2024 Winners

SME Business Leadership Award

Xero
 

Nicola Taylor

Co-Founder, Tax Traders & Taxi

Nicola is an inspiring, purpose-driven leader who has led Tax Traders to exceptional success over the last 12 years. Driven by a pursuit of equity in the tax system, she believes business can be a force for good. Her pioneering people and culture practices are integral to Tax Traders' "DNA." Nicola is an innovative leader and the brainchild behind new venture Taxi, which addresses SMEs' challenges, potentially adding $10.8 billion to Aotearoa's economy. Under her leadership, Tax Traders has excelled in growth and achieved world-class NPS scores. Nicola is known for her deep and genuine love for her team, her inclusive and collaborative leadership style and her drive and determination to see her people achieve greatly.

Large Business Leadership Award

Air New Zealand
 

Paul Newfield

 CEO, Morrison

Paul has been the driving force behind Morrison's global investment strategy since 2016, and currently serves as CEO. He has integrated sustainability into the company's investment philosophy and raised public expectations for responsible infrastructure in New Zealand. Under his leadership, Morrison has refreshed its leadership structure and global brand, modernising the company's culture and value proposition. Paul's down-to-earth interpersonal style and values-driven leadership make him an unsung leader in New Zealand.

Entrepreneur/Start-Up Leadership Award

Steinlager
 

Levi Fawcett

CEO, Partly

Levi Fawcett is the founder and CEO of Partly, a startup transforming the $1.9 trillion auto parts industry by connecting and promoting sustainability through recycled parts. His leadership has attracted top talent from major tech companies, reversing the brain drain in New Zealand. Under his guidance, Partly secured Series A funding and is reshaping the vehicle repair industry in Australasia and Europe. Fawcett is also a prominent tech industry leader, sharing his AI and machine learning expertise and mentoring other entrepreneurs.

Sustainability Leadership Award

Fonterra
 

John Berry

CEO, Pathfinder Asset Management

John Berry, co-founder and CEO of Pathfinder Asset Management, has been a transformative leader in the ethical investment movement in Aotearoa New Zealand for over a decade. He has grown Pathfinder from a small office operation to managing $600 million, pioneering net-zero emissions targets and achieving B Corp status. John's work extends beyond Pathfinder, as he tirelessly raises awareness of ethical investment through media, presentations, and articles, earning him Mindful Money's Best Media Reporting on Ethical Investment Award in 2022 and 2023. Additionally, John has dedicated a decade to serving on the board of Men’s Health Trust, advocating for long-term income streams for charities.

Innovation Leadership Award

Hnry
 

John Rendall

Head of Technology and Innovation, Animation Research Limited

John Rendall, Head of Innovation at ARL, has been a key figure in New Zealand's technology scene for 34 years. Hired straight from school in 2006, his visionary leadership has driven ARL to global success, earning multiple International EMMY Awards and a Special Lifetime Achievement Award from the NZ Hi Tech Trust. John's groundbreaking projects, like the America's Cup and The Masters Golf Coverage, have significantly reduced carbon emissions and boosted ARL's market dominance.

ED&I Leadership Award

SkyCity

Sarah Archer

Head of Talent, Diversity & Inclusion, Chorus NZ

Sarah Archer is a beacon of DE&I Leadership, recognised for her unwavering commitment to fostering a safe, empowering, and empathetic culture at Chorus. Her leadership led to a Workplace Culture Review in 2021 and the development of Chorus’s DE&I Strategy, launched in August 2022. The strategy, based on Te Whare Tapa Whā, emphasises Hauora and reflects Chorus's holistic approach to health and wellbeing, promoting inclusion and belonging through biculturalism and multiculturalism. Under Sarah’s guidance, Chorus has seen significant cultural shifts, including a 34% participation rate in the Te Ao Māori program and initiatives aimed at gender inclusivity, achieving a 50% gender split among candidates.

Community Leadership Award

Anthony Harper

Charlotte Gibson

Chairperson, Te Poho-O-Rawiri Marae
 

From 2020 to 2022, Charlotte initiated a COVID-19 response in Kaiti, rallying a volunteer workforce to deliver food packages to over 10,000 residents and expanding the effort to rural communities and Elgin. She established Ka Pai Kaiti for COVID welfare checks and organised over 50 drive-through vaccination clinics, managing the delivery of hundreds of tonnes of donated goods. Additionally, Charlotte founded Poho Kitchen, producing hundreds of meals daily for a year, and secured funding for three full-time employees for Ka Pai Kaiti. When Cyclone Gabrielle hit, she transformed Te Poho o Rawiri Marae into a hub for affected individuals, coordinating relief efforts and distributing essential supplies to the community.

Public Sector Leadership Award

Meredith Connell

Māori Leadership Award

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei

Donna Flavell

CEO, Waikato-Tainui

Donna Flavell is a prominent leader in Post-Settlement Aotearoa, having played a crucial role in the tribal settlement negotiations for Waikato-Tainui. Over nearly a decade, she has led the iwi through both challenging and successful times, steering one of the most profitable and successful iwi in the country with humility and determination. Donna has influenced national Māori responses to legislative reforms, designed strategic approaches to freshwater management, and led tribal responses to the pandemic and natural disasters. Her leadership style ensures the fulfillment of her ancestors' dreams for her 89,000-strong tribe.

Pasifika Leadership Award

Tuputoa

Incredible Emerging Leader Award

New Zealand Rugby

Ratu Mataira

Founder & CEO, OpenStar Technologies

Ratu founded OpenStar, a fusion company that started in a Mount Victoria garage and has since raised over $20 million NZD, grown to over 40 permanent staff, and achieved remarkable success compared to other international fusion companies. His charismatic leadership has created the most ambitious and exciting company in New Zealand history, surpassing expectations for what could be accomplished locally. As a young Māori leader, Ratu has made his whakapapa proud and proven that world-changing innovation can happen in New Zealand. He is a deserving candidate for this award due to his exceptional achievements and visionary leadership.

Most Incredible Leader Awards

Robert Walters

Levi Fawcett

CEO, Partly

Levi Fawcett is the founder and CEO of Partly, a startup transforming the $1.9 trillion auto parts industry by connecting and promoting sustainability through recycled parts. His leadership has attracted top talent from major tech companies, reversing the brain drain in New Zealand. Under his guidance, Partly secured Series A funding and is reshaping the vehicle repair industry in Australasia and Europe. Fawcett is also a prominent tech industry leader, sharing his AI and machine learning expertise and mentoring other entrepreneurs.