Bronwen Holdsworth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dame Bronwen Holdsworth
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Holdsworth in 2015
|
|
| Born |
Bronwen Scott Pearson
13 September 1942 Wellington, New Zealand
|
| Alma mater | Victoria University of Wellington |
| Occupation | Company director |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Peter Holdsworth
(m. 1970) |
| Children | 4 |
| Relatives | Samantha Holdsworth (daughter) |
Dame Bronwen Scott Holdsworth, born on September 13, 1942, is a well-known businesswoman and supporter of the arts from Gisborne, New Zealand. She has achieved a lot in business and has helped many community projects.
Contents
Her Early Life and Family
Bronwen Scott Pearson was born in Wellington, New Zealand, in 1942. She went to Samuel Marsden Collegiate School for her high school education.
Her parents, Tom and Ngara Pearson, moved to Gisborne in 1960. Her father was a vicar there. Bronwen stayed in Wellington to study at Victoria University of Wellington. She studied English, music, politics, and philosophy.
She met Peter Holdsworth, a local farmer and engineer, in 1966. This was just before she went to Malaysia to work for the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She came back to New Zealand in 1969. Bronwen and Peter married in 1970.
Since their marriage, they have lived in Te Karaka near Gisborne. They first ran the Holdsworth family farm. They have four children: Katharine, Jasper, Samantha, and Zak. All of them studied engineering before going into other fields. Bronwen is also a talented musician and plays the piano very well.
Her Business Journey
In 1983, Bronwen and Peter Holdsworth started a company called Pultron Composites Ltd. This company makes special industrial technology products. Pultron is the biggest maker of GFRP (glass fiber-reinforced polymer) pultrusions in Australia and New Zealand. They have factories in New Zealand and Dubai.
Bronwen was the managing director of Pultron until 2007. Their son, Jasper Holdsworth, is now the CEO of the company. In 2010, they opened a new factory in Dubai.
Pultron is known for its research and development. They have created more than 45 new GFRP products. These products are used in many areas, like marine, mining, and construction. One of their special products is Mateenbar™, a type of composite rebar.
As of 2015, Dame Bronwen is the finance director and chairman of the Holdsworth Group. This group includes businesses in farming, forestry, property, and manufacturing. Dr. Peter Holdsworth, her husband, is the technical director of Pultron. He received an honorary doctorate for his work in technology.
Over the years, Dame Bronwen has been part of many business groups. She was on the East Coast Business Development Board. She also served on the Prime Minister’s Enterprise Council. From 1997 to 2002, she was on the advisory committee for the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology. She was also on the Board of TVNZ Ltd.
Helping the Community
Dame Bronwen is very involved in her community. She supports many arts and education projects. She was on the boards of Tairawhiti Polytechnic and Tairawhiti Museum. She also helped start the Gisborne Opera Festival.
She was the founding chairman of First Light Tourism. This group promoted Gisborne as the first city to see the sun in the year 2000. She is also a trustee of the Te Ha 1769 Sestercentennial Trust. This trust organizes events for the 250th anniversary of Captain Cook's arrival in New Zealand. She is also a trustee of the Gisborne War Memorial Theatre.
Holdsworth helped start the Gisborne International Music Competition. She is a founding sponsor and trustee for it. She is also a board member of the Gisborne Opera Festival. She is a trustee for the Sunrise Foundation and the Mātai Medical Imaging Research Institute.
In 2014, Holdsworth was re-appointed to the board of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. She had served on the board before, from 1996 to 2000.
Awards and Recognition
Dame Bronwen has received many awards for her hard work. In 1988, she was named Businesswoman of the Year by a New Zealand magazine. She also received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.
In 1997, she was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit. This was for her services to business, art, and the community. When Marsden School started its Hall of Fame in 2007, Holdsworth was the very first person to be honored.
In 2015, she was appointed a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. This high honor was for her services to business and the arts. In 2019, she was added to the New Zealand Hall of Fame for Women Entrepreneurs.
