We are saddened by the death of former Board member Tod Cooper. Tod brought professional expertise, a clear sense of purpose and a practical commitment to strengthening public accountability.
Appointed to the TINZ Board in August 2019, Tod served until 2025, when he reluctantly stepped down to prioritise his health.
During his time as a Director Tod led TINZ work on government procurement where there has been improvement. Allied to that role, Tod was also a passionate advocate for improved modern slavery legislation and practice.
Tod provided governance oversight of the Financial Integrity System Assessment. He made himself available to chair our Leaders Integrity Forums and webinars, and was a member of the TINZ Board Maori caucus. He made himself available to support conversations that brought people together around integrity.
Tod had a clear vision of how public accountability should be built into the whole procurement lifecycle. Policies needed to be backed by action, professional networks and kanohi ki te kanohi — face-to-face relationships.
Recent Interview
That outlook comes through strongly in an interview published by New Zealand Government Procurement in July, in his role as Director Procurement at the Department of Corrections. Tod spoke about making procurement decisions understandable, showing where public money goes and treating suppliers fairly.
His advice to those entering the profession was characteristically practical: “Get out from behind the desk and understand the business, not only yours, but your suppliers.”
The interview also reveals his pride in helping others develop. Alongside professional awards, Tod valued seeing people he had supported grow into leaders. His emphasis on trust, relationships and ethical responsibility reflected the approach he brought to TINZ.
We remember Tod with gratitude for his service, his generosity with his time and his determination to turn integrity into everyday practice. Our thoughts are with his whānau, friends and colleagues.
Read Tod’s July interview with New Zealand Government Procurement.
