Tim worked in business consultancy before creating his first start-up success – Party Warehouse.  From its beginnings in 2001 Tim grew the business to become the South Island’s largest marquee and event company.

HireKING was Tim’s next success, and in 2017 it was named as one of the top 50 fastest- growing companies in New Zealand.  Tim was also a founding director of Team Event, a full-service event production company which runs some of the best-known events and festivals in the South Island, including The Great Kiwi Beer Fest, Electric Avenue music festival and the South Island Wine and Food Festival.

Tim’s entrepreneurial thinking, strategic acumen, exceptional people skills and visionary leadership make him the ideal person to be at Puro’s helm.

Sank Macfarlane boasts a 14-year career in Institutional Banking.  Cutting his teeth as a University Graduate, he rose to Head of Westpac’s Corporate and Institutional FX Sales team – a stellar career which provided him with an in-depth understanding of commercial banking, global markets, credit analysis, risk and sales.

His entrepreneurial spirit drove a lifestyle change for Sank and his family, heading back home to Kēkerengū on the Kaikōura Coast in 2014 where he and his wife purchased The Store restaurant/café and event venue. They have since developed an exceptional beach front campground – a Kaikōura Coast icon.

Sank has been involved with Puro from day one, introducing the Macfarlane family farm and developing it into Puro’s premium outdoor growing site.  The farm has a rich history having been farmed by the Macfarlane family for 6 generations.

Tom provides guidance to the Board on business strategy, risk mitigation and oversees the cultivation and breeding programme for Puro.

A global leader in the cannabis industry, Tom is a Churchill Fellow for Cannabis Agronomy and publisher of a White Paper for the Australian industry on cannabis botany, global industry and cultivation.  As part of his fellowship, Tom spent time at 50 licensed commercial growing operations in 10 different countries.

Tom has significant experience in horticulture and protected cropping, with specialist training in hydroponics and plant botany.  He offers Puro an intimate knowledge and understanding of pharmaceutical standards required of cannabis agronomy. This, combined with his business and marketing qualifications and expertise, has seen Tom become a sought-after lecturer, speaker and advisor on sustainable and successful cannabis cultivation.

Giselle is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors and an experienced company director, chair and CEO, with a legal career spanning 30 years.  She began working with Puro in March 2020, attracted to the role thanks to her passion for sustainable land use and how New Zealand can use its precious natural capital to good economic, social and environmental effect.

The experience and expertise Giselle brings to Puro is significant, having worked across numerous sectors from agriculture to being partner in a law firm and General Counsel for New Zealand’s largest insurance company.  She was previously involved in managing a large-scale organic sheep and beef farm in the South Island, certified with BioGro, and has held many notable board roles, including serving as a director on the Earthquake Commission and the H&J Smith Group.  She sits on the Medical Council as a lay member, as well as their Audit and Risk Committee.  Giselle also runs a business, health and governance coaching consultancy, serving clients around New Zealand.

Jon has built his career primarily in the pharmaceutical and FMCG industries, with roles that have seen him leading strategic planning, marketing, and restructuring of companies throughout his career.

He headed a multi-national pharmaceutical company during which time he successfully launched global brands.  Jon also created the kiwifruit brand Zespri and restructured the company into a retail-focused operation.

Jon has been a board director on several public and private companies and not-for-profit organisations.  He is an independent director of AFT Pharmaceuticals Ltd, a role held since 2012, chairing the Audit and Risk Committee and Remuneration and Nomination Committee.  During his time with AFT he has seen the company achieve 800% growth. He is a director of MedReleaf NZ and is a member of the Institute of Directors in both New Zealand and Australia.

A renowned expert in agribusiness, Anna Campbell has a PhD in plant biotechnology and is unashamedly passionate about the agribusiness sector, with a special interest in food security, alternate proteins and the use of plant bioactives for human health.

With a science degree in botany from the University of Otago, and a PhD research in cereal biotechnology from Lincoln University and Crop & Food Research, Anna started her career at the

University of Southern Queensland where she discovered DNA markers for wheat quality and disease-resistance traits.

After returning to New Zealand, in 2001, to work as a scientist at AgResearch Invermay, she moved to AbacusBio in 2006 where she rose through the ranks to be the Managing Director, until 2021.

Today Anna is a Partner in AbacusBio while also co-founding Zestt Wellness, a company that’s changing lives with natural products. She is also strongly community focused, holding directorships at the New Zealand Cricket Association, Otago Innovation Limited and Genomics Aoteoroa as well as being a Trustee of Otago Boys’ High School.

Anna was named the Otago Daily Times 2019 Business Leader of the Year.

Craig brings to Puro a wealth of experience in governance, strategy and organisational development.

A qualified chartered accountant, with a career including senior management roles at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Craig has been involved in many executive and directorship positions over the last 25 years. His breadth of knowledge is diverse, with experience in the food, data, technology, business development, education and engineering sectors. He’s overseen the growth of a major Christchurch food retail business and has mentored numerous other businesses on performance, productivity, stability and risk management. Underpinning his work is his fundamental believe that good governance is all about improving the overall state of an organisation.

Craig is a member of both the Chartered Accountants of New Zealand / Australia and the Institute of Directors.  He provides ongoing director, chair and advisory board services, including regularly facilitating director level training for the Institute of Directors around the topics of Governance, Finance and Strategy.

Grace is an exceptional talent, strongly strategic and data driven.

With broad experience across agriculture, agribusiness, health and development, Grace has been instrumental in research and analysis for key organisations from the Fred Hollows Foundation New Zealand to AbacusBio Limited.

Grace holds a Postgraduate Diploma of Public Health, a Bachelor of Science (Genetics) and a Bachelor of Laws, providing the ideal backdrop to manage Puro’s regulatory and policy arm.

Scott comes to Puro after 18 years at the Marlborough Tour Company, a business which during his tenure grew from a two-strong team to a company with more than 100 staff.

Scott’s strengths lie in marketing, business development and business management.  He is adept at identifying, developing and implementing systems and procedures and managing external business relationships.

He also brings to Puro significant connections and knowledge of the Marlborough district and business community.

Scott brings a wealth of financial expertise to the Puro team with a career that has spanned a broad range of industries including marine manufacturing, aerospace, media and professional services.

He has held senior finance roles in some of the world’s most prestigious and well-known companies, including PricewaterhouseCoopers (New York and Durban), KPMG (Dublin), British Sky Broadcasting (London) and BBC Worldwide (London). His most recent role in New Zealand was Chief Financial Officer for Sealegs International.

Scott has a strong track record in building successful finance teams, improving the quality of financial reporting and treasury management.

Brian joined Puro as its business development manager to secure export sales and expand global business relationships. Brian built a career understanding complex systems of science, technology, government regulation, and organisational development and then delivering services, products, collaboration, and successful outcomes. He began by writing hundreds of how to books for USA nuclear submarines, weapons systems, complex machine tools, and computer-aided design and manufacturing software systems.

Brian translated his in-depth knowledge of technology into a sales and marketing career, later moving from the USA, Australia, and then Aotearoa to expand these markets. The Victorian Government appointed Brian their specialist in medicinal cannabis, then emerging from its status as a prohibited drug to major health and wellness breakthrough. He worked closely with global medical cannabis investors into Australia. Brian secured ongoing significant foreign direct investment from these companies, resulting in a publicly announced $200+ million capital investments and more than 200 jobs in the state to develop substantial research, cultivation, and good manufacturing practice (GMP) infrastructure.

Brian accomplished these investments by navigating complex cannabis cultivation regulations and providing direct financial assistance, facilitation, and negotiations with varied stakeholders, including medical cannabis purchase agreements with Australian government agencies. Ultimately with Brian’s Victorian Government assistance, more than 20 offshore medical cannabis companies were attracted to Australia resulting in cultivating medicinal cannabis, developing investments, adding jobs, and building exports. Brian received the Victorian Government’s special achievement award for his work with the department.

Brian has a Master of Business Administration from University of New Haven (USA), Bachelor’s Degree from University of Connecticut (USA), and certifications in multimedia development and communicating technical information from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (USA).

Nic brings a swathe of experience in all levels of the construction industry to his role managing Puro’s development projects at Waihopai and Kekerengu.

He has a Bachelor of Building Science, Project Management and Sustainable Systems Engineering, from Victoria University.  Following completion of his degree Nic worked in Wellington and Christchurch as a specialist construction project manager, with his roles including overseeing multi-million dollar post-earthquake projects in Canterbury such as the Christchurch Arts Centre rebuild and a new 24hr medical facility in the CBD.

Nic has a strong interest in sustainable and regenerative building practices and a decade long interest in hemp and its medicinal benefits.

Michelle joins Puro with over four years of HR experience providing high-quality, end-to-end HR support in a professional services environment. She came to Puro from BDO, where Michelle was a People & Performance Advisor.

Prior to her HR roles Michelle has nearly a decade’s experience in administration and service coordination.

Winston has returned to his family home at Kēkerengū, where his experience in agriculture and farm management is being refocused as the property diversifies into growing medicinal cannabis.

Prior to his return to New Zealand Winston had a 17 year long professional sailing career, sailing for Team New Zealand and Team Japan for the America’s Cup.

Winston has built significant connections with growers of medical cannabis around the world, specifically in Canada and the USA.

Wendy joins Puro with 13 years experience in the wine industry, having had a strong focus on organic and biodynamic agriculture. Most recently she has been building her skills in the quality and compliance area with experience in several certification systems including BioGro (organic), Demeter (biodynamic), SWNZ (sustainable winegrowing) and BRC Global Food Safety. Prior to embracing her passion for organic agriculture, Wendy spent eight years in a multinational technology company working across business consulting, process redesign and project management.

Wendy has a Masters of Science in Viticulture from the University of Adelaide (Australia) and a Masters of Business Administration from Pace University (United States). She also has a personal interest in organics, natural alternatives to pharmaceuticals and the potential of medical cannabis.

Steve Burnett is passionate about the potential of hemp to support the planet's environment. After returning to New Zealand in 1996, he became a founding member on the executive of the New Zealand Hemp Industries Association.

Over the last 25 years he has focused upon providing seed for industry, seed breeding and development of seedlines, and selecting genetic characteristics most suitable for optimum performance in New Zealand and Australian temperate climatic conditions. He has provided assistance and consultancy for over 50 successful hemp croppings to date, for a wide range of groups and individuals.

Master of agronomic sciences, Jan Jurij Eržen, has dedicated his life and academic studies to the plant cultivation and the physiology of Cannabis sativa, hence resulting in his master thesis, and authoring and co authoring of several critically accepted scientific articles. He has started a path through the cannabis industry from 2017, when he was involved with one of the first and biggest European Medical cannabis greenhouse projects of that time. In 2018 he was part of the first Slovenian planning of horticultural orchards from certified variety’s of European Cannabis, where he fell in love with the diversity of options the plant allows with careful selection. Prior projects involved projecting seed to extract processing steps in following GAP, GACP requirements for approval of cannabis biomass as herbal materials meeting Herbal drug standards for the production of Active pharmaceutical ingredients.

David is an agrologist with a Master of Science in Plant Sciences from McGill University. He began working in greenhouse production in 2001, and worked for McGill university's greenhouses and Horticultural Research Centre. David worked as the lead agrologist at Whistler Medical Marijuana Corporation and designed their certified organic growing system. He is also the Chief Science Officer at Destiny Grow Systems, which supplies living soil systems and organic fertilizer.

Guy has held a personal interest in medical cannabis for many years, with a passion to identify sustainable, natural alternatives to modern-day pharmaceuticals.

To pursue that interest as a career Guy studied at the University of Canberra and the University of Otago, completing a degree in Analytical Forensic Science and Botany.  As part of his studies he grew hemp in the final year of his degree and invited professors and fellow students to take part in the harvest and experience cannabis hands-on, as a way of educating the wider community on the benefits of cannabis as a versatile, alternative crop for many industries. 

As well as his natural belief and interest in medical cannabis, Guy brings to Puro four years of experience from the viticulture industry, where he worked in operations, compliance, and technical laboratory analysis.

Max has been working with cannabis plants in the USA for almost 10 years, where he has experience with both indoor and outdoor growing operations. He joins the Puro team from Caliva, an indoor cannabis company in California, where Max focused on post-harvest, cultivation and fertigation.

Max’s knowledge of and experience with cloning, preventative IPM measures, nutrient and supplement intakes and mother plant care are just some of the key skills he brings to the Puro team.

Max has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Otago and is a former professional basketball player, playing for the Southland Sharks.

Caitlin cultivated a natural interest for plants from a young age, growing up in a family involved in the kiwifruit and avocado industries.

Caitlin has a Bachelor of Science from Lincoln University, majoring in horticulture.  She spent the final year of her studies on an exchange programme at the University of Guelph in Canada, during which time she took part in the University's first cannabis production course and collaborated on a research paper about the potential of cannabidiol in modern medicine.

Caitlin has worked with a variety of nursery crops, market garden and orchard crops, and brings to Puro her experience in organic horticulture, plant propagation and IPM strategies.