PwC New Zealand Director appointment

PwC New Zealand has appointed Fiona Michel as an Independent External Member of the firm's governance Board following a comprehensive selection process led by Karen Shires - PwC NZ Chair, the PwC NZ Board, and SEQEL Partners.

PwC New Zealand is one of the largest professional services firms in the country, providing Assurance, Advisory, Tax and Legal Services. The firm employs 1,700 people, including 144 Partners.

Fiona brings extensive executive leadership and governance experience across health, banking, insurance, technology, utilities and the public sector, both in New Zealand and Australia. She has led significant strategic change programmes involving business model, culture, wellbeing and technology transformation, as well as the resolution of complex compliance issues within highly regulated organisations.

Fiona is currently Chief Executive Officer of Braemar Hospital, one of New Zealand’s leading private surgical hospitals. Since joining Braemar in 2021, she has led a period of sustained growth and organisational development.

Her earlier executive career includes senior leadership roles with the Vector, Bank of New Zealand, IAG, Ministry of Health, Auckland District Health Board and New Zealand Police. Her experience includes serving as Chief People and Culture Officer at Vector and Executive General Manager, People Community and Alliances for IAG in Sydney, as well as holding senior people, culture and transformation roles across other large and complex organisations.

Fiona’s current governance portfolio includes membership of the University of Waikato Council and Chair of the University of Waikato New Zealand Graduate School of Medicine Medical Advisory Board.

Fiona holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Auckland and is an alumna of the Harvard Business School General Management Program. She is a Chartered Member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors and a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. In 2025, she was named CEO of the Year at the Waikato Chamber of Commerce Business Awards.