Colin Mansbridge joins Kura Tāwhiti Foundation as Co-Chair

With sincere pleasure — and a measure of Cantabrian pride — we welcome Colin Mansbridge, Chief Executive of the Crusaders, to the Board of Kura Tāwhiti – Canterbury Community Foundation as co-Chair. 

Colin is an experienced senior executive with cross-disciplinary leadership experience spanning both the banking and sports sectors. Since becoming CEO of the Crusaders in 2018, he has led one of New Zealand’s most iconic sporting franchises through a period of remarkable growth and success. Prior to this, he held senior leadership positions at Bank of New Zealand (BNZ), most recently as Head of Agribusiness.

Colin has been active in governance and community initiatives alongside his executive career. In 2024, he joined the board of the Child Cancer Foundation and concurrently is a Trustee of the Crusade with Heart Foundation. This work reflects a key driver for Colin and the Crusaders organisation: using the team’s platform to create and propagate positive community impact well beyond the rugby pitch.

Colin’s impressive CV naturally raises the question of what drew him to the Kura Tāwhiti Foundation Board at this stage in his career. He credits the Foundation’s own evolution and growing sense of purpose as a major factor, helping to clarify an alignment between organisational and personal values.

Colin believes organisations like Kura Tāwhiti Foundation have an increasingly vital role to play in building stronger communities. “We don’t have to rely solely on governments and councils to build community capacity and capability,” he says. “Community foundations help bridge that gap by connecting local generosity with the causes and organisations making a difference on the ground.”

In Canterbury, recent history has made that need abundantly clear. The earthquakes and the Christchurch Mosque attacks brought into sharp relief just how important community resilience and capability really are.

But those events, Colin reflects, also reminded Cantabrians of the strength and pride that underpins the region itself.

“Christchurch, Selwyn and Waimakariri have been underdone for a long time,” he says. “Ironically, it’s taken these landmark events to remind us that there’s no shame in taking pride in our region — and actually, this place is pretty cool.”

There is still plenty of work to be done, however, with many communities across the region continuing to face significant challenges. Colin sees real potential for organisations like the Crusaders and Kura Tāwhiti Foundation to help foster a more inclusive and expansive local environment where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and get ahead.

In his view, grassroots organisations are often best placed to respond to these challenges. “Local organisations are closer to the action,” he says. “They understand their communities and where the greatest needs are.”

Looking ahead to his work with Kura Tāwhiti, Colin sees his role as one grounded in curiosity, resilience, — “and a bit of scar tissue.” While he readily describes himself as outgoing and gregarious, a former mentor once identified another defining quality that has stayed with him since. “They saw I wanted the team to be successful before I was successful,” he recalls. “I win when the team wins.”

It is precisely this mindset — placing collective success ahead of individual standing — that makes all the difference within teams, organisations, and communities alike.

Colin joins the Foundation at a time of renewed commitment, purpose, and regional momentum.

We’re pleased to welcome him to the head of the Kura Tāwhiti Board table and look forward to the energy and insight he will bring to our mahi.