02/10/2026
Kei te pōuri matou mō te mate o tō mātou hoa mahi.
Tod Cooper, former Board Director, passed away last week. We are very sad for his loss to this world, and we extend our sympathy to his family who he loved so much.
Tod was appointed to the TINZ Board in August 2019 and was a very active Board Director until his reluctant resignation in 2025. During his time on the Board Tod led TINZ's work on procurement. His efforts, with others, have born fruit, with considerable improvements in transparency requirements in the Government Procurement Rules. He is hugely respected across Government procurement networks.
He was also a passionate advocate to prevent modern slavery and migrant exploitation and was heartened by the cross-party support for this legislation. Tod also contributed greatly to the Financial Integrity System Assessment project, and was a member of the TINZ Board Māori caucus.
Tod’s expert knowledge and kindness have touched us all. He had a clear vision of how to practically build public accountability into systems – and he strongly believed that it wasn’t just about words on paper, but through building strong networks and kanohi ki te kanohi – getting out of the office and talking directly with people on the ground.
In a July 2026 interview for Procurement NZ Tod said that being on the Transparency Board was a great experience.
“The purpose is meaningful. You’re surrounded by sharp thinkers and genuine thought leadership, particularly from civil society. Transparency and integrity are cornerstones of good procurement practice, so being part of a ‘movement’ dedicated to those values felt very natural."
Moe mai rā e te rangatira. We will miss your wisdom and guidance.
