Now in its fifth year, Kea Inspire returns to bring you the inspirational stories of six world-leading, world-changing Kiwis from Kea’s World Class New Zealand Network. These Kiwis represent the very best New Zealand has to offer the world.

Our Inspire 2016 speakers include international celebrity chef Robert Oliver, former GM of Nike and President of Equinox Sarah Robb O'Hagan, serial entrepreneur Linda Jenkinson, internationally acclaimed designer, filmmaker and playwright Professor Welby Ings, and legal expert and diversity champion Mai Chen and the CEO of KIWA and Executive Wellness Coach Steven Renata. 

Be inspired by the personal stories of triumph and lessons learned on paths to global success across business, philanthropy, cuisine, sustainability, health and fitness and more.

Join us after the event for networking, and complimentary drinks and nibbles thanks to Kea’s Global Property Partner Barfoot & Thompson. 

Read about the speakers at Kea Inspire 2016 below:

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Sarah Robb O’Hagan, Global Business Executive and Chief Extremer at ExtremeYOU

Sarah has been described by media as the ultimate example of where fierce businesswoman, mother and fitness fanatic combine. Named among Forbes “Most Powerful Women in Sports” and recognised as one of Fast Company’s “Most Creative People in Business”, Sarah is a global icon as a re-inventor of brands. Her career includes leadership roles at Virgin, Nike, Gatorade and most recently President of Equinox, the world’s premier fitness lifestyle company. Sarah now leads “Extreme Living”, a social framework helping individuals, teams and businesses unlock their potential. 

 

Robert Oliver, Celebrity chef, award-winning author, speaker, and TV presenter

A New Zealand chef raised in Fiji and Samoa, Robert has developed restaurants across the US and Australia, launched “farm to table” resorts in the Caribbean, and organizes food programs feeding those in need in New York City. His first book Me’a Kai: The Food and Flavours of the South Pacific connected Pacific agriculture with tourism and won “Best Cookbook in the World 2010” at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in Paris. Robert is also Chef Ambassador for Le Cordon Bleu, a world-renowned speaker, television presenter, contributor to The Huffington Post and New Western Cuisine, and judge on “My Kitchen Rules”.

 

Linda Jenkinson, Serial Entrepreneur and Chairman and Founder of John Paul  

Linda is the Chairman and Founder of John Paul, a global travel concierge provider to the world’s largest brands. A serial entrepreneur who has built three multi-million dollar companies, Linda was the first New Zealand woman to take a company public on the NASDAQ Exchange, and co-founded WOW for Africa, an innovative business-based approach to SME development in West Africa. Most recently, Linda was named one of the most Influential Women in the Bay Area (San Francisco, USA), Master Entrepreneur of the Year by EY New Zealand, and was the first woman to be awarded The Sir Geoffrey Peren Award for Most Distinguished Alumni from Massey University. 
 

Professor Welby Ings, Professor of Graphic Design at AUT

Welby is an award winning designer, filmmaker and playwright as well as Professor of Graphic Design at AUT who consults to many organisations on issues of creativity and learning. He has spoken at international conferences on the relationship between storytelling, typography and film. His short films Boy and Munted have been selected for numerous international film festivals and have been shortlisted for Academy Awards. Welby is an outspoken critic of dehumanised systems of learning and isn’t afraid to confront marginalised issues. In 2002 he received the Prime Minister’s Award for Tertiary Teaching Education and the NZ Government Award for Sustained Tertiary Teaching Excellence. 
 

Mai Chen, Legal Expert and Diversity Champion

Mai is one of New Zealand’s top law experts and diversity champions. Born in Taiwan, Mai immigrated to New Zealand at age 6. She is the founding partner of award-winning boutique law firm Chen Palmer Public and Employment Law Specialists. She is also Chair of the Superdiversity Centre for Law, Policy and Business, Inaugural Chair of NZ Global Women, Founder and Chair of NZ Asian Leaders, Director at BNZ and Adjunct Professor at the University of Auckland School of Law as well as a best-selling author. Mai has been a Top 10 finalist in the 2014 and 2016 New Zealander of the Year Awards and recipient of the Business and Entrepreneur Women of Influence Awards 2013. Most recently, she was named in The Economist’s Top 50 Diversity Figures in Public Life.
 

Steven Renata, CEO of KIWA and Executive Wellness Coach

Steven is the CEO and Global Director of Business Development for KIWA, the world’s leading production house for experiential digital books. Prior to this, he spent 20 years building Les Mills International, a global wellness company, from small start-up to $100 million-dollar global movement spanning over 100 countries. These experiences give Steven insights into the global shift to digital consumption, how modern ‘tribes’ emerge, survive and thrive and how to create high performance teams. He is of Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Kahu descent and was one of the first Māori graduates from the University of Otago with a Masters in Marketing.
 

These industry-leading Kiwis and hundreds more are members of Kea’s World Class New Zealand Network – a network of Kiwis operating at a global scale who are ready to help you with your global business aspirations. For more information visit keanewzealand.com/world-class-nz.

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