MAS announces inaugural Future Practitioner Director Programme recipient

MAS is proud to announce the first recipient of its Future Practitioner Director Programme: Saxon Connor, a senior leader in New Zealand’s healthcare system and a practising liver and pancreas (HPB) surgeon.

Saxon will join the MAS Board for a year-long governance development experience, attending in-person board meetings, strategy days and audit and risk committee meetings. His first engagement will be the MAS Board meeting on 24 September 2025.

The Future Practitioner Director Programme is designed to support experienced professionals who are transitioning into governance roles, offering them practical exposure to governance, including boardroom dynamics and strategic decision-making.

Saxon brings a wealth of experience to the programme. In addition to his clinical expertise, he has spent the past decade leading digital innovation in the Canterbury health system as the e-clinical health lead. He is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors (2024) and currently serves on both commercial and not-for-profit health boards. Saxon is known for his data-driven, evidence-based approach and is passionate about improving healthcare through governance.

“I applied for the Future Practitioner Director Programme because I’m at a point in my career where I want to contribute to the health sector in new ways,” says Saxon.

“This opportunity allows me to build on my governance experience and gain deeper insights into board leadership, particularly in health-adjacent industries. I’m excited to learn from the MAS Board and contribute where I can.”

Institute of Directors training award recipients

“MAS was overwhelmed with the number of high-quality applications for the Programme,” says Brett Sutton MAS Chair.

“Although we couldn’t support every applicant, the Board felt it was important to extend support to 2 additional candidates who demonstrated outstanding potential in their governance journey.”

MAS congratulates the 2 recipients of its Institute of Directors in New Zealand training awards:

• Alastair Dunne, a Specialist General Practitioner doing part-time clinical work in Wellington. Alastair will attend the Institute of Directors’ residential Company Directors’ Course and receive mentoring from MAS Deputy Chair, Dr Doug Hill.
• Craig Hunger, an experienced veterinary professional with over 25 years of experience with 15 years of expertise in clinical management and veterinary dentistry. Craig has been awarded funding to attend the ‘Chairing the Board’ course, supporting his development as a future board leader in the health sector.

These awards reflect MAS’s commitment to supporting health professional to get the necessary skills and experience to transition into governance roles.

For more information on the Programme, including the application details, please visit the MAS Future Practitioner Director Programme webpage.