It is with great pleasure that New Zealand Opera announces the appointment of Alice Shearman as Board Chair.
After nine years on the Board, including eight years as Chair, Annabel Holland stepped down from the role of Board Chair on 18 February 2026. We are deeply grateful to Annabel for her committed, thoughtful and insightful leadership, and for the significant contribution she has made to New Zealand Opera over many years.
This transition is the result of a long-planned and deliberate succession process, agreed by the Board and Annabel some time ago. With this planning in place, the Board has appointed Alice Shearman as the new Chair of New Zealand Opera. Alice is Executive Director of the New Zealand Writers Guild and brings extensive leadership and governance experience from across Aotearoa’s creative sectors. We are delighted to welcome Alice into the role and look forward to working closely with her as the organisation continues into its next chapter.
To support a smooth transition and provide continuity, Annabel will remain on the Board as a Director until the May Board meeting, at which point she will step down from the Board.
Annabel’s tenure as Chair has encompassed some of the most challenging and transformative periods in the organisation’s recent history, including navigating the impacts of COVID-19 and overseeing the successful succession of the General Director role. Her leadership during this time has helped ensure the organisation’s stability, resilience and continued artistic ambition.
Importantly, this transition represents continuity, not a change in direction. New Zealand Opera’s strategic vision and priorities remain unchanged, and the organisation is well positioned to continue delivering extraordinary work for the people of Aotearoa and beyond.
On behalf of New Zealand Opera, we extend our sincere thanks and aroha to Annabel for her exceptional service and leadership, and our warm welcome to Alice as she steps into the role of Chair.
We are grateful for the ongoing support of our audiences, artists, donors, funders and partners, and we look forward to sharing the next chapter of New Zealand Opera with you.
