Our Bay of Plenty Women in Leadership Series 2024 was wrapped up with a beautiful final event at the award-winning ANZ Business Centre in Tauranga. Once again, we had the privilege of hosting a full house of aspiring and established women leaders from the region, coming together for a nourishing evening of kōrero led by two local wāhine toa.
Putting people-first leadership into action from the outset, Edith Sykes (Chief People Officer at Zepsri) stepped up to the challenge at the last minute when one of the event’s original speakers was unable to join. We were both thankful for and impressed by Edith’s willingness to pivot, and to share both the story of her leadership journey and the wisdom of her personal insights. Joining Edith in leading the kōrero was Lavina Good, broadcaster and community advocate, whose passion for empowering others was evident in every word she spoke. Together these powerful and inspiring women led us through a profound conversation that wove together themes of community, collaboration, action and service.
The event day itself was historic for Aotearoa New Zealand, with te Hīkoi mō te Tiriti arriving in Wellington and stirring the national consciousness with its call for justice, recognition, and respect for Māori rights. The evening’s discussions carried through the themes that were emerging from this powerful hikoi — Māori values, the importance of te reo Māori, and Aotearoa New Zealand’s collective future.
Edith, Lavina and the audience navigated the importance of creating a society that embodies equity, where the fundamental needs of all people — such as kai, health, and shelter — were not just ideals, but accessible realities. The conversation emphasised the necessity of building connection, collaboration, and a shared commitment to making the world a better place for future generations. These conversations led to the discussions of the critical role of educators, mentors, and community leaders in breaking the cycles of poverty. By nurturing and empowering the next generation, we lay the foundation for lasting change.
The importance of emotional intelligence and authenticity resonated strongly with the audience, with our speakers highlighting the central ideas of choosing happiness, celebrating change, and amplifying the voices of those driving impact. It became clear that every small action we take in service to others is a step toward a more equitable and compassionate society.
This powerful final session for the year closed with a beautiful, full-circle moment. We opened the series for 2024 with speaker Faylene Tunui, Mayor of Kawerau, and closed the series with our Tauranga participants and speakers recognising their own shared connections to Kawerau. It was an unexpected yet perfectly fitting close to our community-minded Women in Leadership series for 2024.