Colin Beyer
Encyclopedia
Colin Andrew Nielsen Beyer, LL.B. (born 1938), is a prominent lawyer who was a partner and then consultant with Simpson Grierson
in Wellington
, New Zealand
. He is a prominent businessman with many governance positions. He was a Securities Commissioner on the Securities Commission of New Zealand
from 2001 until 2010. He is the stepfather of former Member of Parliament Georgina Beyer
.
parents, Kanute and Karla Beyer. His father worked on the wharves in Wellington and his mother worked for the Education Department. Together with his younger brother Trevor and his sister Olga, they lived in Island Bay
. Both brothers attended Wellington College
.
. He graduated with LL.B.
and was admitted to the bar in 1962. His specialities are corporate law and mining
law. He was a partner with Simpson Grierson
for ten years until 2003, when he became a consultant (the term that Simpson Grierson uses for former partners). As of December 2010, Beyer is no longer listed on the Simpson Grierson website as a consultant.
Beyer is a prominent businessman with considerable governance experience. He was made a Distinguished Fellow of the Institute of Directors
in 2006. He has been Chairman of the Accident Compensation Corporation
, Government Property Services Ltd., Capital Properties New Zealand Ltd, Tower Ltd and Summit Resources Ltd, and a director of Capital Power Ltd and TrustPower Ltd. He was a ministerial appointee on the Wellington Area Health Board and the Wellington Polytechnic Board.
He was chairman of the Tower Corporation from 1990 until his resignation in 2003. The sacking of managing director James Boonzaier in 2002 under his chairmanship caused some controversy. Beyer was widely criticised in financial circles for publicly blaming Boonzaier for Tower's poor financial performance, and Beyer's decision not to stand for re-election prior to the 2003 AGM is described as having prevented the "possibility of a humiliating defeat". Bruce Sheppard, the founder of the New Zealand Shareholder's Association, has criticised the board of Tower under Beyer's chairmanship over the setting of directors' fees and the payment of retirement allowances. Sheppard has described the practices of the board as "the most outrageous gaming by the most reprehensible group".
Beyer was appointed to the Securities Commission
in February 2001 for a four year term. In early 2005, he was reappointed for a second five year term by Commerce Minister Pete Hodgson
. In 2009, Minister of Commerce Simon Power
announced that Beyer would retire in February 2010, to be succeeded by Simon Botherway.
He was the Honorary Consul-General of Finland since 1993 years and was by 2006 the Dean of the Consular Corps
in Wellington.
, he spent some time on the Porirua
City Council as a Labour Party
representative. He later moved to Kelburn
.
, came to live with them after their marriage after having spent the previous years with her parents. Their son Andrew was born in December 1963. With marital problems developing, George was sent to Wellesley College
boarding school, where he tried to commit suicide for feeling rejected by his parents. Colin Beyer separated from Noeline in 1971 and moved to Brooklyn
, where he shared an apartment with Ron Brierly, whom he knew from Wellington College. He married Brazilian-born
Anna and had two sons. He also gained custody of his son Andrew.
Georgina Beyer came out
first to her stepfather, before telling her mother about her 1984 sex reassignment surgery
. She achieved fame as the world's first transsexual Member of Parliament
.
Simpson Grierson
Simpson Grierson is a New Zealand commercial law firm founded in 1887; it is ranked in the top four firms in that country. The firm is a partnership comprising 48 partners and consultants supported by around 160 lawyers and legal executives in four departments...
in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. He is a prominent businessman with many governance positions. He was a Securities Commissioner on the Securities Commission of New Zealand
Securities Commission of New Zealand
The Securities Commission was an independent Crown Entity of the government of New Zealand and the main regulator of investments. It was replaced on the 1 May 2011 by the Financial Markets Authority ....
from 2001 until 2010. He is the stepfather of former Member of Parliament Georgina Beyer
Georgina Beyer
Georgina Beyer was the world's first openly transsexual mayor, as well as the world's first openly transsexual Member of Parliament, and from 27 November 1999 until 14 February 2007 was an MP for the Labour Party in New Zealand.-Early life:Georgina Bertrand was born and assigned male at birth, and...
.
Early life
Colin Beyer was born in New Zealand in 1938 to DanishDanes
Danish people or Danes are the nation and ethnic group that is native to Denmark, and who speak Danish.The first mention of Danes within the Danish territory is on the Jelling Rune Stone which mentions how Harald Bluetooth converted the Danes to Christianity in the 10th century...
parents, Kanute and Karla Beyer. His father worked on the wharves in Wellington and his mother worked for the Education Department. Together with his younger brother Trevor and his sister Olga, they lived in Island Bay
Island Bay, Wellington
Island Bay is a suburb of Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, situated 5 km south of the city centre.Island Bay lies on the bay which shares its name, one of numerous small bays west of Lyall Bay...
. Both brothers attended Wellington College
Wellington College (New Zealand)
Wellington College is a state secondary school for boys in Mount Victoria in Wellington, New Zealand.-History:Wellington College opened in 1867 as Wellington Grammar School in Woodward Street, though Sir George Grey gave the school a deed of endowment in 1853. In 1874 it opened at its present...
.
Professional career
Beyer was educated at Victoria University of WellingtonVictoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
. He graduated with LL.B.
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
and was admitted to the bar in 1962. His specialities are corporate law and mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
law. He was a partner with Simpson Grierson
Simpson Grierson
Simpson Grierson is a New Zealand commercial law firm founded in 1887; it is ranked in the top four firms in that country. The firm is a partnership comprising 48 partners and consultants supported by around 160 lawyers and legal executives in four departments...
for ten years until 2003, when he became a consultant (the term that Simpson Grierson uses for former partners). As of December 2010, Beyer is no longer listed on the Simpson Grierson website as a consultant.
Beyer is a prominent businessman with considerable governance experience. He was made a Distinguished Fellow of the Institute of Directors
Institute of Directors in New Zealand
The Institute of Directors in New Zealand is a New Zealand-based organisation that supports, represents and sets standards for company directors in New Zealand. It began 40 years ago as a division of the Institute of Directors in the UK, but became a separate legal entity in 1989....
in 2006. He has been Chairman of the Accident Compensation Corporation
Accident Compensation Corporation
The Accident Compensation Corporation is a New Zealand Crown entity responsible for administering the Accident Compensation Act 2001. The Act provides support to citizens, residents, and temporary visitors who have suffered personal injuries....
, Government Property Services Ltd., Capital Properties New Zealand Ltd, Tower Ltd and Summit Resources Ltd, and a director of Capital Power Ltd and TrustPower Ltd. He was a ministerial appointee on the Wellington Area Health Board and the Wellington Polytechnic Board.
He was chairman of the Tower Corporation from 1990 until his resignation in 2003. The sacking of managing director James Boonzaier in 2002 under his chairmanship caused some controversy. Beyer was widely criticised in financial circles for publicly blaming Boonzaier for Tower's poor financial performance, and Beyer's decision not to stand for re-election prior to the 2003 AGM is described as having prevented the "possibility of a humiliating defeat". Bruce Sheppard, the founder of the New Zealand Shareholder's Association, has criticised the board of Tower under Beyer's chairmanship over the setting of directors' fees and the payment of retirement allowances. Sheppard has described the practices of the board as "the most outrageous gaming by the most reprehensible group".
Beyer was appointed to the Securities Commission
Securities Commission of New Zealand
The Securities Commission was an independent Crown Entity of the government of New Zealand and the main regulator of investments. It was replaced on the 1 May 2011 by the Financial Markets Authority ....
in February 2001 for a four year term. In early 2005, he was reappointed for a second five year term by Commerce Minister Pete Hodgson
Pete Hodgson
Peter Colin Hodgson is a New Zealand politician. He is a member of the Labour Party.Hodgson was born in Whangarei, and received a Bachelor's degree in veterinary science from Massey University...
. In 2009, Minister of Commerce Simon Power
Simon Power
Simon James Power is a New Zealand politician. He is a prominent member of the National Party and a cabinet minister. He currently holds the posts of Minister of Justice, Minister for State Owned Enterprises, Minister of Commerce, Minister Responsible for the Law Commission andAssociate Minister...
announced that Beyer would retire in February 2010, to be succeeded by Simon Botherway.
He was the Honorary Consul-General of Finland since 1993 years and was by 2006 the Dean of the Consular Corps
Diplomatic corps
The diplomatic corps or corps diplomatique is the collective body of foreign diplomats accredited to a particular country or body.The diplomatic corps may, in certain contexts, refer to the collection of accredited heads of mission who represent their countries in another state or country...
in Wellington.
Political career
In the 1970s, while living in CamborneCamborne, New Zealand
Camborne, New Zealand, is a hilltop and seaside suburb of Porirua City developed over a 35-year period from the 1960s, initially by an investment company headed by a Mr Arthur Cornish...
, he spent some time on the Porirua
Porirua
Porirua is a city in the Wellington Region of New Zealand, immediately north of the city of Wellington, with their central business districts 20 km apart. A large proportion of the population commutes to Wellington, so it may be considered a satellite city. It almost completely surrounds...
City Council as a Labour Party
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
representative. He later moved to Kelburn
Kelburn, New Zealand
thumb|300px|Panorama of Wellington including the Kelburn cable car.Kelburn is an inner suburb of Wellington, New Zealand. It is located on the hills to the west of the Central Business District.-Features of Kelburn:...
.
Family
Beyer was married to Noeline Bertrand (née Tamati). Her first child, born 1957 as George Bertrand and later named Georgina BeyerGeorgina Beyer
Georgina Beyer was the world's first openly transsexual mayor, as well as the world's first openly transsexual Member of Parliament, and from 27 November 1999 until 14 February 2007 was an MP for the Labour Party in New Zealand.-Early life:Georgina Bertrand was born and assigned male at birth, and...
, came to live with them after their marriage after having spent the previous years with her parents. Their son Andrew was born in December 1963. With marital problems developing, George was sent to Wellesley College
Wellesley College (New Zealand)
Wellesley College is a boys-only independent primary school in Day's Bay, Eastbourne, New Zealand.-History:Day's Bay House was built in 1903 for the Wellington Steam Ferry Company Limited which had made the heart of Day's Bay a destination resort and sports complex...
boarding school, where he tried to commit suicide for feeling rejected by his parents. Colin Beyer separated from Noeline in 1971 and moved to Brooklyn
Brooklyn, New Zealand
Brooklyn, a suburb of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. Brooklyn is a blend of circa 1900 weatherboard villa / bungalow houses around the central part of Brooklyn, blending more recent subdivisions built in the 1970's and 1990's. The shops / bars / cinema / food outlets have created a...
, where he shared an apartment with Ron Brierly, whom he knew from Wellington College. He married Brazilian-born
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
Anna and had two sons. He also gained custody of his son Andrew.
Georgina Beyer came out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
first to her stepfather, before telling her mother about her 1984 sex reassignment surgery
Sex reassignment surgery
Sex reassignment surgery is a term for the surgical procedures by which a person's physical appearance and function of their existing sexual characteristics are altered to resemble...
. She achieved fame as the world's first transsexual Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
.
External links
- Photo showing Beyer as ACCAccident Compensation CorporationThe Accident Compensation Corporation is a New Zealand Crown entity responsible for administering the Accident Compensation Act 2001. The Act provides support to citizens, residents, and temporary visitors who have suffered personal injuries....
chair learning an injury prevention back exercise, Te Ara website