2012

Hon Dr Peter Watson ONZM is the President and CEO of Dwight Group, a Washington D.C. based investment bank. An expert in international business and trade policy, he has held top posts in the White House during the Bill, including Director of Asian Affairs at the National Security Council.

An influential figure in the US, Dr. Watson has been engaged in numerous organisations supporting the New Zealand-US relationship. In particular, he is a former Executive Director of the US-NZ Council, on the Board of Visitors of the University of Auckland (US), and Co-Founder and Chairman of the US-NZ Connection/Chamber of Commerce in Los Angeles. The latter led to his role as the Chairman of the 1984 Los Angeles New Zealand Olympic fundraising committee supporting our national team. In addition, he has advised the New Zealand Consulate General in Los Angeles, as well as companies such as Air New Zealand and ANZ, among others.

Peter was appointed Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2002 and Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to New Zealand –US relations in 2012.

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa is an iconic opera singer and Founder of Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation.

Since Dame Kiri’s debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in 1971, she has become one of the most famous sopranos in the world.  

Her foundation aims to support and financially aid young singers and musicians.

Her achievements have been recognised with an Honorary Companion of the Order of Australia in 1990; an Order of New Zealand in 1995; and Dame Commander of the British Empire in 2002. 

A former lead singer in a band, law graduate and TV presenter, Ian Taylor CNZM is more well-known for being the Founder and Owner of one of New Zealand’s leading and internationally renowned computer graphics companies: Animation Research Limited (ARL). ARL is famous for its Virutal Eye, which is its sports division and a world leader in the provision of 3D TV graphics.

Ian is also the Founder of Taylormade Media.

In 2009, Ian was inducted into the New Zealand HiTech Hall of Fame. The following year, he was named North & South Magazines New Zealander of the Year and awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the New Zealand Computer Society, the top honour of the New Zealand ICT sector. In 2012, he was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to television and business and in 2013, named Outstanding Māori Business Leader of the Year.

For the development of an innovation mobile application for the 34th America’s Cup, Ian and his team received the prestigious Sports Emmy under the category Outstanding New Approaches: Sports Coverage in 2014. 

Jeremy Moon is Founder and Managing Director of Icebreaker, the market leader of merino outdoor clothing in Australia, Canada, Europe, the UK, and most recently, USA. The company’s Wellington-based team has grown to over 250 people globally, with offices in Australia, France, Switzerland, Germany, Eastern Europe, Canada and the USA.  

Jeremy also chairs Better by Design, and is a member on the Growth and Innovation Advisory Board.

In his very successful career he has received many awards and accolades, including a Gold Award for Sustainable Sock Packaging and Silver Award for Packaging at the Best Design Awards for Visual Communication in 2010. Jeremy received the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2008. He also received Global Gold and the Supreme Award at the Wellington Gold Awards in 2006.

Prior to this, he received Best Small Business in the Region at the 2001 Wellington Rising Gold Awards. In the same year he received his first award for the company catalogue at the Best Design Awards for Visual Communication, and Best New Sportswear or Outdoor Brand in Europe. In 1998 he was named the Ernst & Young Inaugural Young Entrepreneur of the Year. 

David Kirk is the Co-founder and Managing Partner of Bailador, a specialist IT and media investment firm based in London.

After a distinguished rugby career, which included captaining the All Blacks and leading the team to win the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987, David has led a successful career across diverse sectors ranging from media and sport, entertainment through to central government; and finance.  

He is a Rhodes Scholar with degrees in Medicine from Otago University and Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University.

Notable among his former senior executive roles, David was the CEO of FairfaxMedia. Early on, he also served as Executive Assistant and then Chief Policy Advisor to the Rt Hon Jim Bolger (the then New Zealand PM).

Professor Sir Malcolm Grant CBE FAcSS is the Chair of NHS England, which sets the priorities and direction of England’s national health service. He was the President and Provost of University College London for 10 years. In addition, Sir Malcolm is a barrister, and legal academic and the Chancellor of the University of York.

Sir Malcolm has previously served as Chair of the Local Government Commission for England, of the Agriculture and Environmental Biotechnology Commission and the Russell Group.

During his career, he has specialised in and written widely on topics including planning, property, and environmental law and the regulation of biotechnology.

Sir Malcolm received his knighthood in the 2014 Birthday Honours for services to higher education. He is also a member of the Bench of Middle Temple (one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers), and an honorary member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Royal Town Planning Institute.