Mr Andrew Kirkpatrick became Chairman of the Lindisfarne College Council in 2016 and in doing so he has maintained a long-standing family tradition. His grandfather, Alex Kirkpatrick was one of the three men who had the vision and commitment to establish Lindisfarne in 1953. He went on to become the founding Chairman and remained in this role until his death in 1971. Andrew’s father, Callum Kirkpatrick, served on Council from 1971 until 1986 and was Chairman from 1982 to 1986. In addition, Andrew and his brother were students at the college and his son Bailey is finishing his last year at Lindisfarne this year.

Like his forbears, Andrew Kirkpatrick brings a wealth of financial experience and business acumen to his role as Chairman. He is a Chartered Accountant who worked in public practice for 30 years before taking on a role as Chief Financial Officer for the Hawke’s Bay Wine Investments Group in 2017. His wealth of experience and his strong connection to the school gave Andrew an obvious advantage when he took over as Chairman of the College Council.

When asked about his role as Chairman, Andrew reflected on the origins of the school in 1953 and the major changes that have occurred since then, identifying the crucial role of previous councils in establishing the Lindisfarne of today. He went on to describe his role as the current chairman: “My focus as Chairman has challenged the College to refer back to the founding reasons for establishing Lindisfarne. That is, that “most importantly, it would espouse the Christian values and virtues of good character so that the graduates of Lindisfarne would go on to make positive contributions to society through business, through family and through service to the community.”

If I wanted to leave a legacy as Chairman, it would not be measured by facilities on site, nor exclusively by the achievements of students during their time at Lindisfarne, but rather by the deeds of the men of Lindisfarne in the years and decades following their graduation. As a Council I believe that our approach to Governance is transparent and structured; that our approach to planning has been disciplined and broad in its conception; that we have taken greater advantage of the diverse skillsets within Council. I have always encouraged robust debate to extract the most diversity and depth of thought and we have not been afraid to explore contentious issues when required. As a business I believe that we have improved the communication with our community and better aligned our brand with our Council and College values.

We continue to manage the College with deliberate financial prudence and I believe that the College is as financially strong and sustainable as at any other time. Lindisfarne College is a magnificent institution with a strong heritage. It has benefitted from a succession of very ambitious, astute and prudent Governors over 65 years. This, coupled with very capable staff and clear ideals, has positioned Lindisfarne as one of the premier boys’ schools in the country.

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