Annabel Cotton

Managing Director, Merlin Consulting

Annabel is a professional director and is the Managing Director of Merlin Consulting, an adviser to NZX and ASX listed companies on investor relations, governance and sustainability.

Her current governance roles include: Director and Audit & Risk Committee chair at Waikato Regional Airport, Trust Investments Management (an FMA-regulated issuer), NZX Regulation and NZ Growth Capital Partners. She is Chair of Hamilton & Waikato Tourism and a trustee of several substantial charities including Global Women and the Donny Charitable Trust.

Previous appointments include director/member of the External Reporting Board, the New Zealand Securities Commission, Genesis Power and several NZX listed companies. Annabel was the first Commissioner for Financial Advisers. NFP appointments have included Trustee and Investment Committee Chair for Momentum Waikato Community Foundation.

Annabel is actively involved in overseeing the running of her family’s 240ha dairy farm close to her home outside Hamilton.

Annabel has been made a Fellow of the Institute of Directors, the Australasian Investor Relations Association, the Institute of Finance Professionals New Zealand and Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand.