Template:Short description Template:Use New Zealand English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox person Colin Andrew Nielsen Beyer<ref>see talk page for a justification of the spelling</ref> (10 September 1938 – 21 August 2015) was a New Zealand lawyer. He was a partner and then consultant with Simpson Grierson in Wellington. Also a prominent businessman with many governance positions, Beyer was a securities commissioner on the Securities Commission of New Zealand from 2001 until 2010. He was the stepfather of former Member of Parliament Georgina Beyer.
Early lifeEdit
Of Danish descent,Template:Sfn Beyer was born in Wellington on 10 September 1938 to Knud Johan Nielsen and Carla Emilie (née Pallesen) Beyer.<ref name="Tribute">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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.Template:Sfn
Professional careerEdit
Beyer was educated at Victoria University of Wellington. He graduated with an LLB<ref name="Securities Commission 2006">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and was admitted to the bar in 1962. His specialties are corporate law and mining law.<ref name="IoD press release">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</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>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</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)">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</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>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</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>Template:Cite news</ref> Bruce Sheppard, the founder of the 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">Template:Cite news</ref>
Beyer was appointed to the Securities Commission in February 2001 for a four-year term.<ref name="2001 Securities Commission">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In early 2005, he was reappointed for a second five-year term by Commerce Minister Pete Hodgson.<ref name="2005 Securities Commission">Template:Cite news</ref> In 2009, Minister of Commerce Simon Power announced that Beyer would retire in February 2010, to be succeeded by Simon Botherway.<ref name="2009 Securities Commission">Template:Cite news</ref>
He was the Honorary Consul-General of Finland from 1993, and was by 2006 the 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"/>
Political careerEdit
In the 1970s, while living in Camborne, he spent some time on the Porirua City Council, first as an independent and later as a Labour Party representative. During his time as a Porirua city councillor Beyer was widely respected for his sound judgement and a broad knowledge and understanding of the complex range of issues the City was dealing with.<ref name="IoD press release" /> He later moved to Kelburn.
FamilyEdit
Beyer was married to Noeline Bertrand (née Tamati).Template:Sfn Her first child, born 1957 as George Bertrand and later named Georgina Beyer, 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.Template:Sfn With marital problems developing, George was sent to Wellesley College boarding school, where he tried to commit suicide for feeling rejected by his parents.Template:Sfn Colin Beyer separated from Noeline in 1971 and moved to Brooklyn, where he shared an apartment with Ron Brierley, whom he knew from Wellington College.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn He married Brazilian-born Anna and had two sons. He also gained custody of his son Andrew.Template:Sfn
Georgina Beyer came out first to her stepfather, before telling her mother about her 1984 sex reassignment surgery.Template:Sfn She achieved fame as the world's first transsexual Member of Parliament.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
DeathEdit
Colin Beyer died on 21 August 2015. His funeral was held at Old St. Paul's, Mulgrave St, Wellington.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
NotesEdit
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
- Photo showing Beyer as ACC chair learning an injury prevention back exercise, Te Ara website