Norah Barlow is a New Zealand business executive and company director. She is best known for her tenure as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Summerset Group Holdings Ltd, a major operator of retirement villages in New Zealand, a position she held from 2001 until her retirement from the role in 2020.
During her leadership, Summerset grew significantly, listing on the New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZX) in 2011 and expanding its portfolio of retirement villages nationwide. Barlow is widely credited with professionalizing the retirement village sector in New Zealand and advocating for the "aging in place" model of care.
Following her departure as CEO, she remained on the Summerset board as a non-executive director for a period before transitioning to a portfolio of governance roles. Her other notable directorships have included:
- Air New Zealand: Appointed to the board in 2017.
- Port of Tauranga: Appointed to the board in 2018.
- Meridian Energy: Served as a director (2014–2019).
- NZX Limited: Served as a director.
Barlow has a background in nursing and health administration, holding a Diploma in Nursing and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Auckland. She has been recognized for her contributions to business and governance, including being named the Supreme Winner at the New Zealand Women of Influence Awards in 2017.
