Colin Andrew Nielsen Beyer (10 September 1938 – 21 August 2015) was a New Zealand lawyer. He was a partner and then consultant with Simpson Grierson in Wellington. Also a prominent businessman with many governance positions, Beyer was a securities commissioner on the Securities Commission of New Zealand from 2001 until 2010. He was the stepfather of former Member of Parliament Georgina Beyer.

Early life

Of Danish descent, Beyer was born in Wellington on 10 September 1938 to Knud Johan Nielsen and Carla Emilie (née Pallesen) Beyer. His father worked on the wharves in Wellington and his mother worked for the Education Department. Together with his younger brother Trevor and his sister Olga, they lived in Island Bay. Both brothers attended Wellington College.

Professional career

Beyer was educated at Victoria University of Wellington. He graduated with an LLB and was admitted to the bar in 1962. His specialties are corporate law and mining law. He was a partner with Simpson Grierson for ten years until 2003, when he became a consultant (the term that Simpson Grierson uses for former partners). Beyer was widely criticised in financial circles for publicly blaming Boonzaier for Tower's poor financial performance, and Beyer's decision not to stand for re-election prior to the 2003 AGM is described as having prevented the "possibility of a humiliating defeat". Bruce Sheppard, the founder of the New Zealand Shareholder's Association, criticised the board of Tower under Beyer's chairmanship over the setting of directors' fees and the payment of retirement allowances. Sheppard described the practices of the board as "the most outrageous gaming by the most reprehensible group".

Beyer was appointed to the Securities Commission in February 2001 for a four-year term. In early 2005, he was reappointed for a second five-year term by Commerce Minister Pete Hodgson. In 2009, Minister of Commerce Simon Power announced that Beyer would retire in February 2010, to be succeeded by Simon Botherway.

He was the Honorary Consul-General of Finland from 1993, and was by 2006 the Dean of the Consular Corps in Wellington.

Death

Colin Beyer died on 21 August 2015. His funeral was held at Old St. Paul's, Mulgrave St, Wellington.

Notes

References

  • Photo showing Beyer as ACC chair learning an injury prevention back exercise, Te Ara website