Neeraj Lala is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Toyota New Zealand, Aotearoa’s largest automotive brand. Neeraj is leading Toyota’s transition from a traditional automaker to a mobility company focused on future technologies. 

A highly regarded leader with over two decades of experience in the automotive industry, he is a champion of new technologies, sustainable business, and believes in the power of corporate and government collaboration to drive systems change. Neeraj is conscious of the need for a just transition and alongside Toyota’s global vision for Mobility for All, wants to ensure no Kiwi gets left behind during this unprecedented time of transformation in the transport sector.

Karl heads the Resources, Energy and Infrastructure team for ANZ Institutional. With a background in Project Finance, Karl has extensive knowledge in the Energy and Infrastructure areas, financing numerous renewable power plants, public and private infrastructure and PPP’s. He has been at ANZ for 16 years , previously working in investment banking in London.

Grant Robertson was born in Palmerston North and lived in Hastings before his family settled in Dunedin.

He studied politics at Otago, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in 1995. At university he was the President of the Otago University Students Association and became Co-President of the New Zealand University Students Association.

Grant joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 1997 where he managed the New Zealand Overseas Aid Programme to Samoa. He was then posted to the United Nations in New York, working on global environment and development issues.

On his return to New Zealand, Grant became an advisor to former Prime Minister Helen Clark. Following this, he took a business development role with the University of Otago, working with researchers, investors and businesses to develop and commercialise the university’s world-leading research.

Grant’s belief in social justice and a desire to see every New Zealander achieve their potential led him to politics, and he has been the Member of Parliament for Wellington Central since November 2008. In Opposition, Grant held a range of portfolios, including Finance from 2014 to 2017.

After the 2017 election, Grant was appointed Minister of Finance, Minister for Sport and Recreation, and Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage. Additionally, in June 2019 he was appointed as the Minister Responsible for the Earthquake Commission. After the 2020 election, Grant became Deputy Prime Minister and retained the Finance and Sport and Recreation portfolios. He was also appointed Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Racing.

He met his partner Alf in 1998 playing rugby and their family now includes four grandchildren. In 2009 they were joined in a civil union.

Sharon grew up on a farm near Methven, and holds a Master of Commerce from the University of Canterbury. She started her career at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand in 1998, and has also worked at the central bank of Norway. She moved to the New Zealand banking sector in 2006. She joined the ANZ economics team in 2010 and became Chief Economist in late 2017. Sharon manages a team of six sector experts around New Zealand.

He was a litigation and managing partner in law firm Anderson Lloyd and was a cofounder of the Dunedin Community Law Centre.

David is an experienced CEO and company director in a range of industries and has experienced both success and failure. He was involved in a number of start-up businesses in the agri-biotechnology field including A2 Milk, and BLIS Technologies which he managed from start-up to the main board of the NZX.

He held various Ministerial portfolios in the last Labour-led Government including Attorney-General, Energy, Climate Change, Transport, Land Information and State Services. In 2008 he was named by the Listener magazine as Environmentalist of the Year for his work as Minister of Energy and Climate Change. He pioneered New Zealand’s emissions trading scheme, then described by many as the most significant environmental reform in NZ for decades.

In opposition his roles included Deputy Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party and spokesperson on Finance, Trade and Export Growth.

David was named a minister in the Jacinda Ardern-led government after the 2017 election. He was appointed Attorney-General, Minister for Economic Development, Environment, Trade and Export Growth, and Associate Minister of Finance but Minister Phil Twyford assumed the Economic Development role in a minor reshuffle in July.

After the 2020 election, David was reappointed Attorney-General, Minister for the Environment and Associate Minister of Finance, as well as being appointed as Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, and Minister of Revenue.

He maintains strong interests in the protection of civil liberties, as well as economic and environmental policy.

David pursues policies which both enhance economic growth and address the growing extremes between rich and poor in New Zealand, while protecting the environment.

David is a keen tramper and skier.

Dave Randal is a partner in Buddle Findlay’s resource management and Māori law team, based in Wellington. 

Dave advises clients at the heart of intensive RMA processes and relishes being part of multi-faceted teams working on large projects.  He has specific expertise in consenting large-scale infrastructure (such as transport and renewable electricity generation projects) through streamlined consenting processes, including boards of inquiry, direct referral to the Environment Court, and processes under the COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020.   

Dave also works extensively with local authorities and has expertise in RMA planning and consenting council operations such as Three Waters infrastructure and flood protection works, and advises on marine consent processes under the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act 2012.

Stewart is a planner with over 20-years’ experience across an extensive range of planning and related disciplines. He spent the first 7-years of his career with MWH in Wellington, before working in Edinburgh and London for 7-years. He worked for Scottish Water during this time, and as a contractor for various London Boroughs and the Mayor of London’s Office where he advised on transport, sustainability and urban regeneration projects. More recently he has been a principal planner and project manager for Waka Kotahi in the Wellington Region, principal RMA advisor for Wellington Water, and since 2019 Manager of City Planning at Porirua City Council where he has overseen the development of the Proposed District Plan. 

Stewart and his team at Porirua are at the coal face of implementing a range of national and regional policy, and is particularly interested in how the country will transition from the RMA to the NBA and related legislation. He will provide a practitioners perspective on the many issues that will arise for Council’s and other organisations responsible for implementing the new regime 

Natasha Garvan is an environmental and resource management law specialist. She leads Bell Gully’s environment and planning practice and is Convenor of the NZLS Climate Change Law Sub-Committee and Chair of the Resource Management Law Association Auckland branch. 

 Natasha provides strategic advice and consenting strategies for large scale infrastructure projects and their implementation through plan change, designation or consenting processes.  

She is a member of the legal team for Te Tupu Ngātahi the Supporting Growth Alliance, advising on route protection for Auckland’s future transportation network, and is legal lead for the North, Warkworth, and Pukekohe packages. 

 She has acted for City Rail Link and AT on alterations to the CRL designations and for AT on a range of other projects, including Milldale and Mill Road projects, Environment Court proceedings relating to the interpretation of the provisions for ‘rollover’ designations and lapse dates under the RMA, and at the Board of Inquiry hearing for the Waka Kotahi East West Link project. 

 She has assisted Transpower with its submissions relating to national regulatory and policy reforms, and in relation to planning instruments to effectively protect the National Grid and enable its ongoing operation.  

Natasha is advising Waikato-Tainui on the RMA reforms and on the Government’s proposed Three Waters reforms. 

 Natasha regularly appears as counsel at mediations and hearings and has been ranked as a Next Generation Partner for projects and resource management in New Zealand in the international legal directory The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2022. 

Kieran is a thought-leader in 21st century approaches in strategy design and innovation management. He has global experience as a scholar and consultant with world-class universities, research institutes, and corporations in the USA, UK, EU, North Asia and Africa. Kieran has recently returned to New Zealand from a consulting and applied research career in Oxford/London UK. He has been in senior roles with global consulting and research powerhouse Berkeley Research Group (BRG), and with the public sector practice of McKinsey & Company and Said Business School, University of Oxford.  

His early career spanned digital and corporate strategy roles in the banking and finance sector. He brings deep global expertise in innovation and industrial policy and practice and has worked on competitive strategy with Fortune 500 firms in computing, retail, automotive and heavy industrial goods in the UK, EU, USA and North Asia.  

Kieran holds a Masters in Public Policy degree from the University of Oxford, and a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration (Hons, 1st) degree from Victoria University of Wellington. Kieran is also a Visiting Scholar at UC Berkeley Haas Business School, Visiting Lecturer at GIBS Business School, University of Pretoria, an Affiliate of Koi Tu Centre for Informed Futures at the University of Auckland, and Research Associate with the NZ National Science Challenge

Ross Copland has a background in the design, procurement, financing, and delivery of infrastructure as an engineer, an asset manager and a Chief Executive. He has worked in commercial construction and property on both sides of the Tasman, finishing up as National Operations Manager for Westfield in 2013.  He returned to New Zealand to pursue a career developing tourism infrastructure. Ross holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering with First Class Honours, a Bachelor of Commerce and an MBA. 

Paul was appointed as Secretary for Internal Affairs and Chief Executive for Te Tari Taiwhenua, Department of Internal Affairs in 2018. Paul also holds the roles of Secretary for Local Government and Government Chief Digital Officer. 

He was previously the Chief Executive for Manatū Taonga, Ministry for Culture and Heritage from August 2015. He brings extensive experience in strategic policy development, leading change and working collaboratively and effectively across Government and communities. 

Prior to joining Manatū Taonga in 2015, Paul was the Deputy Chief Executive, Policy, Regulatory and Ethnic Affairs at Te Tari Taiwhenua Department of Internal Affairs from 2011. He has spent part of his career working on Treaty of Waitangi settlements, and was the Director of Office of Treaty Settlements from 2006 to 2011. In this post, Paul oversaw a significant increase in the rate of settlements achieved. 

Paul’s other senior public sector roles have included Policy Manager Family Law (2002 to 2004) and General Manager Public Law (2004 to 2006) at the Ministry of Justice, along with policy roles in the Treasury, Accident Compensation Corporation, and Te Puni Kōkiri – as the government’s principal adviser on its relationship with iwi and hapū. 

Judy leads the construction sector accord programme unit hosted within MBIE. The unit is responsible for delivering the construction sector transformation plan working in partnership with industry and agencies. The purpose of the unit to support transformation success of the construction sector in Aotearoa. Judy has a background in strategy, system transformation, and behavioural economics. Prior to her role in the Construction Sector Accord, Judy held leadership roles across government agencies in building system performance and tertiary education. Judy is part of the women in leadership and women of colour networks at the Minister of Business Innovation and Employment. These staff led networks creates a safe and supportive space to share the professional pathways and experiences for women and women of colour as public servants working across MBIE. 

Tracey Ryan is the Managing Director, New Zealand for engineering, design & advisory company Aurecon, and is responsible for the leadership and performance of approximately 900 people across five locations. This includes health, safety and wellbeing, client engagement, staff engagement and project, financial and operational performance to meet Aurecon’s strategic and operational business goals for New Zealand. She is a Director of Aurecon NZ Limited. 
 
Her career to date has been focused on business growth, leading enterprise-wide multi-disciplinary teams and creating inclusive and engaged cultures. She has held senior leadership roles and directorships in several global professional services companies and has strong New Zealand, Australian, and global networks gained from professional services experience throughout New Zealand, Western and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Pacific Rim, China and the US. 
 
Tracey is the Deputy Chair for Infrastructure New Zealand and Chair of the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) Sustainable Development Committee. She has recently been appointed Co-Chair to The Construction Sector Accord’s Steering Group.  
 
Tracey’s technical STEM background and 27 years international professional services experience makes her incredibly passionate about getting more young women and girls to choose STEM careers. 

Alena Taylor is the National Training Manager for Fulton Hogan and has been with the company for over 14 years. She is very passionate about training and development and her career with Fulton Hogan specifically within the Civil Construction division. This has given her the ground level operational experience and knowledge to develop successful initiatives within the organisation and industry. 

Padraig advises and advocates for councils, CCOs, and corporate clients on resource management, local government, administrative law, and public policy issues. 

His areas of expertise include consenting major infrastructure (especially water and wastewater projects), land transportation and roading, infrastructure funding, local government decision-making, bylaws, legislative drafting and judicial review. 

Padraig is one of New Zealand’s most experienced local government litigators, regularly acting for clients in the judicial review proceedings in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. 

Wendy Walker is the Chief Executive of Porirua City Council. Porirua is facing rapid growth alongside the challenges of aging infrastructure, climate change, Covid 19, a community resistant to paying more in their rates and now the challenges of 3waters reform.  As part of her role she is the coordinating Chief Executive of the six shareholding Councils of Wellington Water Ltd and is at the interface of the company’s transition to the new water delivery model. 

Wendy affiliates to Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri. 

Darren has over 15 years of experience and is part of Beca’s Advisory business in New Zealand. Darren has been involved with some of the transformational projects across NZ including having worked on Te Tupu Ngātahi (Supporting Growth Alliance) which is currently the largest planning alliance in the country helping plan ahead for the major future housing growth areas across the Auckland region through the route protection of essential transport corridors. Having also served as the Traffic Lead on some of New Zealand’s biggest transport infrastructure projects including Victoria Park Tunnel and Waterview Connection, he is passionate about collaborative approaches to planning and delivering and believes that this is increasingly vital as future community requirements become more complex to navigate.  

Tracey is a Civil Engineer by background and a Senior Principal and Market Lead for Land Development with Infrastructure Consultancy Beca. Over her 25 year career she has led many multi-disciplinary transport, urban development and climate resilience projects in Aotearoa New Zealand and the South Pacific. 

Duncan Tindall is the Market Lead – Transport for GHD New Zealand. He has a MEng Civil Engineering from Imperial College, London, and an MSc in Transportation from Centre of Transport Studies, London. Starting off as a Traffic Engineer, he designed early phases of the London Cycle Network and the boundary ring for the first London Congestion Charge. That was followed by a move into Transport Planning and a focus on the integration of land-use and transport in the early to mid 2000s and supporting the national implementation of Accessibility Planning across the UK.  He moved to New Zealand in 2010, supporting the design, business cases and consenting of many major projects across New Zealand. Prior to joining GHD he was the Implementation Manager for SmartGrowth, a sub-regional spatial plan, focussing on the integrated planning to more efficiently deliver for communities. 

James has a 20-year career in the infrastructure and environmental sectors, and works for engineering and environmental specialists, Tonkin and Taylor.  His work crosses infrastructure planning, natural hazard assessments, as well as climate change adaptation and mitigation. He leads T+T’s climate and resilience practice and has been involved in a range of significant projects over recent years. These include authoring recent climate risk guidance for MfE, leading the built environment domain of the National Climate Risk Assessment, leading climate risk research as part of the Deep South Challenge, and he was a member of MfE’s Climate Adaptation Technical Working Group. 

Victoria is a highly accomplished practice leader with 18 years of experience in the architecture, engineering and construction (A/E/C) industry and a Multi-functional Equity Expert with demonstrated expertise in developing strategic partnerships with stakeholders, including municipal, state and federal agencies, businesses and community-based organizations to champion economic vitality and drive inclusive growth across diverse geographies in the U.S.

Victoria was recently appointed to serve on a national Industry Recovery Panel to advise the Biden Administration and 117th Congress on federal recovery policies in the coming months. Victoria works with clients daily to advocate for social value in federal legislation, including the $7T Build Back Better infrastructure plan, the $2T American Jobs Plan, and Biden’s Racial Equity Plan. Victoria will now advise senior leaders in the Biden administration and Congress on how infrastructure investment can be used to create and deliver enduring social justice through job creation and inclusive economic development.

Cathy was also on the steering committee for the formation of New Zealand’s New Energy Development Centre, Ara Ake – established to lead and facilitate the development of low-emissions energy innovation and technology in New Zealand.

Cathy has over 27 years’ of experience spanning the energy, resources, infrastructure and telecommunications sectors. She holds a Bachelor in Engineering (Mechanical and Electrical) with Honours, and a Masters in Business and Technology from the Australian Graduate School of Management (UNSW).

Blair Walter is an experienced mechanical engineer with specialist skills in project management and advisory services on renewable energy projects in the international energy sector. International experience includes projects in Brazil, Turkey, Mexico, Europe, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Blair has led due-diligence exercises on over 20 GW of renewable energy projects to support acquisition and financing, with a focus on wind energy and solar PV, and broad exposure to other technologies including hydropower, biomass, concentrating solar power, batteries and hydrogen. Blair supports clients in all stages of project development from site identification and concept design through to approvals, procurement and construction, and provides a wide range of technical and strategic advisory services to private and public sector clients. Blair is a technical director at Aurecon where he has led the growth of the renewable energy business since 2005. He is currently Chair of the New Zealand Wind Energy Association and has been a member of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s Advisory Panel for the past 7 years. 

Chair of the MinterEllisonRuddWatts partnership, Sarah is a highly regarded construction, infrastructure and energy specialist. She has extensive experience acting for both government and private sector clients in large-scale, complex infrastructure projects and public sector reform programmes. Sarah brings a unique whole of system viewpoint and is known for providing commercially pragmatic, strategic advice on infrastructure funding models, procurement strategies, programme delivery, legislative frameworks and contracting structures. 

Sarah leads our firm’s roles on the Three Waters Reform Programme, Light Rail project, City Rail Link project and the Anchor Projects in the Christchurch rebuild. She has acted on all Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) in the New Zealand market and is also leading our team supporting the Wellington Gateway Partnership on the delivery of Transmission Gully. Sarah is adept at conceptualising strategy and navigating challenges inherent in projects carried out in the public eye 

Michael is the Head of Infrastructure at Russell McVeagh.  He has in-depth expertise in the funding and development arrangements for infrastructure projects and platforms, with particular expertise in the renewable energy sector. 

Michael started his career at Russell McVeagh in 2006.  Prior to returning to New Zealand in 2022, Michael spent eight years at Macquarie’s Green Investment Group (GIG) in London, where he undertook lead roles in transactions across the renewables sub-sectors, including in offshore wind, onshore renewables (wind and solar), waste-to-energy and energy efficiency.  From 2018 Michael was responsible for delivering capital formation and syndication transactions for GIG’s European equity investments.  He secured significant co-investments and established new institutional investment products to help fund GIG’s pipeline of projects. 

Drawing on this experience, Michael provides strategic advice to clients to help drive forward their projects and investment strategies in renewables and the broader infrastructure sector. 

Christoph is an Investment Director at H.R.L. Morrison & Co, the New Zealand based global infrastructure asset manager and investor. He has previously worked in banking, investments and development finance in the US, UK, the Middle East and India delivering infrastructure projects in power & water, data & telecommunications, transportation & logistics and is now based in Auckland working on social infrastructure investments. 

Helen is a Chartered Civil Engineer with a Master’s in Commercial Law and over 15 years’ experience in commercial, transaction, risk, and project management in the construction industry. Helen has worked for both public and private sectors, and has been involved in most of the large motorway projects in New Zealand including Transmission Gully and Puhoi to Warkworth. She also has experience on a number of large international infrastructure projects including the approx. $7 billion public private initiative M4-M5 Link, a tolled tunnel project in Sydney and the transaction of the Western Sydney Airport line of Sydney Metro which included a $5 billion PPP.   

David’s focus is on major infrastructure projects, Urban Regeneration schemes. 

He is a Property, Urban Regeneration and Economic Development professional who has worked globally over the last 25 years.  In recent years he has focused on how transport infrastructure can catalyse a place, such as the Urban Development created through Transit-Oriented Development nodes for Mass Rapid Transit schemes. 

Amongst his professional qualifications, David is an RICS Chartered Surveyor – Planning and Development and an AIPM Certified Practising Project Manager.  David’s educational qualifications include a Masters of Urban Regeneration.  He is also a Better Business Case practitioner. 

For Stellar, David leads their Wellington operation. 

Warwick Quinn is the Deputy Chief Executive Employer Journey and Experience at Te Pūkenga. He is the former Chief Executive of the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation, the Motor Trade Association and Registered Master Builders Association. He has also held the positions of General Manager Regulatory at Land Information New Zealand and the statutory positions of Valuer-General and Chief Crown Property Officer.

Warwick has an MBA from Henley Management College in the UK.

As Aurecon’s Circular Economy Leader Jodie Bricout leads the company’s response to the transition towards a climate and resource constrained future. She is responsible for the integration of expertise across the business to ensure flexible, high-quality and consistent project delivery, alongside strategic advisory and stakeholder engagement to help clients design and implement circular economy strategies. 

Jodie has a profound knowledge and experience working with partners ranging from leading corporates, emerging innovators to governments and academics in the circular economy field across Australia, Dubai and Europe. She has trained hundreds of professionals in circular economy approaches and worked with governments and businesses big and small to tackle challenges around resource use and climate change. 

Jodie is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer and PhD candidate with the University of Adelaide, a committee member of Victoria’s Circular Economy Business Innovation Centre and a Board Member with Circular Australia. 

James was elected to Parliament in 2014 and became Green Party Co-leader in 2015. In 2017 he led the Green Party into its first ever term in Government, during which he guided the Zero Carbon Act through Parliament with unanimous support.

Now in his second term in Government, James has overseen the setting of Aotearoa New Zealand’s first three emissions budgets, and spearheaded the Emissions Reduction Plan, drawing together a whole-of-government approach to cut emissions across every sector of the economy.

More recently, he has released the country’s first ever National Adaptation Plan to help communities prepare and protect lives, livelihoods, homes, businesses and infrastructure from the increasingly frequent and severe storms, floods and droughts caused by the climate crisis.

Paul is Jacobs’ Regional Solutions Director (APAC), Digital Solutions. Jacobs’ expertise in digital solutions and digital transformation more broadly enable us to create smarter, connected, contemporary, and customer-centric solutions for our clients.

Paul has over 25 years’ experience spanning industry and consulting across Europe, the US and Asia-Pacific. His areas of expertise include digital transformation strategy and implementation, emerging technologies (IoT, 5G, Digital Twin, AI/ML), smart and connected cities and places, and strategic advisory. Most recently he has been project director on several smart city developments in the Asia-Pacific region developing Smart City strategic frameworks and roadmaps for rollout.

Before joining Jacobs Paul was with Telstra where he was responsible for leading the IoT Business for Telstra Enterprise, along with the Strategic Growth function. Prior to Telstra, Paul spent time at Deloitte and KPMG where he was responsible for leading the Smart Cities practice.

Monica’s role at the Global Infrastrutcure Hub is to develop and deliver strategic projects and programs for the G20 that tackles new and emerging global challenges in infrastructure such as sustainable infrastructure investment, InfraTech, infrastructure transition pathways and circular economy. This includes creating knowledge products (data tools, roadmaps and frameworks) and industry programs to convert their thought leadership work into tangible action and impact. One of these programs is the Global InfraTech Ecosystem; a global initiative aimed at increasing levels of investment globally into InfraTech projects.

Monica has 18 years’ experience spanning engineering, management consulting, technology and innovation. She is a Chartered Chemical Engineer and spent her early career designing, commissioning and optimising wastewater treatment plants. This then led her to start working with emerging technologies, helping them commercialise their products in the water sector with a boutique firm called Isle Utilities. In 2011, she set up Isle’s APAC business and spent 10 years establishing and growing their technology and innovation services in Australia and South East Asia.

Michael was first elected to Parliament at the 2016 Mt Roskill by-election. In opposition he was Labour’s spokesperson for Transport, Revenue, and Consumer Affairs, and after the election he had roles as Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister for Ethnic Communities and Chair of the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee, before coming into the Chief Labour Whip role in mid-2019.

Following the 2020 General Election, Michael became a sworn Member of the Executive and was appointed by the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern as the Minister of Transport and Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety. He was also given the role of Deputy Leader of the House.

Michael also continues a strong association with New Zealand’s vibrant and growing Ethnic Communities owing to his previous role and the highly diverse nature of the Mt Roskill electorate he represents.

Prior to his parliamentary role Michael was an Auckland Council member in his community and has held roles providing advice to Habitat for Humanity and as a senior negotiator for the Finance Sector union Finsec.

Michael is driven by the core belief that all people deserve the opportunity to flourish and reach their potential regardless of background, and that this is most likely to occur when we build strong, fair, and supportive communities. He believes that an economy and public institutions that are focused on people’s wellbeing will lead to a society that is both more prosperous and just.

Along with his wife Julie and their three young sons, Michael lives in Roskill South where he loves to tramp along the Waikowhai Coast, tends to a very neglected vegetable garden, and dreams of an alternative career as a roving international test cricket commentator.

Jim Palmer has recently retired as the Chief Executive of Waimakariri District Council after 17 years. Currently, Mr Palmer is the independent chair of the Greater Christchurch Partnership. He is a chartered accountant with experience as an audit director for Audit New Zealand and the Audit Office. Mr Palmer has had a wide range of prior governance experience on various groups including Co-chair of Canterbury Interim Regional Skills Leadership Group and Canterbury COVID-19 Recovery Oversight Group, Chair of the Kaikōura Earthquake Recovery Steering Group and Chair of the Canterbury Chief Executives Forum.

Sir Peter Gluckman holds a Distinguished University Professorship in the University of Auckland where he heads the Centre for Informed Futures, New Zealand).

From 2009-2018 he was first Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of New Zealand. He was foundation Chair of the International Network of Government Science Advice (INGSA) (2014-2021) (www.ingsa.org) and is President of the International Science Council (ISC) (2021 – 2024). He was awarded CNZM in 1996, KNZM in 2009, and made a member of the order of New Zealand (ONZ, 2015). He received New Zealand’s highest scientific award, the Rutherford Medal in 2001 He was Executive Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (1992 – 2001) and founding Director (2001 – 2009) of the Liggins Institute of the University of Auckland. He has published over 750 scientific papers in biomedical and clinical science, and more recently reports and papers on the science – policy and science – diplomacy interfaces. Amongst international awards he was awarded Singapore’s highest scientific honour, the Presidential Science and Technology Medal in 2021 and the American Association for Advancement of Sciences Science Diplomacy award in 2016.

As a mother, and a constituent MP with 20 plus years’ experience who has come from ‘flax-root’ politics, Hon Nanaia Mahuta remains connected to the aspirations of people from all walks of life. Those who work hard for a living so that their children can do better, kaumatua, tradespeople, those who aspire to own their home, those who own small businesses and those who lead a range of services and organisations and huge iwi entities. 

During her time in Parliament, Nanaia supported policies and initiatives that built the capacity of communities, especially social service organisations, greater investment in education, employment and training opportunities particularly for young people, supported the continuation of the Treaty settlement process and supported specific initiatives that lift the wellbeing and opportunities for young mums and those who are vulnerable and victims of abuse. 

Nanaia is a tribal member of Waikato-Tainui, Ngāti Maniapoto and Ngāti Manu and her parliamentary experience has enabled her to contribute to the collective aspirations of Maori and all New Zealanders. 

In the 2020 Labour Government, Nanaia became the first woman to hold the Foreign Affairs portfolio. She is also Minister of Local Government, and Associate Minister for Māori Development. 

Julie Anne advocates for building towns and cities that put people at their heart, support strong healthy communities and enhance our environment. She graduated from UC Berkley, and studied politics and economics in France before moving to New Zealand. Here, Julie Anne worked as a transport and planning consultant for some of New Zealand’s leading firms. Julie Anne entered Parliament in 2011 as a Green Party MP. She is currently the Green Party spokesperson for Finance, Transport, Infrastructure, Urban Development, Building and Construction, Energy and State Owned Enterprises. Julie Anne was the Minister for Women, and Associate Minister for Transport and Health in the previous coalition Government. Julie Anne lives in Wellington with her son Joaquin, daughter Maia, and her partner, Peter.

Chris is in his third term as a Member of Parliament and is National’s spokesperson for Housing, Infrastructure, and COVID-19 Response. He is also the Shadow Leader of the House.

From 2017-2020 he was the MP for Hutt South (the first time National had ever held the seat) and is now a National List MP based in Hutt South. He has previously served as National’s spokesperson for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Police, and Youth.

Chris and his wife Jenna are currently building a house in Days Bay, Eastbourne which will be a new home to them and their newborn Jeremy, along with their friendly samoyed Ladyhawke and their beautiful cat Ziggy.

He is the co-captain of the Parliamentary cricket team. He loves good coffee, good BBQ brisket, red wine, and rock music.

Chris is in his third term as a Member of Parliament and is National’s spokesperson for Housing, Infrastructure, and COVID-19 Response. He is also the Shadow Leader of the House.

From 2017-2020 he was the MP for Hutt South (the first time National had ever held the seat) and is now a National List MP based in Hutt South. He has previously served as National’s spokesperson for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Police, and Youth.

Chris and his wife Jenna are currently building a house in Days Bay, Eastbourne which will be a new home to them and their newborn Jeremy, along with their friendly samoyed Ladyhawke and their beautiful cat Ziggy.

He is the co-captain of the Parliamentary cricket team. He loves good coffee, good BBQ brisket, red wine, and rock music.