During the remarkable reform era in New Zealand from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s, Ruth established her reform reputation. As New Zealand’s Minister of Finance from 1990 to 1993 she was the principal architect of New Zealand’s second wave of reform, complementing the first wave of reforms initiated in the mid-1980s by New Zealand’s other well-known Minister of Finance, Sir Roger Douglas. Her institutional framework for the conduct of fiscal policy, the Fiscal Responsibility Act 1994, is widely regarded as setting international best practice, and is a cornerstone of New Zealand’s economic framework.
In the years since Ruth left Parliament in 1994, she has had an extensive international practice as a public policy consultant. She has advised widely on strategies designed to achieve the practice of good governance and the development of high quality policy frameworks. Her client base has spanned:
• Sovereign Governments
• International Agencies
• Ministers of Finance and their Ministries
• Private sector business agencies and ‘Think Tanks’ who have an interest in promoting the twin virtues of good governance and good policy
Geographically her work has taken her to nearly every corner of the globe, including Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Pacific.
In parallel with her work as a public policy consultant, Ruth has developed a substantial private sector practice in corporate governance concentrating on innovative business plays. Her directorships involve her in a wide spectrum of global business activity, and the responsibilities she has shouldered on her Boards have contributed to her expertise in many aspects of corporate governance. Ruth is currently Chair of Syft Technologies Ltd, New Zealand Merino Company Ltd, and the Kula Fund a development investment fund in the Pacific. She is also a director of Synlait Milk Ltd, Bank of China (NZ) Ltd. Ruth’s previous directorships include the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, KiwiNet, and the Jade Software Corporation Ltd amongst others.
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