Sustainable Value Creation
About me
Lynette Murray
Lynette brings expertise in sustainable value creation – a contemporary approach that enables profitable purpose-led growth, while enhancing organisational resilience and sustainability.
Based in Auckland, New Zealand, Lynette Murray undertakes work assignments both in New Zealand and internationally.
Welcome to her website. Through her company, Gardenia LTM Ltd, she helps organisations navigate the sustainability agenda, strengthen resilience, and deliver better customer outcomes.
BIO
Lynette has had an extensive career in strategic senior management and consulting roles with responsibility for commercial performance, people, operations, sustainability, and brand reputation - across private, public, and social enterprise sectors.
Her credentials include executive training in sustainability through the University of Oxford, alongside tertiary qualifications in communications, and business (majoring in marketing) from Auckland universities.
Her experience includes work with international business organisations such as Air New Zealand, Spark NZ, The America's Cup, VisitBritain, and New Zealand Trade & Enterprise. She has led partnership initiatives representing Aotearoa New Zealand on the world stage for the New Zealand Government and exporters.
In recent years, Lynette has worked through her own company providing sustainable business services, alongside contributing to philanthropy and serving in governance roles - following completion of the Institute of Directors NZ Company Directors' course. She currently serves on a University of Auckland Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences centre board.
Brand and other aspects as catalysts
Lynette takes a holistic approach. Her competencies for enabling sustainable value creation include: strategy development, business development, brand management, sustainable business practices, communications and engagement, strategic marketing, and the development and implementation of multidisciplinary innovative initiatives.
Sustainability
Lynette draws on sustainability international best-practice standards in the key factors below. The methodology she brings integrates both shareholder and societal perspectives to generate enduring value.
Purpose-driven business and brand
Natural capital and environmental impacts
Climate-change standards
Social sustainability performance and metrics
Governance, risk, and reporting
Expertise
Brand and Other Key Aspects
Strategy development
- Research and insights
- Policy development input
- Strategy, planning, and budgets
- Operational efficiencies
Brand Management
- Brand development and reputation
- Creative design and identity
- Brand asset management
- Brand licensing
- Communications and engagement
- Philanthropy
- Public diplomacy, media, and government relations
- Stakeholder engagement
Business Development
- Partnerships, and alliances
- Revenue generation
- Contract negotiations and agreements
- Procurement and suppliers
Strategic Marketing
- Marketing communications and channels
- Digital transformation and technology-driven efficiencies
- Customer experience innovation
- Sponsorship and events
- Loyalty programmes
- Multidisciplinary innovative initiatives
Credentials
Digital Leadership & Transformation Course
Institute of Directors New Zealand, 2022
Graduate Diploma, Communication & PR - Bachelor of Communication Studies & MBus. modules
Auckland University of Technology, 2002
Postgraduate Diploma in Business (Marketing Major)
The University of Auckland, 1992
See next tab for Sustainability expertise
Sustainability
While providing a sustainability methodology focused on the factors below, Lynette also meets clients where they are, aligning with their current needs.
Methodology Factors
Business and brand purpose
This is about the alignment between an organisation’s purpose and the value it creates for both shareholders and other stakeholders (such as employees, customers, and communities). It also involves how an organisation’s brand management practices integrate with its commitment to responsible operations and accountability.
Natural capital and environmental impacts, climate-related disclosures
This focuses on natural resources and an organisation’s sustainability practices, particularly its impact on climate change. It includes strategies for reducing carbon emissions, managing climate-related risks and opportunities, and transition planning. The climate-related disclosures frameworks for entities to assess risks and opportunities include the IFRS/ISSB and TCFD thematic areas: Governance, Strategy, Risk Management, and Metrics and Targets. These frameworks encompass assurance requirements for greenhouse gas emissions disclosures, helping organisations align with regulatory standards.
Social sustainability performance and metrics
This focuses on the impact and dependence on human and social capital, with an emphasis on metrics for performance in areas like:
- Human rights
- Fair labour practices
- Health, safety, wellness
- Equity
- Community engagement and philanthropy
Governance, risk, and reporting
This involves integrating non-financial metrics into governance, risk management, and reporting frameworks. It ensures organisations are not only measuring performance but also accountable for their sustainability efforts, embedding these into the broader organisational strategy and operations.
Credentials
Oxford Leading Sustainable Corporations Programme
University of Oxford, 2022
Sustainable Finance: Strategy-related Climate Disclosures Course
Institute of Finance Professionals New Zealand Inc. (INFINZ), 2024
Topics
- Climate science fundamentals
- Climate change and financial stability
- Climate risk management
- Greenwashing and legal risks
- Materiality
- Scenario analysis to support strategy
- Transition planning
- Accounting for climate
- Regulator expectations
Climate Governance Workshop, Institute of Directors NZ, 2024
Cultural Programme - Māori culture, Tikanga and the Treaty of Waitangi
Iwi United Engaged Ltd, NZ, 2022
Company Directors’ Course, Institute of Directors NZ, 2015
Finance Essentials Course, Institute of Directors NZ, 2015
Affiliations
- Global Chief Sustainability Officers Network
- University of Oxford Leading Sustainable Corporations Program Alumni Group
- Saïd Business School Elumni Network
- INFINZ (Institute of Finance Professionals New Zealand Inc.)
- Institute of Directors New Zealand
- Chapter Zero NZ - The national chapter of the Climate Governance Initiative
Context
An expert in the field says:
“Our context requires a realistic stock take of how much the erosion of natural capital underpins social and economic stability – at the firm level, at the regional and national level.”
"One issue for NZ is – what is ‘brand NZ’ worth in terms of foreign exchange earnings and what is the natural environment worth to New Zealand business and communities?
We have been drawing down natural capital for 150 years and have created a global brand that is increasingly not consistent with our reality. Sustainability is not just about ‘green’ but about vulnerability, persistence and resilience. The New Zealand context is that our economy and society is increasingly vulnerable, disrupted and fragile. Our context requires a realistic stock take of how much the erosion of natural capital underpins social and economic stability - at the firm level, at the regional and national level.
Whaling, sealing, flax milling, indigenous forest harvesting, ground water degradation, biodiversity depletion, etc have all contributed to past prosperity and current financial wealth but have been, or remain, constrained and extractive, destructive, and polluting ways of earning our livelihoods and living our lives. They are also incompatible with the clean, green, pure, natural brand New Zealand projects in order to sell products to affluent markets overseas and attract tourists to Aotearoa. Beaches we cannot swim at, rivers we can’t safely drink from, landfills eroded by sea level rise, land slips caused by inappropriate land use, pastoral farming that relies on imported animal feed… the evidence of ‘unsustainability’ and ‘incompatibility’ is plain to see.”
Roderick M Carr
BCom (Hons) LLB (Hons) MBA MA PhD
Christchurch, New Zealand
Dr. Roderick (Rod) Carr is a New Zealand leader with expertise in climate change, banking, and academia. He was the inaugural Chair of the Climate Change Commission, guiding its independent policy advice for five years, and is a director of ASB Group. He holds a PhD in Insurance and Risk Management and advanced degrees in economics, law, and finance. His career includes serving as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Canterbury and in senior roles at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, including Acting Governor and Board Chair.
More context: A report on "Our Environment 2025" can be viewed here / Source: New Zealand Government - Ministry for the Environment, Stats NZ, and data providers, and licensed by the Ministry for the Environment and Stats NZ for re-use under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
Experience
Multidisciplinary Initiatives - Management | Consulting | Governance
Lynette has led expert teams in delivering strategic initiatives while addressing operational challenges. Below is a snapshot of Lynette’s leadership experience.
INDEPENDENT
GARDENIA LTM LTD
Lynette offers clients a value creation approach that combines discovery across key sustainable business factors, interconnected insights, and a consolidated, actionable plan. She continues to expand her expertise through professional development and participation in networks.
BOARD MEMBER
THE UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND, FACULTY OF MEDICAL & HEALTH SCIENCES, Eisdell Moore Centre (EMC)
BOARD MEMBER
THE NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR THE DEAF & HARD OF HEARING
ACTING CHIEF EXECUTIVE
THE NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR THE DEAF & HARD OF HEARING
Stepped in as Acting CEO managing the organisation through a leadership transition, strengthened stakeholder relationships, and improved financial performance by 14%. Rejoined the Board afterwards.
INDEPENDENT
consulting & OTHER ROLES
Provided consulting across various short-term roles. SkyCity Entertainment Group project: Developed the first Board-approved sustainability governance framework, in the context of an infrastructure investment, reporting to management.
MANAGER TOURISM, SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM & STRATEGIC ADVISOR SECONDMENT
AUCKLAND COUNCIL, CCO START-UP, ATEED – A FOUNDING ENTITY OF TĀTAKI AUCKLAND UNLIMITED
Contributed to the restructuring of Auckland’s regional tourism operation as part of establishing Ateed, a founding entity of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited. Contributed to influencing the start of the Guangzhou/Auckland route, and co-designed the growth strategy for Auckland’s first plan for the visitor economy, increasing its value from $3.3B to beyond $6B by 2021.
DIRECTOR MARKETING
NEW ZEALAND TRADE & ENTERPRISE, (NZTE), CROWN ENTITY
Oversaw approximately 150 market development initiatives annually - implemented by a team of internal and external multidisciplinary experts around the world. Led the development and implementation of the country-brand / trade strategy, brand identity, and channels - with agency partners and governors (NZTE won the World Trade Promotion Organisation’s Best Trade Promotion Agency Award). Was instrumental in advocating for a broader narrative for New Zealand in the government’s investment in national brand reputation, using research insights as part of NZTE’s input for a Business Growth Agenda (the ‘NZ Story’ resources were subsequently established).
New Zealand International Business Awards Programme: Led the first design and implementation of New Zealand’s cross-agency programme for exporters, securing approvals and gaining sponsors. This initiative helped celebrate and promote New Zealand businesses internationally, further strengthening the country’s global reputation.
COUNTRY MANAGER
VISITBRITAIN (A PUBLIC BODY SPONSORED BY UK DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE, MEDIA & SPORT), ASIA/PACIFIC HUB
Managed the NZ campaign and media relations. Spearheaded crisis communications together with diplomats during the 2005 London transport attacks. Resultant 45% increase in Kiwis travelling to Britain and a 34% rise in spend with regional dispersal.
BRAND PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER & THE AMERICA’S CUP
SPARK - FORMERLY TELECOM NZ
Negotiated and managed complex sponsorship and supplier partnerships, including the renewal of the Board-approved Team New Zealand sponsorship. Delivered international broadcast integrations, supporting digital and media innovations.
MARKETING PROGRAMMES MANAGER
MARKETING MANAGER COMMERCIAL, NZ
AIR NEW ZEALAND
Led multidisciplinary teams to establish Airpoints™ as a strategic business asset, facilitating Air New Zealand’s entry into the STAR Alliance. Introduced new revenue airline and non-airline partnerships. Managed the Koru Club lounge programme, and the upgrade of the Travelcard. Enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency.
DIRECTOR OF SALES – COMMERCIAL & WORKING ABROAD
INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS GROUP - FORMERLY SOUTHERN PACIFIC HOTEL CORPORATION
CAREER
Led the commercial sales performance for the group in NZ/Pacific markets and outbound sales, driving sales revenue for properties/owners and collaborating with teams on onboarding of new hotels/resorts.