Lotto New Zealand has a new Chair, with the appointment of Tony Balfour being announced by Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden.
Balfour, a figure with ample experience in both chair and directorate roles, began his career in marketing before moving to Nike in 1995 as General Manager of its Asia business. He held this role for nine years before leaving for senior roles at firms including Seek, Monster and icebreaker.
He now serves as an Independent Director at several businesses across New Zealand and chairs environmental firm Ecogas.
A new era for Lotto New Zealand
“Tony Balfour will join the New Zealand Lotteries Commission Board on 1 May, following the retirement of Mark Todd on 30 April,” said van Velden.
“Mr Balfour brings a wealth of experience and leadership to the role, with a distinguished career spanning governance, business strategy, and community engagement. He also brings strong commercial acumen and executive level experience.
“His appointment ensures strong and effective leadership within the Commission, which plays a vital role in supporting community initiatives through lottery funding.
“The New Zealand Lotteries Commission is committed to operating with integrity and transparency, and Mr Balfour’s leadership will further enhance its ability to meet these goals.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mark Todd for his service over the past seven years, and for chairing the Board since 2024. I wish him all the very best.”
As van Velden mentioned, Balfour replaces Todd, who joined the commission back in 2019 as an Independent Director and as Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee. He stepped into the Chair role for the commission as an entirety in August 2024.
His appointment follows technological improvements for Lotto New Zealand, after public outcry for it in years gone by. The commission recently partnered with Scientific Games to update its retail and digital channels across a total of 1,100 lottery operators.