Editing Colin Beyer (section)

==Professional career==
Beyer was educated at [[Victoria University of Wellington]]. He graduated with an [[Bachelor of Laws|LLB]]<ref name="Securities Commission 2006">{{cite web|title=2006 Annual Report: Members of the Commission |url=http://www.sec-com.govt.nz/publications/annrep-06/04.shtml |publisher=Securities Commission |accessdate=17 December 2010}}</ref> and was admitted to the bar in 1962. His specialties are corporate law and mining law.<ref name="IoD press release">{{cite web|title=2006 Distinguished Fellows |url=http://www.iod.org.nz/Home/Articles/Press_Releases/Archived_news_and_articles/Distinguished_Fellows_Announce.aspx |publisher=Institute of Directors |accessdate=17 December 2010}}</ref> 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<ref>{{cite web|title=Simpson Grierson's consultants|url=http://www.simpsongrierson.com/consultant/|publisher=Simpson Grierson|accessdate=17 December 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100513144745/http://www.simpsongrierson.com/consultant/|archivedate=13 May 2010|df=dmy-all}}</ref>).<ref name="2005 Securities Commission" /> As of December 2010, Beyer is no longer listed on the Simpson Grierson website as a consultant.

Beyer was a prominent businessman with considerable governance experience. He was made a Distinguished Fellow of the Institute of Directors in 2006.<ref name="IoD press release" /> He served as 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.<ref name="2005 Securities Commission" /><ref name="ACC chair (pun intended)">{{cite web|title=Prevention better than cure|url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/insurance/3/5 |publisher=Te Ara |accessdate=17 December 2010}}</ref><ref name="2001 Securities Commission" /> He was a ministerial appointee on the Wellington Area Health Board and the Wellington Polytechnic Board.<ref name="IoD press release" />

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.<ref>{{cite news |last=Taylor |first=Kevin |title=Tower looking for more puff |url=http://mobile.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.php?c_id=3&objectid=2197047 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715164839/http://mobile.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.php?c_id=3&objectid=2197047 |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 July 2012 |accessdate=17 December 2010 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=25 July 2002 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Tower blames departed boss |url=http://mobile.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.php?c_id=3&objectid=3007995 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718094732/http://mobile.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.php?c_id=3&objectid=3007995 |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 July 2012 |accessdate=17 December 2010 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=6 December 2002 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Beyer throws in towel at Tower |url=http://tvnz.co.nz/content/170146/411361.html?tvnzmp=2 |accessdate=17 December 2010 |work=TVNZ|date=21 February 2003}}</ref> 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".<ref>{{cite news|last=O'Brien |first=Peter V |title=In the name of God, go |url=http://www.sharechat.co.nz/article/bc73d6a2/in-the-name-of-god-go.html |accessdate=17 December 2010 |work=Share Chat|date=28 February 2003}}</ref> Bruce Sheppard, the founder of the [http://www.nzshareholders.co.nz/index.cfm New Zealand Shareholder's Association], criticised the board of Tower under Beyer's chairmanship over the setting of directors' fees and the payment of retirement allowances. Sheppard described the practices of the board as "the most outrageous gaming by the most reprehensible group".<ref name="Bruce Sheppard on boards of directors">{{cite news|title=The evolution of the shareholder-board relationship |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/blogs/stirring-the-pot/2879428/The-evolution-of-the-shareholder-board-relationship|accessdate=17 December 2010 |work=Stuff |date=18 September 2009}}</ref>

Beyer was appointed to the [[Securities Commission of New Zealand|Securities Commission]] in February 2001 for a four-year term.<ref name="2001 Securities Commission">{{cite web|title=Spiller appointed to Securities Commission |url=http://www.goodreturns.co.nz/article/976485957/spiller-appointed-to-securities-commission.html|publisher=Good Returns|accessdate=17 December 2010}}</ref> In early 2005, he was reappointed for a second five-year term by Commerce Minister [[Pete Hodgson]].<ref name="2005 Securities Commission">{{cite news|title=Beyer and Quinn re-appointed |url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0501/S00252.htm |accessdate=17 December 2010 |work=Scoop |date=27 January 2005}}</ref> In 2009, Minister of Commerce [[Simon Power (politician)|Simon Power]] announced that Beyer would retire in February 2010, to be succeeded by Simon Botherway.<ref name="2009 Securities Commission">{{cite news|title=Commerce Minister Announces Appointments on SEC Commission |url=http://www.guide2.co.nz/money/news/business/commerce-minister-announces-appointments-on-sec-commission/11/11143 |accessdate=17 December 2010 |work=NZPA}}</ref>

He was the Honorary Consul-General of Finland from 1993, and was by 2006 the [[Diplomatic corps|Dean of the Consular Corps]] in Wellington.<ref name="IoD press release" /> He was made a Commander of the [[Order of the Lion of Finland]].<ref name="Tribute"/>