Rt Hon Dame Jenny
Shipley

Dame Jenny Shipley is a highly experienced leader and a dynamic force in global and national arenas. She has held a wide range of senior leadership roles across the public and private sectors in New Zealand and internationally. Renowned for her razor-sharp focus on the future, she balances diplomacy with decisiveness in all that she does.

Dame Jenny closely tracks geopolitical shifts and global mega trends. She actively works with current and emerging political, business, and community leaders who have the courage and competence to shape the future prosperity of their communities and countries.

A trailblazer throughout her career, she became New Zealand’s first woman Prime Minister from 1997 to 1999 and the first woman to chair APEC in 1999. She played a central role in the bold and often controversial economic and social reforms of the 1990s, which opened New Zealand to global markets. Prior to becoming Prime Minister, she held several senior ministerial roles. She remains a reformer and early advocate for emerging trends that enhance New Zealand’s economic and geopolitical standing both regionally and globally.

A passionate supporter of New Zealand’s Treaty obligations, Dame Jenny was honoured to deliver the Crown’s apology to Ngāi Tahu as part of their Treaty Settlement in 1998. Her commitment to reconciliation remains a cornerstone of her work.

Since transitioning from politics in 2002, she has taken on numerous leadership roles across corporate, community, and advisory sectors in New Zealand and abroad. She is a strategist, consultant, and advisor known for her deep insight into leadership and societal cohesion.

Dame Jenny brings a strong voice to the value of inclusive societies, where diversity is celebrated and collective goals are shared. She holds a deep understanding of the Treaty relationship and led the nationwide commemoration of 250 years since Māori and Captain Cook first met in 1769. Her interest in the cultural influence of historic civilisations informs her thinking on the future, especially in an era of global interconnectivity and rapid development, including AI.

Leadership with purpose and intent defines Dame Jenny’s ethos. She speaks frequently on impactful leadership and draws from rich experience to guide others. Post-politics, she was instrumental in establishing Global Women NZ and Champions for Change—organisations that have significantly advanced the inclusion of women in senior roles across sectors. She also founded the Breakthrough Leadership programme, a sought-after initiative for emerging leaders.

Her interest in the Asia-Pacific region runs deep. She has regularly spoken in China and throughout Asia and brings immense corporate experience to the table. She served as Chair and Independent Director of China Construction Bank NZ Ltd for five years, and earlier as an independent director on the global board of the Fortune 500-listed China Construction Bank in Hong Kong. She chaired the NZX and ASX-listed Genesis Energy for nine years and has led several public and private entities in New Zealand.

Dame Jenny has served on the Board and Advisory Council of the BOAO Forum for Asia. She is a former Vice President and current member of the World Leaders Forum/Club of Madrid, comprising over 110 former Presidents and Prime Ministers. She is also a member of the World Women Leaders Council.

Dame Jenny offers rare insight into leadership, social cohesion, inclusion, geopolitics, future alliances, and the human dimensions of global trends. Her voice remains a compelling guide for what must come next to ensure security and prosperity for the generations ahead.