NZUK Link Foundation Link Lecture – ANZAC in the 21st Century and New Zealand’s role in Global Security.

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Presented by the NZUK Link Foundation, in partnership with CMS: ANZAC in the 21st Century and New Zealand’s role in Global Security.

Our distinguished speakers will address key questions:

• How does New Zealand fit into the current geo-political landscape
• What role can NZ and its Defence and Security forces usefully play and where
• As a member of the Five Eyes Intelligence Alliance since WWII alongside UK, USA, Canada and Australia, what can and should this mean to NZ going forward
• How has the spirit of ANZAC changed in recent times, is it still relevant
• What lessons should we take from the Ukraine war
• What are the implications and possible opportunities for NZ from AUKUS ( trilateral security partnership between Australia, UK & USA intended to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific )

Brigadier Lisa Ferris – The NZ Government and Defence perspective.

NZ Defence Advisor to the UK since 2024. In 2018, she became the Director of Defence Legal Services, principal legal advisor to the NZ Chief of Defence Force. That year she was promoted to Brigadier, only the second female Brigadier in the NZ Army. She has extensive operational experience being deployed twice to Afghanistan, Iraq and the Arabian Gulf. Brigadier Ferris was born and raised in Gisborne and is of Ngati Porou descent. Full bio here.

Brigadier (retired) Grant Mason, DSC, DSM – The ANZAC perspective.

Managing Director of Empower Advisory, UK. Grant retired from the Australian Defence Force, Sep 2025 after a distinguished 35-year army career. He was the former Head of the Australian Defence Force, Australian High Commission, London during the establishment of AUKUS. He subsequently conducted a review for the Australian Defence Force of the strategic lessons from the Ukraine war. Full bio here.

Rt Hon. Anne-Marie Trevelyan – The UK perspective.

Strategic Adviser to global defence & energy sectors. Min. of State for the Indo-Pacific in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Oct. ’22–Jul. ’24, focusing on strengthening UK engagement, trade and security (including AUKUS). Sec. of State for International Trade and Pres. of the Board of Trade, Sep. ’21–Sep. ’22. Sec. of State for International Development, Feb.–Sep. ’20. Min. of State for the Armed Forces, Dec. ’19–Feb. ’20. Min. for Defence Procurement, Jul.–Dec. ’19. She also served as Parliamentary Private Sec. to the Sec. of State for Defence. Full bio here.

CMS Host and Moderator – Dr Sam De Silva, Partner, Global Co-Head of the CMS Commercial Practice Group and NZUK Link Foundation Trustee. Chair, NZUK Link Foundation – Sally Martin Bios here.

This is a complimentary event and places are strictly limited.