Danny Chan

Danny Chan

Deputy Chairman, Academic Colleges Group

Biography

A third-generation New Zealand Chinese, Danny was brought up in Wellington. After spending 16 years in the investment management field in New Zealand during the 70s and the 80s. Danny was appointed by Fidelity Investments of USA, the largest fund management company in the world, to the Board of their Asia/Pacific operation and to head their Taiwan office in 1986.

Danny returned to New Zealand in 1994 to develop his own business interests, including investment management, financial and business consultancy, floriculture, education, trading, seafood processing and security systems. Currently, he is the Executive Chairman of Alpha Asset Management Limited.

After graduating from Victoria University of Wellington with Honours in 1973, Danny became a part-time lecturer and tutor in managerial finance and business analysis at Victoria University of Wellington for 12 years. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of New Zealand and a member of the Cost and Management Association. He is also a Fellow of the Certified Securities Analyst Professional.

Danny holds a number of directorships in New Zealand. He is the Chairman of Flowerzone Turners Export Limited one of New Zealand’s largest fresh cut flowers exporters and a director of Abano Healthcare Ltd, a NZ-listed stock exchange healthcare provider. In 2005, Danny was appointed to the Board of AgResearch Limited, a New Zealand government-owned scientific research company that specialises in agricultural and biotechnology developments. He was also a former director of Everbright Pacific Limited, a subsidiary of the Chinese government-owned China Everbright Limited and Airways Corporation Limited, a state-owned air traffic management company.

Through his long involvement with the education, investment and export industries, Danny has developed an extensive network of contacts in Asia. He is fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese and familiar with the protocols of both asian and western cultures. Danny acts as an advisor for several New Zealand companies for their Asia marketing and joint venture operations.