Bronwen Holdsworth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dame Bronwen Holdsworth
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Holdsworth in 2015
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| Born |
Bronwen Scott Pearson
13 September 1942 Wellington, New Zealand
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| 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 is a well-known New Zealand businesswoman. She is also famous for supporting the arts and her community. Born on September 13, 1942, she comes from Gisborne, New Zealand.
Early Life and Family
Bronwen Scott Pearson was born in Wellington, New Zealand. She went to secondary school at Samuel Marsden Collegiate School. 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 learned about English, music, politics, and philosophy. She kept her connection to Gisborne. In 1966, she met Peter Holdsworth, a local farmer and engineer. 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 Pearson and Peter Holdsworth married in 1970. Since then, they have lived in Te Karaka, near Gisborne. They first managed the Holdsworth family farm. They have four children: Katharine, Jasper, Samantha, and Zak. All their children studied engineering before exploring other careers. Bronwen is also a talented musician and plays the piano very well.
Business Ventures
In 1983, Bronwen and Peter Holdsworth started a company called Pultron Composites Ltd. This company makes special industrial materials. Pultron is the biggest maker of GFRP (glass fiber-reinforced polymer) pultrusions in Australia and New Zealand. These are strong, lightweight materials used in many industries.
Pultron has 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 the Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai.
Pultron is a leader in creating new and improved GFRP products. They have developed over 45 special GFRP products. These are used in marine, mining, building, and farming industries. One of their special products is Mateenbar™, a type of composite rebar.
As of 2025, Dame Bronwen is a finance director and chairman of the Holdsworth Group. This group includes businesses in farming, forestry, and manufacturing. Dr. Peter Holdsworth, her husband, is Pultron's technical director. He received an honorary doctorate for his achievements in technology.
Over the years, Dame Bronwen has been part of many business groups. These include the East Coast Business Development Board and the Prime Minister’s Enterprise Council. She was also on the board of TVNZ Ltd.
Community Contributions
Holdsworth is involved in many community activities. Many of these focus on arts and education. She served on the boards of Tairawhiti Polytechnic and Tairawhiti Museum. She was also involved with the Gisborne Opera Festival.
She helped set up First Light Tourism. This group promoted tourism around Gisborne being the first city to see the sun in the year 2000. She is a trustee of the Te Ha 1769 Sestercentennial Trust. This trust organizes celebrations for the 250th anniversary of Captain Cook's first 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 trustee and board member for this event. She is also a trustee for the Sunrise Foundation. Additionally, she is a trustee for the Mātai Medical Imaging Research Institute.
In July 2014, Holdsworth was re-appointed to the board of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. She had previously served on the NZSO Board from 1996 to 2000.
Awards and Recognition
Dame Bronwen Holdsworth has received many awards for her work. In 1988, she was named Businesswoman of the Year. This award was given by the New Zealand women's magazine More. She also received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.
In the 1997 New Year Honours, she was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit. This was for her contributions 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 the 2015 Queen's Birthday Honours, 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.
