the Christchurch Stadium Trust responsible for the construction of the AMI Stadium. He is also Chair of the Press Council and the Rulings Panel for the Gas Industry and was previously an ICC Code of Conduct Commissioner and board member of New Zealand Cricket. He is a member of the New Zealand Rugby Appeals Council.

Jeremy is currently an Investment Adviser with Craigs Investment Partners. He previously spent five and a half years as an Executive Investment Adviser in Private Banking for Westpac working with clients throughout the South Island. Jeremy has over 15 years of banking and investment experience including 8 years of investment banking in London, equity valuation for Credit Suisse First Boston and research for WestLP Panmure. A personal highlight for Jeremy was a month-long secondment to work in New York. On returning home he set up and managed his own business before moving to private banking.

Jeremy works in partnership with Jeremy Crang. Together they provide tailored investment solutions for clients across the South Island including business owners, charitable trusts, farmers, and individuals.

Jeremy believes a team approach to managing client funds works best and prides himself on building long term beneficial relationships that enable clients to achieve their goals within their given risk appetite.

Jeremy holds the following qualifications and accreditations:

• Certificate of Authorisation AFA (2011)
• Graduate Diploma in Business Studies (Personal Financial Planning) Massey University (2009)
• Equity Valuation Certificate (CSFB) (2001)
• Bachelor of Commerce and Management, Lincoln University (1995)
• NZ Adviser

Dr MacPherson has a BSc (Hons), MB ChB (Hons), MRCP(Glasgow), FRCPath, PG Cert Med Ed.

He is a clinician/researcher with training in haematology and is involved in leukaemia research and medical education. His areas of clinical interest and titles include:

• General and malignant haematology
• Haemostasis and obstetric haematology
• Medical education
• Senior lecturer in Clinical Haematology for the University of Otago
• Consultant Haematologist at Canterbury Health Laboratories
• Research within the University of Otago, Christchurch

Phil is General Manager of Engagement and Sustainability for the Lyttleton Port Company. Phil manages Stakeholder Engagement, Communications, Environment and Planning, Sustainability and Māori Development.

Phil has worked in central government and in the private sector, in both corporate affairs and commercial roles. He was previously General Manager for the Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce and also worked for Air New Zealand as Head of Government and Industry Affairs, managing long-haul market expansion in their Networks team. Phil has also worked in Parliament in various roles including Deputy Chief of Staff in the Office of the Prime Minister.

Phil has a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Political Science from the University of Canterbury.

Emma Davis grew up in Christchurch and has strong family ties to the community. Emma has a Master of Science (Hons) in Psychology and is a Registered Psychologist. Having grown up and studied in Christchurch, Emma returned to Christchurch with her family following the earthquakes.

Emma served 18 years in the Royal New Zealand Air Force as a uniformed psychologist, including postings to Wigram, Woodbourne, Whenuapai and Defence Headquarters. One of the highlights from her time in Defence was deploying to the Middle East supporting the New Zealand Defence Force contingent in Afghanistan as well as working with the families of those deployed overseas. Emma also represented the NZDF on the Technical Cooperation Programme, a five-nation research group on military HR issues.

Since 2012, Emma has worked at Christchurch City Council, as the Head of Human Resources and is currently the Head of Strategic Policy and Natural Environment.

Emma feels privileged to be part of a board that makes such a difference to families in difficult times, helping to provide comfort and a ‘home-away-from-home’ when they need it.

A native of Rheinpfalz, West Germany, he pursued a technical apprenticeship as a monumental mason after school.  At 21, he left for New Zealand, to work in the natural stone industry.  Joining the Round Table service club and later Rotary, he spotted an opportunity in viticulture in Canterbury.  In 1981, Alex pioneered the first Giesen brothers vineyard.  He married in 1992, and has four grown children.  Today, he remains deeply involved in the expansive Giesen group business.

Shannon was welcomed to the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust Board in 2022 as part of the Institute of Directors First Steps in Governance programme which provides opportunities for young professionals to gain governance experience in the not-for-profit sector, in February 2024 Shannon was voted onto our Board as a Trustee.

Shannon is the owner and Managing Consultant of Yet. Consulting. In addition to overseeing the management of her business, Shannon enjoys working with a wide range of organisations to enhance their health and safety governance and develop their health and safety frameworks. With over twenty years of experience, Shannon has held both group and regional safety management roles, primarily in the civils/construction industries.

Shannon holds a Graduate Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health and is currently working towards her MBA at the University of Canterbury. Shannon is a professional member of the New Zealand Institute of Safety Management (NZISM) and is a Health and Safety Association of New Zealand (HASANZ) registered health and safety professional.

Penny Kibblewhite was welcomed to the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust Board in 2025 as part of the Institute of Directors First Steps in Governance award programme which provides opportunities for young professionals to gain governance experience in the not-for-profit sector.

Penny is also the Chair of Aviva, a Canterbury-based specialist family and sexual violence agency, Trustee of The Loft Ki te Tihi, and the General Manager of Customer and Corporate Relations at MainPower New Zealand. With extensive senior executive experience, including a strong global perspective, Penny is committed to using her leadership skills to enhance governance practices while also improving her own governance experience.

Specialising in customer and client experience, she seeks continuous improvement through her expertise in communications, marketing, and technology. Penny is a member of the Institute of Directors and was also a founding member of the New Zealand Technology Marketers Group (TMG) Executive Council and is a mentor for the TMG Emerging Leaders Programme.