To celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day, we brought together five bold and inspiring speakers to share their their stories and visions for New Zealand’s future.
Our speakers are some of New Zealand’s most exciting women leaders, forging the way in many different areas of New Zealand life: whether that’s through leading humanitarian change, revolutionising business or shaking up our political world.
But don’t despair if you weren’t able to make it to the event! You can now view videos of each of speakers or check out the action as it played out on social media. And please feel free to share the videos more widely! It’s only through working together that we can enact bold change.
The speakers
Listed here in order of appearance.
Simon O’Connor, EY New Zealand Managing Partner
The evening was opened by Simon O’Connor, Managing Partner EY New Zealand and Leader of the New Zealand Assurance practice. He is responsible for the executive leadership of EY New Zealand’s Auckland office and the Assurance practice nationally. EY is a long term partner of Global Women and Simon is a Champion who together with other Champions for Change are committed to raising the value of diversity and inclusiveness throughout the wider business community.
Her Excellency The RT Hon Dame Patsy Reddy, Governor General
Dame Patsy Reddy has had extensive experience in governance and consulting roles, both in the private and public sector, and was a founding Trustee and advisory board member for Global Women. In late 2016, she became New Zealand’s Governor General. Read more >
Chlöe Swarbrick, former Mayoral Candidate, Entrepreneur, Journalist
Out of nowhere, Chlöe Swarbrick emerged in the public sphere in 2016’s Auckland mayoral election, rousing nearly 30,000 votes in four months with a shoestring budget. Read more>
Golriz Ghahraman, Criminal and Human Rights Barrister, Green Party Candidate, Refugee
Golriz and her family fled Iran’s repressive Islamic regime in 1990, when she was 9, and were granted political asylum in New Zealand. She has built up an impressive CV as a human rights lawyer in New Zealand and overseas, working as a prosecutor and defence lawyer at United Nations tribunals for Rwanda, former Yugoslavia, and the Khmer Rouge tribunal in Cambodia. Read more >
Traci Houpapa, Professional Director
Traci is an award winning company director and a recognised industry leader. She specialises in strategic and economic development advice to Maori, iwi, and public and private sector clients throughout New Zealand. Read more>
Hon Paula Bennett, Deputy Prime Minister
Hon Paula Bennett grew up in Taupo and has lived in Auckland since 1992. She was first elected to Parliament in 2005, and upon National taking office in 2008, became Minister of Social Development. She describes the positive impact she was able to make in the lives of our most vulnerable as one of the highlights of her career so far. In 2016 Paula became Deputy Prime Minister. Her current portfolios include Climate Change Issues, Police, and Minister for Women.