MAS launches Future Director Practitioner Programme

Medical Assurance Society (MAS) has announced the first participant in its new Future Practitioner Director Programme.

The initiative is intended to provide governance exposure for health professionals who are interested in moving into board-level positions.

The first appointee, Saxon Connor (pictured), is a surgeon and health sector leader with experience in digital innovation.

He will attend board meetings, strategy discussions, and audit and risk committee sessions over a 12-month period, beginning with the September board meeting.

Connor said the role comes at a point where governance is becoming a focus in his career.

“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,” he said. “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.”

Additional training support awarded

MAS chair Brett Sutton said the organisation received a high volume of applications.

In addition to the main appointment, two candidates were awarded support to undertake training through the Institute of Directors in New Zealand.

Alastair Dunne, a Wellington-based general practitioner, will attend the Company Directors’ Course and receive mentoring from MAS Deputy Chair Doug Hill.

Craig Hunger, a veterinary professional with extensive management and clinical experience, will take part in the “Chairing the Board” course.

Sutton said these awards are aimed at building governance skills for health professionals preparing for leadership opportunities.

Gallery launch

MAS has also entered a new partnership with Art in the Park to introduce the MAS Emerging Artists’ Gallery, which will open at Eden Park in Auckland from Sept. 18-21.

The dedicated space will highlight new creative voices as part of the annual art showcase, which brings together hundreds of artists and art buyers over four days.

The works presented will come from graduates of The King’s Trust Aotearoa New Zealand’s Art & Enterprise workshop, a programme that provides guidance on business practices, industry networks, and professional mentoring for early-stage artists.

MAS chief distribution and marketing officer Matt Harvey said the collaboration is designed to strengthen community connections.

“At MAS, our values are grounded in care, connection, and doing what’s right for our members and communities. Partnering with Art in the Park is a natural fit; it’s a celebration of creativity, which we see as vital to well-being and a powerful way to bring people together,” he said.

Range of artists to be featured

Fourteen artists will take part in the gallery’s inaugural year. Among them are:

• Amrit Kaur, whose work highlights details in nature through design and process.
• Caleb and Jackie Kutia, who run Tekotiri Ltd, a Māori creative business carving taonga that reflects whakapapa and family narratives.
• Cayleen Bester, a digital illustrator and animator whose projects include television and short film.
• Jessica Gurnsey, an acrylic painter focused on portraiture and human detail.
• Jessie Kanji, who combines science, heritage, and multidisciplinary art forms.
• Josh Kiwikiwi, a Whangārei-based artist blending Māori storytelling with abstract and realist approaches.
• Kyle Ratana, who draws on graffiti and Māori design to share cultural knowledge.

Other contributors include painters, sculptors, and multidisciplinary artists working with recycled materials, architecture, and digital tools.