Christopher Swasbrook is the Founder and a Director of Elevation Capital Funds Management Limited and Co-Founder and Director of NZX-listed New Zealand Rural Land Company. He is also Chair of the Auckland Future Fund, a Director of Merx Funds Management Limited and Executive Chairman of McCashin’s Brewery.

Previously, he was Chair of NZX-listed Allied Farmers, Chair of NZX-listed Bethunes Investments (formerly Mowbray Collectables, now MOVe Logistics), Director of NZX-listed Satara Co-Operative Group, Chairman of unlisted investment company Bethunes Investments, Director of Ruapehu Alpine Lifts, and Director of SwimTastic, a large-scale learn-to-swim operator in New Zealand. 

Early in his career in financial markets, Mr Swasbrook became a foundation broker of the New Zealand Exchange (NZX) after being a full member of the New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZSE). He became Partner and Co-Head of Institutional Equities at Goldman Sachs JBWere (NZ) in 2003.

Mr Swasbrook has had many financial market highlights across his career, including the largest NZX Initial Public Offering (IPO) for a company with no operating assets at the time of the offering - the New Zealand Rural Land Company, which raised $75.0 million in December 2020. In 2017, he was a key player in the largest reverse listing transaction in the NZX’s history when NZX-listed Bethunes Investments (formerly Mowbray Collectables) acquired Transport Investments and TIL Logistics (now MOVe Logistics) in a $200 million transaction. He has also been involved in several activist investor/investment situations in New Zealand and Australia over his career. He is widely consulted and offers advice in such situations today. While his focus across public and private markets remains broad, he is a specialist in advising and forming investment vehicles to capitalise on specific investment opportunities.

Mr Swasbrook is currently a Board Member of the Financial Markets Authority (FMA), having previously served as a Member of the NZX Listing Subcommittee (2008-2023) and a Member of the New Zealand Markets Disciplinary Tribunal (2013-2023).

Since graduating from the University of Auckland with a Bachelor of Commerce (Economics) in 1996, he has undertaken Executive Education courses at Columbia University (New York), New York University (NYU), the London School of Economics (LSE) and the Harvard Kennedy School in Boston, Massachusetts. 

Born in Auckland, New Zealand, he has long supported business and arts communities. He is the Chair of The Museum of New Zealand - Te Papa Tongarewa, an Inaugural Member and current Chair of the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki Advisory Board, and the Chair of The Helen Clark Foundation, a nonpartisan public and economic policy research institute.

Sam Thackery is a Director of Elevation Capital Funds Management Limited. He also serves as the Compliance Officer, Fund Administration Manager and Systems Manager.

He has attained a First Class Diploma in Business Studies (DipBusStuds) for Investment and Insurance Advice and First Class Certificate in Financial Advice for Residential Property Lending and Financial Advice at Massey University.

He is the Founder and Director of Computable Limited.

Formerly with ASB Bank for 6+ years serving as Banking and Lending Consultant.

Ian Pollard is a Non-Executive Director of Elevation Capital Funds Management Limited.

He is a seasoned Executive and Non-Executive Director with nearly 30 years of experience in the insurance and financial sectors. He is the Founder of the Delta Group, an international MGA insurance business headquartered in founded in 2013 and established in 2024 with global ambitions. Before founding Delta, Ian spent 15 years at AIG in various executive roles across the globe, including serving as the International Professional Liability & Cyber Head in New York, where he led a global portfolio worth approximately $1 billion GWP.

Ian's extensive experience and leadership were pivotal in establishing the Delta Group and guiding its growth during his tenure as Group CEO until the beginning of 2023. Under his leadership, Delta evolved into a prominent player in the industry in Asia Pacific, achieving well in excess of $100 million GWP in premium, growing to nearly 100 employees, award winning technology, underwriting and claims functions; and expanding across the Asia Pacific with three thriving international businesses in New Zealand, Singapore, and Australia. Delta is a Lloyd's Coverholder and has an AM Best Assessed Excellent rating for MGAs.

Ian's professional qualifications include being an ACII (Chartered Insurer), an ANZIIF Senior Associate, and a qualified Director member of the Institute of Directors in New Zealand (MInstD). He is also involved in the tech and finance sectors as an investor and non executive director. Most recently investing in and taking a board role in Freed Capital Limited Hong Kong, a new innovative insurance intermediary in Asia.