Keynote speakers
Listed alphabetically
Sinead Boucher
Stuff Group's Owner and Publisher, former journalist Sinead Boucher, bought the business from its Australian owners in 2020 and has since transformed the organisation from the bottom up, restructuring, replatforming and reshaping its large group of media brands including New Zealand's largest digital news website stuff.co.nz, daily and community mastheads, premium magazines, a burgeoning events business and social media network Neighbourly. Stuff's Follow No One ethos is led by Sinead, a visionary and fearless leader who is deeply committed to journalism. She is on the board of the International News Media Association and chair of the New Zealand Publishers Association.
Sinead Boucher appears by arrangement with ESSENTIAL TALENT.
Precious Clark
Precious is the Chief Executive of Maurea and leads her team to fulfil their vision to see Māori culture drive Aotearoa forward.
With a background in Law, Public Policy, Business, Māori Development and Performing Arts, Precious established Maurea in 2012; and in 2016 she created Te Kaa – our highly acclaimed training programme that ignites your Māori cultural competency.
She has grown Maurea and its impact so that Maurea is now recognised as a leader in supporting Māori Cultural Competency development.
Precious has over a decade of governance experience and is currently on the board of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust and is the Chair of Te Taumata-a-Iwi. Her past governance roles include Whai Rawa Ltd ($2b investment company), Foundation North, Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Board, Centre for Social Impact, the Independent Māori Statutory Board and Chair of Te Tira Kautū.
Precious is of Ngāti Whātua, Te Uri o Hau, Waikato, Ngāti Hē, Ngāti Pāoa and Pākehā descent. She has two tamariki, loves being connected to nature and is passionate about wāhine leadership.
Shamubeel Eaqub
Shamubeel Eaqub is an experienced economist who makes economics easy. He is also an author, media commentator and a thought leading public speaker.
Shamubeel has over a decade of experience as an economist in Wellington, Melbourne and Auckland in leading international banks and consultancy. He is on various boards of charities and commercial firms.
He has authored multiple books on issues that matter to New Zealand and gives voice to the unheard including; "Growing Apart: Regional Prosperity in New Zealand", he co-authored "Generation Rent" and "The New Zealand Economy: An Introduction".
Sir Graham Henry
Sir Graham Henry is one of New Zealand's most in demand speakers - having coached the All Blacks to glory in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, and going on to be awarded Coach of the Year at the IRB awards, receiving this award for a record 5th time.
Graham finished his All Blacks career as one of the most successful rugby coaches of all time: he coached the All Blacks to 88 wins in 103 Tests for a winning percentage of 85.4 percent. As well as winning the Rugby World Cup 2011, the All Blacks have held the Bledisloe Cup every year since 2003, won the Investec Tri Nations five times and achieved three Grand Slams against the Northern Hemisphere Home Unions. In 2019, Graham was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame.
Tahu Kukutai
Tahu Kukutai (Ngāti Tiipa, Ngāti Māhanga, Ngāti Kinohaku, Te Aupōuri) is Professor of Demography at Te Ngira Institute for Population Research at The University of Waikato and is Co-Director of Aotearoa's only Māori Centre of Research Excellence, Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga. Tahu specialises in Māori and Indigenous demographic research and has written extensively on population change in Aotearoa, official statistics and data sovereignty. She has undertaken research for numerous iwi, Māori communities, and Government agencies, and provided strategic advice across a range of sectors. Tahu is a Life Member of the Population Association of New Zealand and is an elected Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi. She is also a founding Trustee of the acclaimed Pūhoro STEMM Academy and is a founding member of the Māori data sovereignty network Te Mana Raraunga. Tahu has degrees from The University of Waikato and Stanford University.
Abbas Nazari
Abbas Nazari fled the Taliban in Afghanistan as a child, and was resettled in New Zealand after his family were rescued by the Tampa containership in 2001, an international story known as the Tampa Affair. Abbas and his family have thrived since being resettled to New Zealand. In 2019, Abbas was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to the United States, where he graduated with a Master's in Security Studies from Georgetown University, Washington DC. His memoir, After the Tampa: From Afghanistan to New Zealand, is a #1 bestseller. Abbas was named a finalist for the 2022 Young New Zealander of the Year. Abbas will be speaking about his journey, his experiences of thriving in a foreign country, overcoming life's obstacles, and some lessons learned along the way.
