Kea World Class FAQs

Kea is a not for profit organisation which nurtures a vibrant and diverse community of Kiwi who share a strong passion for New Zealand and the success of its people and businesses. We support a community of around half a million Kiwi all around the world. Kea was founded in 2001 by Sir Stephen Tindall and Professor David Teece who recognised that for a nation as small and geographically remote as Aotearoa, offshore Kiwi are crucial to our ongoing global connectedness. More than 20 years after its inception, Kea continues to focus on keeping our extraordinary offshore Kiwi part of Aotearoa.

Each month Kea supports 40+ Kiwi businesses to compete on the world stage by extending the helping hand of our offshore community via our Kea Connect service.  We highlight inspiring Kiwi doing world changing mahi offshore, we profile the successes of Kiwi export businesses to educate future entrepreneurs and we showcase to broader New Zealand the significant opportunities in connecting with both offshore and returning Kiwi.

Kea has a community of almost half a million Kiwi, across 185 countries. We are funded by government agencies including NZTE, MBIE, MFAT and selected corporate partners.

Within our Kea community we have our select group of around 530 World Class New Zealanders. These are Kiwi across a variety of locations and sectors who lead and shape industries around the globe, helping build New Zealand’s reputation on the world stage. They are passionate advocates for Aotearoa and regularly give back to their communities.

To become part of the World Class network you must be nominated by another World Class member, the Kea team or the Kea board. You will then be considered for induction into the network if you meet the following three criteria. 

1. You must be a Kiwi who is a leader within your particular industry and is helping shape or change the way your industry grows or does business. 
2. The work you are doing must in someway help increase New Zealand’s position on the world stage
3. You must be going over and above to support the communities you live and work in and/or help other Kiwi or Kiwi businesses succeed. 

Every year Kea celebrates our World Class community at the Kea World Class New Zealand Awards. This premier black tie networking event honours those within our World Class community who during the past 12 months, have demonstrated the theme of the awards and used it to the benefit of all of Aotearoa. 

Each year we select a shortlist of those within the World Class network who have best demonstrated the theme of the awards (in 2022 this is connection). Those Kiwi are then put forward to our global judging panel who match each of the nominees against the judging criteria and select the final winners. You cannot be nominated to win a WCNZ award, but you can be nominated to join the network and in turn, be considered for an award.

Each year Kea selects a diverse panel of judges to choose the final award winners. Our judging panel is made up of New Zealand business leaders from a variety of sectors, Government representatives, and global Kiwi. More information on the 2023 judging panel will be available closer to the awards.

All of our World Class New Zealanders lead and shape industries, helping grow New Zealand’s position on the global stage. They also all give back to New Zealand and/or the communities they live and work in. What makes the award winners unique is that they are chosen from this community as people who over the past 12 months have best demonstrated the theme of the awards. In 2023 our winners will be those World Class New Zealanders who award winners will be members of our World Class New Zealand network who have embodied the spirit of bringing people together to achieve global success.

In 2023 the awards theme is ‘Togetherness’ this theme has been chosen to remind us all that during these challenging times, we can unify ideas through inspiration and courage from our global Kiwi community alongside those at home, to harness our collective power for greater impact for Aotearoa.

In 2023 our award winners represent Kiwi, who during the past 12 months, have embodied the spirit of bringing people together to achieve global success.

To see our past award winners please visit the Kea World Class New Zealand Network page here.

The 2023 Kea World Class New Zealand Awards will take place on Thursday, September 7th at the Viaduct Events Centre, 171 Halsey Street, Auckland CBD. Doors will open from 5.30pm and drinks and canapés will be served from 6pm ahead of the formal part of the evening which will start at 7pm.

You can attend the awards by purchasing either a single ticket or a table for you and your guests. Tickets for the 2023 Awards are on sale now. Click here for more information and to purchase.

Upon purchasing your ticket you will receive a confirmation email which will allow you to return to the ticket site and input your guest information if you have purchased a table or tickets on behalf of others. On Monday the 04th of September you will receive an event reminder email with your personalised event link which will include your ticket for entry and event details including your table number and guest list. You will also receive a text message reminder the day before the event which will include a link to your ticket.

The Awards are a black tie event. Formal evening wear is expected. A dark suit with a white shirts and bowtie or tie or a formal evening gown or dressy pantsuit is the preferred option for the majority of guests. 

If you cannot make the event in person you also have the opportunity to sponsor a young leader to attend the event (see below)

Kea is encouraging our community to sponsor individual tickets or tables at the World Class New Zealand Awards, making the Awards more accessible for our future leaders. For those who can’t be in New Zealand for the dinner, sponsoring a table creates an opportunity for our next generation of entrepreneurs and leaders to be inspired and network with Award Winners and esteemed guests. As such, we have partnered with a number of social enterprises who champion New Zealand’s leaders of tomorrow. If you are interested in sponsoring a table, please get in touch with us here.

Anyone with a valid ticket is able to attend the awards. You do not need to be a Kea member or a World Class New Zealander. The awards are an excellent opportunity for networking and celebrating the hard work and achievements of our global Kiwi community.

Yes. We encourage you to share this night with your clients and guests either by purchasing individual tickets or buying a table. Click here for ticketing information.

The Awards will open with drinks and networking before moving to a sit down meal and the more formal part of the evening with speeches and awards presentation. Following this, there will be further entertainment and the opportunity for networking and celebration.

Ticket cancellations must be made in writing to Kea and refunds will only be given in exceptional circumstances for cancellations received more than 30 days prior to the event. Kea does not offer a refund or exchange as a result of a change in your personal circumstances. For more information please see our T&Cs here

Kea will have a preferred Hotel partner for the World Class New Zealand Awards. Guests wanting to stay with our partner hotel should book and mention they are there for the Kea World Class New Zealand Awards to receive an exclusive Kea discount. More details on this will be coming soon.

Your ticket includes entry to the event, entertainment, dinner and a selection of beverages.

The Viaduct Event Centre is one of Auckland’s flagship venues and one that has hosted some memorable events. Until this year it served as one of the bases for the America’s Cup and has recently been returned to the Auckland Council as an event space.

If you have a question that is not covered in these FAQs please get in touch with us at [email protected] and we will reply to your email within three (3) working days.