Dagmar Rohrbach
Different chapters, one common thread: a curiosity about people and what brings us together.
Dagmar has always been interested in how people communicate, how organisations and communities work, how relationships are built and, particularly, how we can find ways forward when things become difficult.
It is this combination of legal knowledge, international corporate experience, entrepreneurship, community involvement and a genuine interest in people that shapes Dagmar's approach today. She brings curiosity, practicality and empathy to the work she undertakes, together with a belief that good communication and a willingness to listen can make a meaningful difference.
Accreditations / Qualifications
Restorative Justice
Resolution Institute Accredited
Mediation
Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand
New Zealand Certificate in Tikanga
(Matauranga Māori) (Level 3)
Te Wānanga o Aotearoa
Dagmar Rohrbach is a lawyer, mediator, restorative justice facilitator, business owner and community advocate. Her career has taken her from the corporate world in Germany to entrepreneurship and healthcare in New Zealand, and more recently back into the fields of law.
Born and educated in Germany, Dagmar studied law at the University of Heidelberg. She began her professional career as a corporate lawyer with DaimlerChrysler, where she worked in both legal and public relations roles. Her first position was at the Mercedes-Benz manufacturing plant in southern Germany, where the A-Class was produced. She later moved to DaimlerChrysler's headquarters, working alongside a member of the Corporate Executive Board responsible for Research and Technology.
This early experience gave Dagmar a strong grounding in law and business, while also teaching her the importance of communication, relationships and working with people across different areas of an organisation.
In 2007, Dagmar and her family moved to New Zealand. The move marked the beginning of a new and very different chapter in her life. Rather than simply continuing along the corporate path she had established in Germany, Dagmar embraced the opportunity to build something new.
In Ōamaru, she opened The Frog Prince – Mummy & ME, a store specialising in babies' and children's clothing, quality toys and maternity wear. Running the business brought her into close contact with local families and the wider community and gave her the experience of creating and managing a business from the ground up.
In 2015, Dagmar and her husband, who is a GP, opened a general practice in Ōamaru. Establishing and running the practice added another dimension to her experience and gave her a deeper understanding of the challenges and rewards of providing an important community service.
After several years away from the legal profession, Dagmar found her way back to law through a different door.
Three years ago, she began working as a restorative justice facilitator and court-coordinator with Safer Mid Canterbury. She subsequently trained as a mediator to further develop her skills in conflict resolution and constructive communication.
For Dagmar, this work brings together many of the skills and experiences she has developed throughout her career. Her legal training provides the professional foundation, while her experience in business, healthcare and community life has given her an appreciation of the human side of difficult situations.
She is particularly drawn to the possibilities that arise when people are given the opportunity to be heard. Restorative justice and mediation are, at their heart, about people and relationships—about understanding different perspectives, taking responsibility where appropriate and finding constructive ways forward.
Outside her professional life, Dagmar has a strong commitment to the community and a particular passion for film. She is chair of the Bigger Picture Ōamaru Trust, where she contributes to the organisation's work promoting film and the arts in the community. For Dagmar, film is about more than entertainment; it is a way of telling stories, opening conversations and bringing people together.
Another important part of her life is rowing. Dagmar took up the sport after the birth of her second child and quickly discovered a passion that has stayed with her. Rowing combines many things she values: commitment, discipline, teamwork, perseverance and the sense of belonging that comes from being part of a crew.
Looking back, Dagmar's professional journey has taken some unexpected turns. From corporate law and the international business environment of DaimlerChrysler, to running a store for young families, helping establish a GP practice, and returning to the legal world through restorative justice and mediation, each chapter has brought new experiences and perspectives.
Although the roles have been diverse, there is a common thread running through them all: people.