Paul Brock was the Kiwibank Group Chief Executive from 2010-2017. He was Co-Founder of the bank which was launched in 2002.  As Group Chief Executive Paul led the Kiwibank Group through a period of rapid growth and diversification into business banking, wealth management, insurance and asset finance. 

Paul has a strong background in governance, management, growth business development, brand development and marketing. An extensive background in the financial services industry has also included senior management positions with Westpac and Trust Bank. Paul has been Chairman of Gareth Morgan Investments Ltd and Kiwibank Investment Management Ltd and the Massey University Business School Advisory Board. He has also been a Director of Kiwi Insurance Ltd, New Zealand Home Loans Ltd, Kiwibank Custodial Services Ltd, AMP Home Loans Ltd, Kiwi Capital Securities Ltd, Kiwi Capital Funding Ltd Kiwi Wealth Management Ltd and Cigna Life Insurance New Zealand Ltd.

Paul is currently  Chair of Tourism New Zealand, Chair of the Innovation Programme for Tourism Recovery, Chair of Foley Wines,  Chair of Chubb Life Insurance New Zealand and a Director of Southern Sky Dairies Ltd. He is also a Council Member of Massey University.

Louise Aitken is the Director of Thriving World Limited and was most recently the Chief Executive of the Ākina Foundation, an impact consultancy focused on delivering social and environmental change.

Louise brings a unique skillset and excellent understanding of global markets, from her time in global business management roles for Fonterra. Along with her passion for economic change-making, she is a champion for Aotearoa’s innovators and businesses to unlock the solutions needed to address climate change and social challenges. 

Andrew Baker (Te Arawa, Tūwharetoa) is Managing Director of Tika Learning Ltd, a strategic cultural consultancy helping businesses in their journey to discover the value in authentically embracing Māori culture. He was previously Cultural Development Manager for Air New Zealand where he designed and oversaw the implementation of Air New Zealand’s Māori strategy.

Andrew has vast experience in building Māori culture within mainstream businesses and has also been instrumental in establishing New Zealand Story’s Māori Advisory Group, which ensures a strong Māori lens in all stakeholder engagements and external campaigns.

Victoria Blood has a long and international career in the entertainment and creative industries, working with some of the biggest names in New Zealand’s music scene, including managing Gin Wigmore. She has been Chair of the New Zealand Music Commission since 2013, and is Leader of WeCreate Incorporated, providing advice to the Government on policy matters affecting the creative sector. Her appointment builds on five years working with New Zealand Story and the Advisory Board welcomes her global connections and strategic direction for our important and rapidly evolving creative sector ecosystem.

Peter has been Chief Executive of NZTE since October 2011. Before NZTE Peter was based in Sydney as Regional President Norske Skog Australasia, manufacturing newsprint for New Zealand, Australia and Asian markets. He was also previously General Manager of Tasman Paper in Kawerau and Senior Vice President for Norske Skog International at the global headquarters in Oslo.

René de Monchy joined Tourism New Zealand in August 2015. René brings 15 years' global experience in consumer-led businesses including local and international marketing roles for Fonterra and Heineken and most recently as Marketing Director at Asia Pacific Breweries in Singapore. 

As Director Commercial, René manages Tourism New Zealand’s Commercial function which brings together our offshore offices and global Business Events team. 

In January 2021, René was appointed as Interim Chief Executive of Tourism New Zealand. 

Dave Samuels is the current Chief Executive of Te Puni Kōkiri (the Ministry of Māori Development) in New Zealand. 

Prior to his current appointment he was the Deputy Director-General, China Relations based in the New Zealand Embassy in Beijing, leading the Ministry for Primary Industries’ team in China.  Prior to that he was the Consul and Regional Agriculture Counsellor for the Ministry for Primary Industries at the New Zealand Embassy in the United Arab Emirates, where he was responsible for maintaining and expanding primary industry trade with the Middle East and North Africa.

Dave has held numerous policy and operational leadership roles with the Department of Corrections, Te Puni Kokiri and the Ministry for Primary Industries.  He began his career as an infantry officer in the New Zealand Army and has led New Zealand  soldier’s in Singapore and Malaysia and seen operational service in Lebanon, Syria, Bougainville, and East Timor. 

He holds a Master of Public Administration degree (with Merit) from Victoria University, Wellington and a Master of Philosophy degree (Humanities and Social Sciences) in Defence and Strategic Studies from Massey University.

His tribal allegiances are Waikato-Tainui and Te Whakatōhea.  He is married to Marguerite and has seven children.

Chris has spent the last five years (2013-2018) as New Zealand’s High Commissioner to Australia. He first joined MFAT in 1985. Chris was Deputy Secretary for the Australia, Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa Group from 2008-2013. His earlier career included assignments in Tehran, Canberra, London and Papua New Guinea, where he was High Commissioner.

Chris also spent some time in the Ministry of Defence as Deputy Secretary, Policy and Planning from 2004-2008.

In addition to a number of roles in Wellington, Chris has served with the International Peace Monitoring Team in the Solomon Islands, the New Zealand delegation to the UN General Assembly and was seconded to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Ray Smith is Director-General at the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). He leads a workforce of 3,000 people in over 70 locations in New Zealand and around the world.

MPI works to enable and partner with primary industries to continue growing and protecting New Zealand. Ray joined MPI on 1 November 2018 and is proud to be given the opportunity to work in a sector that has so much potential to influence both the standard of living and positive environmental outcomes for New Zealanders and for our children and future generations.

 As the Functional Lead for Health and Safety across the public sector, Ray is responsible for increasing the capability for smart health and safety practice across the public sector. He is a member of the Business Leaders’ Health and Safety Forum Steering Committee alongside a number of leaders across the government and private sectors.