Sir John Antony Hood (born 2 January 1952) is a New Zealand businessman and administrator. He was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 5 October 2004 until 30 September 2009. He was the first Vice-Chancellor to be elected from outside Oxford's academic body in 900 years, and the first to have addressed the scholars' congregation via a webcast. In March 2007 New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark awarded him the World Class New Zealand supreme award to honour his contribution to profiling New Zealand and New Zealanders internationally. On 15 November 2007 he announced that he would not seek an extension to his five-year term as Vice Chancellor, and that he would leave Oxford in September 2009.
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Early life and education
Hood was born on 2 January 1952 in Napier, New Zealand. Both his parents were schoolteachers. His father, George Hood began as teaching headmaster of the primary school in the Gisborne District settlement of Whatatutu, and finished his career at North Shore Teachers' College and Takapuna Normal Intermediate. His mother, Frances Hood, was a physical education specialist.
He attended Westlake Boys High School in Auckland from 1965 to 1969 where he was Deputy Head Prefect, and became Dux in his final year of school. He won the Rowan P. Kelly Memorial Prize in English in 1968 and 1969, and contributed to sports in the school as a 1st XI Hockey player and 1st X1 Cricket Captain. One of the six school houses at Westlake is named after him (Hood House).
From 1970 to 1976, Hood attended the University of Auckland, where he graduated with a B.E. in 1972 and a PhD in Civil Engineering in 1976. His doctoral thesis was entitled A theoretical and experimental investigation of a curved, single cell box-girder bridge. He was then awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford, where he resided in Worcester College and studied for an M.Phil. in Management. He played first-class cricket for Oxford University in 1977.
Career
Career in New Zealand
He has held a number of directorships in prominent New Zealand companies and bodies, including Fonterra, Fletcher Challenge and the New Zealand Cricket review of 1995.
Fletcher Challenge
Hood first entered the Fletcher business on a Fletcher Construction Company engineering cadetship, a non-bonded scholarship which, in return, saw Hood working on construction sites around New Zealand during university vacations.
From 1979 to 1997 Hood worked within Fletcher Challenge Limited and its predecessor business, Fletcher Holdings Limited His first role for the Fletcher business was in 1979, as Projects Officer in the Executive Directors' Department of Fletcher Holdings. By the end of his 19-year tenure within the company, he was a member of the Fletcher Challenge executive office, with responsibilities within the pulp and paper (1995-1997), building (1993-1995) and primary (1993) industries. He was regarded as a potential successor to Hugh Fletcher, then CEO of the company, but departed the business in 1997 when this did not eventuate. This period of his career at Fletcher Challenge is described in the book Battle of the Titans by Bruce Wallace.
During this period he also played an important role in developing the Fletcher Challenge Art Collection.
University of Auckland
From 1999 to 2004, Hood was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Auckland. During his tenure, he was named by North & South Magazine as 2002 New Zealander of the Year.
While in the Vice-Chancellor role at the University of Auckland, Hood co-chaired, along with then Prime Minister Helen Clark, the 2001 'Catching the Knowledge Wave' conference. Said to be one of the largest meeting of minds to take place in New Zealand history, the conference was attended by 450 delegates, and 37 national and international speakers and expatriate New Zealanders - academics, officials, politicians, economists and business leaders - discussing how to lift economic performance In New Zealand.
The conference is said to represent the realisation that New Zealand should look to become a high value, knowledge-based economy rather than continuing to rely on commodity agriculture.
University of Oxford
From 2004 to 2009, Hood was vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford. Hood's term as vice-chancellor of Oxford has been the subject of controversy. Hood had proposed to reform the 900-year-old tradition of complete self-governance by introducing a number of external members to council, and by separating academic and financial boards. The initial proposal called for a majority of external members of council, bringing Oxford into line with all other UK universities except the University of Cambridge. Following a two-hour debate, the proposal was amended by Congregation to allow the election of a college fellow, a further insider, to the council within five years, resulting in a majority of eight insiders (including the vice-chancellor) on the 15-member council. The amendment was supported by a majority of votes (657 to 502), with both supporters and opponents of the reforms claiming victory.
The amended proposal was brought to vote by Congregation on 28 November 2006, and was defeated by 730 to 456 votes. A postal vote was called on 5 December, with ballots being sent to all 3000 members of Congregation and votes being accepted until 18 December. On 19 December it was announced that the proposal had once again been defeated, this time by 1540 to 997 votes. Hood stated that he would not treat the defeat as a vote of no confidence, citing a need to "put aside division, continue dialogue with all shades of opinion and, in an atmosphere of trust, tolerance and goodwill, promote the academic aims and ideals of Oxford".
The proposed reform met with opposition not because it would invite outside opinion on the university's financial and academic decisions, but because of the impression that control would be wrested from Congregation, thus threatening the university's academic reputation. Furthermore, some opponents claimed that the reform would place too much power in the hands of the vice-chancellor. Other critics questioned the applicability of corporate models of governance in educational institutions. Chris Patten stated in December 2006 that without reforms to Oxford's governance it would be more difficult to raise money he said was needed by the university, particularly with respect to needs-based funding to support students from poorer backgrounds. Similarly, Hood stated at the same time that the issue was not "whether there has to be change, but what kind of change."
Others criticised the appointment of the Registrar, Julie Maxton, who was noted to be a former colleague of Hood. Maxton was chosen for the position of Registrar by way of a selection committee including consultants, external members of council, and the vice-chancellor of Cambridge.
Later career
He is a non-executive director of BG Group Plc, and will be President and Chief Executive Officer of the Robertson Foundation from 2010.
In December 2011, John Hood became Chair of Rhodes Trustees.
In January 2012, the board of global private education provider Study Group appointed John Hood as chairman.
In the 2014 Queen's Birthday Honours, Hood was appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (KNZM) for services to tertiary education.
On May 8, 2018, New York-based investment firm Blackstone announced Sir John Hood's appointment on its board of directors.
Research Awards and Grants
Hon. Doc., Korea University (2008)
LLD (Hon), University of British Colombia (2006)
Hon. Doc., Beida University (2005)
LLD (Hon), The University of Auckland (2004)
Rhodes Scholar (1976-1978)
Fellowships
Established by the University of Auckland in 2004, the Hood Fellowship Fund recognises Sir John Hood's Vice Chancellorship at the university. The stated key purpose of the fellowship is to maintain and enhance the international standing and performance of the University of Auckland as New Zealand's premier research-led university.
The fund provides travelling fellowships of up to $25,000 NZD which support academic staff to take short-term research at prestigious international institutions, and visiting fellowships which support overseas academics to visit the University of Auckland.
Personal life
Hood has three children. His wife, Emma, Lady Hood, was a contemporary of Theresa May at St Hugh's College, Oxford.