Our Board

Paula Bennett (Chair)

In addition to being the Pharmac Board Chair, Paula is the Director of Strategic Advisory at Bayleys Real Estate and board member of New Zealand Green Building Council and Sea Cleaners. 

Previously Paula was a Member of Parliament for 15 years and a Cabinet Minister for 9 of them with a broad range of 14 different portfolios and served as Deputy Prime Minister. 

She is a motivational speaker and has a podcast with NZME where she seeks advice on interesting topics. Paula loves charity work, reading, and is happiest on, in, or under the water.

Paula joined the Board in May 2024.

Dr Peter Bramley (Deputy Chair)

Dr Peter Bramley has extensive management experience. He studied at the University of Otago where he gained a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Physiology and also completed his PhD in Medicine. He has previously lectured in Biochemistry and in Dunedin and Christchurch.

He has worked in a wealth of management positions in the health sector. Most recently as Chief Executive of Canterbury and West Coast District Health Board.

Peter is an energetic and passionate people manager, with a strong focus on improving equitable health outcomes and on the importance of accessing healthcare close to home.

Peter joined the Board in April 2023.

Talia Tiori Anderson-Town

Ko Talia Tiori Anderson-Town tōku ingoa. I te taha ō tōku matua ko Ngāti Maru (Hauraki) tōku iwi, I te taha ō tōku whaea ko Ngā Wairiki Ngāti Apa, Ngā Rauru, Ngāti Tuwharetoa, Te Atihaunui-a-Pāpārangi me Ngāti Kahungungu. Nō reira ko Rātana tōku tūrangawaewae, tōku kainga. 

Talia is a director and audit partner of Silks Audit Chartered Accountants Limited. She is a Chartered Accountant and Qualified Auditor with Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand, Appointed Auditor of the Office of the Auditor General and Licensed Auditor registered with the Financial Markets Authority. Talia has over 16 years of audit experience while having the roles of graduate, senior auditor, audit manager and engagement partner. 

She is also Chair of the Whanganui Local committee for Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand and also a board member on a Māori business network and Māori charitable incorporation. Talia was also a board member on the Whanganui District Health Board and Chair of the Finance Risk and Audit committee.

Talia joined the Pharmac Board in December 2021. She is also the Chair of Pharmac's Finance and Risk Committee.

Anna Adams

Anna Adams is a national-level expert in public, health and regulatory law with over twenty-five years’ experience in advisory work and litigation.

Anna’s experience includes public and administrative law, judicial review, health law, coroners’ inquiries, human rights and vulnerable persons’ law, privacy and information law. She has a particular skill in medical evidence and healthcare-related matters including concerns arising from patient, practitioner and hospital, professional discipline, medicines, mental health and capacity, and the treatment environment. Anna has advised on public policy and regulatory systems, governance and probity issues in large organisations and is a seasoned litigator. 

Anna is a barrister at Bankside Chambers in Auckland and prior to that was a partner at law firm Meredith Connell.  

Anna joined the Board in March 2025. 

Lucy Elwood

Lucy Elwood brings governance and leadership experience, including from other current Board roles and previous roles as CEO of the Cancer Society of New Zealand, Chair of Rare Disorders NZ and approximately 20 years as a commercial lawyer. She has significant experience representing consumers and ensuring that processes consider consumer voice.

Lucy is passionate about improving health and other social outcomes. She is currently on the Board of two charities (RMHC and Te Toi Mahana) and on commercial boards. Outside of work, Lucy lives with her whānau and loves walking up Wellington’s hills.

Dr Margaret Wilsher

Dr Wilsher (MD, FRACP, FRACMA) graduated from the University of Otago. She trained as a respiratory specialist at Green Lane Hospital and then completed a research fellowship at the National Heart and Lung Institute and Royal Brompton Hospital in London.

She has continued her academic and clinical career in respiratory medicine in Auckland, specialising in interstitial lung disease.

She has also accumulated a busy health management and governance portfolio of activities across New Zealand. Her current roles include Respiratory Physician and Chief Medical Officer ADHB and Honorary Professor University of Auckland.

Margaret joined the Board in July 2023.

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