Alison Paterson

Dame Alison Mae Paterson (formerly Dinsdale, née Glennie; born 22 August 1935) is a New Zealand businesswoman. In 1979, she became the first woman to sit on the board of a publicly listed company in New Zealand.

Early life and family Paterson was born Alison Mae Glennie at Taumarunui on 22 August 1935. She was educated at New Plymouth Girls' High School,

In about 1956, she married Alan John Dinsdale, but they later divorced. In 1991, she married lawyer Barry John Paterson.

Career After leaving school, Glennie worked as the petty-cash girl for an accountancy firm, and studied accounting by correspondence. She has also served on the Massey University Council. In the 2010 Queen's Birthday Honours, she was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to business, and she was promoted to Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2014 New Year Honours.

In 2009, Paterson was conferred an honorary Doctor of Commerce degree by Massey University. The following year, she was named the Top 200 QBE Insurance chairperson of the year, and in 2015 she was inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame. and in 2020, she won the board and management award at the New Zealand Women of Influence Awards. Also in 2020, she was awarded honorary life membership of Global Women.