Speakers

Kirk Hope is Chief Executive of BusinessNZ, New Zealand's leading business advocacy group, representing thousands of businesses of all sizes.

Mr Hope and his Wellington-based team work with companies, organisations and political and other decision makers, advocating for New Zealand's success through sustainable economic growth.

Before joining BusinessNZ, Kirk was CEO of the New Zealand Bankers' Association. Prior to that he was Executive Director of the Financial Services Federation, the industry body representing the non-bank sector. He previously held a range of senior positions at Westpac, including Head of Government Relations and Regulatory Affairs.

Mind Health School led by Nikki Evans, delivers essential and fundamental self mastery tools and techniques to create confident, secure and empowered individuals.

Nikki is an educator who helps you integrate. Her work focuses on a full circle approach of skill development to help you fully understand and manage your mind, your emotions, your behaviour and your growth.

Ian’s back story is a fascinating journey, from growing up in a house without electricity in the 1950s, to being part of a company recognised globally as being at the leading edge of technology and innovation.

A former television presenter for TVNZ children's programmes like Play School, Spot On, and New Zealand's Funniest Home Videos, his very public life started when he joined the band Kal-Q-Lated Risk in 1967 as lead singer. After a stint in the army in the 1970’s Ian went on to complete an LLB degree from the University of Otago before setting up Taylormade Media, a television production company in 1989.

The following year he established Animation Research Limited, which quickly became one of the top computer animation companies in New Zealand and known internationally for its work, particularly in television advertising and sports graphics. Its sports division, ‘Virtual Eye’, provides award winning graphics globally across a wide range of sports.

Kiw is currently Spark’s Head of Security, with close to 21 years’ experience in a technologically diverse, telco-centric environment. Kiw’s key areas of expertise are network security and incident response, with extensive experience across a variety of security domains. Kiw has 10+ years of team and technical leadership experience, and he is pragmatic, hands-on, and has a good sense of humour. He moved into a Security leadership role in early 2015.

Kiw’s extensive experience includes: Building a Security Operations Centre (SOC) from a single resource to one of the largest (45+ to date) and most mature SOC in New Zealand; Leading in defining security roadmap and strategies, both for Spark Group, subsidiaries, as well as many Spark-managed security services customers; Leading and responding to many nationwide critical severity security incidents.

Kavita has over two decades experience in leadership roles having worked in professional services, construction and technology sectors in New Zealand and in India.

In her current role she is responsible for shaping the people strategy, looking after a range of functions including People Technology, HR and HSW and leads complex, transformational projects for the business. She has a broad skill set and expertise covering governance, leadership, strategic planning, managing a consulting business and people and culture. She is a Chartered Fellow of HRNZ and on its Board.

She is passionate about the role of the organisation in society and believe we are overdue a rethink about the world of work.

Miles joined ANZ in early 2018 from the New Zealand Treasury, where he worked on fiscal strategy advice, macroeconomic policy, and the Treasury’s economic and tax forecasts. Prior to that, Miles spent a number of years working in retail banking.

Miles’s day-to-day activities include monitoring economic developments, producing economic forecasts and writing key publications, such as the Morning Focus, Weekly Data Wrap, Property Focus, Quarterly Economic Outlook, and various Economic Insights and Forecast notes.

Miles spends most of his spare time on a larger-than-expected home renovation. One day, he’ll have time for his hobbies: mountain biking, playing guitar and putting around Wellington harbour on his kayak.

Monika leads Deloitte's Climate and Sustainability Risk Advisory service and has worked globally in the Deloitte Climate and Sustainability practice for over 15 years. She has provided services to clients in NZ and overseas in addressing climate and sustainability risks and in helping clients advance their maturity in this area. This includes in areas of ESG materiality, risk management, strategy, measuring, monitoring and assurance. She is experienced in global climate and sustainability reporting and provides a holistic view on sustainability governance and management. She brings forward the challenges and solutions for government and industry requirements to enable the design and implementation of sustainability programmes.

Monika also leads Deloitte's Health, Safety and Wellbeing service and incorporates these areas as part of a holistic sustainability programme.