Ideas + Innovation + Action

Imagine – Mayors, Ministers, CEOs, creatives, entrepreneurs, future leaders from across the nation – and you. Be inspired. Be at the forefront of emerging trends. Build your network. Build your ideas and skills. Join the future!

Watch the promo vid – see you at #FFTF18!

2018 Speakers & Panelists

Featured

Ezekiel is a 2018 Queen’s Young Leader Award Recipient, and a champion for improving mental health and wellbeing amongst rangatahi and Māori men.

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VANISA DHIRU

Vanisa is the President of the National Council of Women. She’s helping to lead the movement for a more Gender Equal New Zealand.

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GUY RYAN

Guy is the Founder and CEO of Inspiring Stories, the instigator behind Festival for the Future, and a former Young New Zealander of the Year.

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ALEXIA HILBERTIDOU

Alexia is a 2018 Queen’s Young Leader Award Recipient. She’s the Founder and Co-director of GirlBoss NZ, and is challenging the status quo.

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JUSTIN FLITTER

Justin is the Founder of New Zealand AI, and is passionate about emerging technology and new opportunities to create customer value.

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JILL DAY

Jill is the Deputy Mayor of Wellington City – the first Māori woman elected into this position. She plans to make Wellington NZ’s Te Reo Maori Capital.

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GULED MIRE

Guled is a former refugee who is passionate about advancing the social wellbeing, inclusion and development of ethnic and refugee communities.

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LOUISE AITKEN

Louise is the CEO of Akina, helping to grow social enterprise in New Zealand. The NZ Government recently invested $5.5M to support this.

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MALCOLM ALEXANDER

Malcolm is the CEO of LGNZ, working across New Zealand’s 78 local, regional and unitary councils, and acting as a voice into Central Government.

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JOSIAH TUALAMALI’I

Josiah is a recipient of the Prime Minister's Pacific Youth Leadership Award, and part of the panel working on NZ’s mental health inquiry.

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CHLOE SWARBRICK

Chloe is NZ’s youngest MP in over 40 years. She is the Spokesperson for Education, Tertiary Education and Youth for the Green Party.

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ADITHI PANDIT

Adithi leads strategy and operations, and the social impact practice at Deloitte NZ. She’s passionate solving wicked problems.

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HON. ANDREW BECROFT

Andrew is the youth principal chief justice, and Children’s Commissioner working with some of New Zealand’s most vulnerable young people.

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MATEAWA KEELAN

Mateawa is a business owner who is passionate about empowering Ngati Porou women to achieve financial and economic independence.

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MEIHANA DURIE

Meihana heads up Massey University’s School of Māori Knowledge. His work focuses on rangatahi-centered pathways for success.

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PAMELA BELL

Pamela a former winter olympian, and the founder and CEO of PrefabNZ. PrefabNZ seeks out and creates solutions for NZ’s housing crisis.

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SEE ALL 2018 SPEAKERS & PANELISTS >>

See the full programme.

See the full programme >>

Who else attends?

There'll be CEOs, entrepreneurs and emerging leaders. Top-tier businesses send their young professionals. Councils send young people from their communities. Schools and tertiary institutions send their students. This year there'll be a strong contingent from Government. You should be there!

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See all past speakers

"I've never experienced an event quite like the Festival before - the atmosphere was incredible!"

Daniel Flynn
CEO & Co-founder of Thankyou

"It was surreal to be surrounded by so many passionate and like-minded people from across the country."

Rez Gardi
Young New Zealander of the Year

Past Speakers

YOSEPH AYELE

CEO of the Edmund Hillary Fellowship, convening entrepreneurs & investors to tackle global challenges.

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LISA KING

CEO & Co-founder of Eat My Lunch, tackling child poverty through NZ's fastest growing social enterprise.

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GUY RYAN

CEO of Inspiring Stories, Director of Festival for the Future, and Former Young New Zealander of the Year.

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PRECIOUS CLARK

Director at Ngati Whatua Orakei Whai Rawa, and Board Member at The Centre for Social Impact.

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JOSIAH TUALAMALI’I

Recipient of the Prime Minister's Pacific Youth Leadership Award, champion for Pacific Peoples.

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FATUMATA BAH

Young leader for the Office of Ethnic Community, Award Recipient for Young Women in Public Affairs.

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DANIEL FLYNN

CEO and Co-Founder of one of the world's best social enterprises Thankyou, tackling extreme poverty.

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IRENE WAKEFIELD

Founder and CEO of PrePair NZ, building a movement to end abusive relationships and domestic violence.

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SHAMUBEEL EAQUB

Author. Economist. Political and media commentator. Public speaker. Making economics easy.

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MELISSA CLARK-REYNOLDS

Entrepreneur and futurist, ONZM, Kea World Class NZer and Company Director.

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