Directors
Akarana has four directors.
The directors are also members of Akarana’s net proceeds committee (the committee that makes the grant decisions).
Pramjit Rai Suchdev QSM JP (Chairperson - Director)
Pramjit Rai Suchdev, known to New Zealanders as Jeet Suchdev, is a successful businessman and philanthropist who has endeared himself to the New Zealand community since he settled in New Zealand in 1987.
Jeet has been formally recognised for his selfless service to the community, his integrity and determination. Jeet is a Justice of the Peace. To add to his many accolades, he was also awarded the Hind Ratan Award by the NRI Association of India, for his services to the New Zealand community. Jeet was instrumental in establishing the first culturally appropriate rest home for the South Asian community.
Malcolm Gordon (Director)
Malcom has extensive hospitality and class 4 knowledge as a result of many years spent brokering the sale and purchase of hospitality venues.
Malcolm is passionate about supporting New Zealand’s ethnic diversity. In his younger years, Malcolm was an avid sportsman, and knows first-hand the great community value that is achieved by having our youth actively involved in sport.
Phyllis Huitema (Director)
Phyllis brings to the Akarana Board a wealth of governance experience. Phyllis has nineteen years’ experience on executive boards, ethics committees and professional conduct committees.
Phyllis has held roles in the health sector, the New Zealand Law Society, the Department of Corrections, District Councils, and various community trusts. Phyllis has a passion for people and the community and is dedicated to ensuring that the grants made are of high value to the local community. Phyllis is committed to ensuring that Akarana is an industry leader in relation to regulatory compliance, including harm minimisation.
Khushmeet Kaur (Director)
Khushmeet Kaur worked as a Registered Nurse in New Zealand. She holds a Bachelors in Nursing Qualification. She migrated to New Zealand in 2001, is married, and enjoys spending time raising her four wonderful children.
Khushmeet is fluent in Punjabi, Hindi and English. Khushmeet’s professional training and experience has provided her with a strong awareness of the cultural needs of the Indian community. She has been actively involved in the Indian community for the past eight years and recognises the challenges faced by the younger generation, and the wider Indian community.
Our Partners
Akarana has partnered with industry experts to ensure that it operates an efficient, highly compliant, professional gaming operation. Akarana’s partners include True Legal Limited and Servco.
Jarrod True – True Legal Limited
Jarrod True has considerable expertise in all aspects of the community gaming industry, and is New Zealand's foremost expert on law and policy relating to class 4 gambling. Jarrod is the author of the New Zealand Gambling Law Guide.
Carl McComb – Servco Limited
Carl McComb has spent a total of 16 years in gaming-related roles, such as casino, pub and club servicing. Carl spent two years as Technical Compliance Manager for a gaming machine manufacturer, five years as an Operations Manager with two large gaming charitable trusts, and was self-employed for three years in gaming machine sales, before establishing Servco with the vision of being a complete Technical Sales and Service provider for the hospitality and cash handling markets. Carl provides expert advice on gaming machine performance.
