Victoria University honours Dame Theresa, Sir David

Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington will award honorary doctorates to business figure Dame Theresa Gattung and former senior judge Sir David Carruthers at its December graduation ceremonies.

The university will confer a Doctor of Commerce on Dame Theresa and a Doctor of Laws on Sir David. Both are alumni of the institution and have held prominent leadership roles in business, law, and public life.

University leaders said the awards recognise professional achievements and long-standing service across areas including gender equity, animal welfare, and justice reform.

Chancellor Alan Judge said the institution sought to acknowledge contributions beyond career milestones.

"The University is proud to recognise two celebrated alumni, who have gone beyond their career achievements by contributing their knowledge and experience to give back to the wider community," said Judge, Chancellor, Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington.

Dame Theresa honoured

Dame Theresa Gattung built a high-profile corporate career after studying economics and marketing at the University of Waikato and law at Victoria University of Wellington. She graduated with a Bachelor of Laws from Victoria in 1988.

She began working in marketing at TVNZ while still a law student in Wellington. She later joined Telecom New Zealand, now Spark, in 1994.

At 37, she became chief executive of Telecom. Her appointment marked the first time a woman had led a publicly listed company in New Zealand.

She served as Telecom's chief executive from 1999 until 2007. During that time the business shifted away from a traditional telecommunications focus. It became the largest IT provider in New Zealand.

Dame Theresa published a memoir in 2010. The book, Bird on a Wire: The inside story from a straight-talking CEO, became a bestseller in New Zealand.

She moved into entrepreneurship in 2013 and co-founded My Food Bag, a to-your-door grocery and recipe service. The business was part of an early wave of meal-kit and delivery services in the country.

She has maintained close ties with the university and has spoken about the influence of her legal training on her commercial work.

"My law degree at Victoria University prepared me well for my business career. I learnt to always be prepared for the unexpected and to respond in as concise yet as powerful a way as possible. I also learnt that preparation matters," said Gattung.

Dame Theresa has held a range of governance positions and has taken roles across not-for-profit and philanthropic organisations. She chairs the Wellington Board of the SPCA and sits on the National Advisory Council on the Employment of Women.

Her contributions have received national recognition. In 2024, she was made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to women, governance, and philanthropy.

She said the honorary doctorate has personal significance because of her ties to the capital.

"I am thrilled to be receiving an Honorary Doctorate in the city I was born, which my parents chose as their home upon immigrating to New Zealand," said Gattung.

Judicial career recognised

Sir David Carruthers will receive a Doctor of Laws in recognition of a legal career that spans courtroom practice, judicial leadership, and oversight roles.

He studied law at Victoria University of Wellington, completing a Bachelor of Laws in 1964 and a Master of Laws with Honours in 1968. He began his legal career in Wellington.

He later returned to Pahiatua, his hometown, where he resumed practice. He then established his own law firm in Palmerston North.

In 1985, he was appointed a Family Court Judge and Youth Court Judge in Wellington. He became Principal Youth Court Judge in 1996.

He was appointed Chief District Court Judge in 2001. He held that role until 2005.

After leaving the District Court bench, Sir David became Chairman of the New Zealand Parole Board. He led the body during a period of significant reform that focused on safety, fairness, and rehabilitation in parole processes.

He went on to chair the Independent Police Conduct Authority from 2012 to 2017. During his tenure, the authority carried out several high-profile investigations, including inquiries into the Urewera raids and the Roastbusters scandal.

Throughout his judicial and oversight roles, Sir David has advocated for restorative and therapeutic justice. He has emphasised the role of communities in dealing with harm and in work with both victims and offenders.

He remains connected with Victoria University of Wellington through the Roy McKenzie Centre for the Study of Families and Children. He serves on the centre's Advisory Board.

He has described his studies at the university as formative.

"Not only did I learn from highly qualified and committed teachers about the law and its application to all aspects of life in Aotearoa New Zealand and its philosophy and culture, but I also made life-long friends there who have supported and enriched my life," said Carruthers.

Sir David received a knighthood in 2009. The honour recognised what officials described at the time as an exceptional career in the law and public service.

Since 2021, he has served as the Independent Implementation Monitor for the Victorian Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants. He oversees how authorities implement the commission's recommendations.

The university plans to formally confer the honorary doctorates at its December graduation ceremonies in Wellington, alongside thousands of students completing their degrees.