Events

Christine is the Executive Director of Osteoporosis New Zealand.

After graduating from Massey University with a BSC (Biochem), Christine started her career as a member of the Connective Tissue Research Group, Department of Surgery, at Auckland University’s School of Medicine.

Following some years gathering experience in the infant nutritional and pharmaceutical sectors, Christine held the position of General Manager of Horleys where she and her team developed a number of nutritional products targeting specific demographics within the market.

For the past decade Christine has co-founded Flavorjen – a company providing innovation through the incorporation of specialised ingredients into the food and beverage manufacturing sector.

Cecilia Robinson is most recognised as founder and former CEO of My Food Bag but the experienced entrepreneur founded her first business Au Pair Link in 2007, aged 21, with husband James Robinson.

Cecilia’s work as a Swedish au pair inspired the business, which became Australasia's largest and the first global agency to license au pairs. Au Pair Link transformed the ECE sector and was sold to Evolve Education Group in December 2014 contributing interest to its NZX and ASX debuts.

In 2012, the Robinson Duo founded My Food Bag, bringing on Theresa Gattung, and chef Nadia Lim and Carlos Bagrie as co-founders, launching consumer meal kits in March 2013. Within three years, My Food Bag amassed more than 50,000 customers with revenue exceeding $100 million, transforming the online retail food sector and Kiwis mealtimes.

In 2016, the founding team sold 70 percent of the company to Waterman Capital. In 2018 Cecilia and James retired as CEOs remaining as directors.

Since inception, MFB has delivered more than 60 million meals, has become the third largest food retailer in New Zealand, is the largest, most profitable food kit in the world, and reaches 90 percent of Kiwis through its delivery network.

MFB is committed to the wellbeing of Kiwis and alongside delivering 10,000 meals each month to New Zealand charities, during COVID lockdown 2020, it launched the Back-up Bag, a world-first product. It was designed for charitable deliveries and as a home “safety” food box, and delivered 35,000 meals during Easter.

In 2020, motivated by a vision that “our children and the children of New Zealand don’t deserve to inherit our healthcare system”,  Cecilia and James founded Tend Health to optimise every Kiwis’ healthcare experience.

The digital-first primary healthcare platform brings together formidable New Zealand leaders, including PushPay CPO, Josh Robb, and Harvard educated Dr Mataroria Lyndon as Clinical Director. The remaining team includes 20 extraordinary health professionals, technologists and entrepreneurs committed to transforming healthcare for all generations.

In 2013, Cecilia won the EY Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and in 2017 she won the Business Enterprise Award and the Supreme Award at the New Zealand Women of Influence Awards.

As a mother of two young children and passionate advocate for women and mothers, Cecilia launched one of the most generous private company schemes in NZ with provision for 18 weeks paid parental leave. She is an avid mentor of women in business and the community. She is currently mentoring two startups and established business women juggling a post-COVID lockdown economy.

Cecilia is founding Trustee of The Prince’s Trust New Zealand focussing on Youth Entrepreneurship and the Environment, and supports multiple NZ charities and social enterprises.

Named Chief Executive of the Year in the 2019 Deloitte Top 200 Awards, Mr. Whineray is not only one of the most accomplished NZ business leaders, but also well known for his stance on sustainability.

Mr. Whineray will talk about sustainability in a New Zealand context, sharing facts and curiosities from both his business and personal experience.

Iris Schmidbauer has hurled herself off high places all over the world while competing on the Red Bull Cliff Diving circuit — and is one of just three women who can do a back triple somersault with double twist from 20m.

But it’s not just the height factor that Iris has to get over when she competes, with divers like herself also hitting the water at about 80km/h.

Iris came to New Zealand on a well-earned holiday at the end of last year's competition but thanks to Covid-19 has been training here ever since.

It’s not necessarily a bad thing, though, with the self-taught cliff diver using the chance to brush up on the basics, even if it is in two parts from the 10-metre platform.

The 2020 season's events were cancelled, which means the 25-year-old spent the whole year in New Zealand. But she’s hoping to stay longer after applying for a talent visa.

Janine Stewart is a specialist construction, property and projects lawyer. She acts on the full spectrum of construction projects and property disputes. She is the division lead of the MinterEllisonRuddWatts Construction Division.

She was the winner of Auckland Resene Women in Property award in 2017, ranked as Tier 2 in Construction in 2019 Chambers directory and as a ‘leading individual’ in Legal 500, she is actively engaged in thought leadership on issues impacting the property and construction industries and is also a regular contributer to a number of publications and presents widely on complex construction and property issues.

She is also the Chair of Mercy Ships New Zealand (MSNZ)  a registered charity in New Zealand which exists to support the work of Mercy Ships International. Linked through an Association Agreement, Mercy Ships New Zealand is involved in fundraising for various projects carried out by Mercy Ships International including recruiting crew for the Mercy Ships vessel and promoting the work of Mercy Ships.

LAST YEAR MERCY SHIPS NEW ZEALAND RAISED OVER $1.226 MILLION AND 39 KIWI CREW VOLUNTEERED

Mercy Ships New Zealand Auckland-based and governed by a voluntary Board of Trustees,  which meet four times a year. The principal roles of the board with regard to the overall Mercy Ships mission are to provide policy leadership and to oversee the operations of MSNZ

The Rotary Club of Downtown Auckland, in association with Milford Asset Management is delighted to again present the ‘Battle of the Suits’ debate.

WEDNESDAY 19 MAY 2021, 6:15PM, CORDIS HOTEL, AUCKLAND
 
You will be entertained by a celebrity team armed with an abnormally high combination of intellect and humour advocating that ‘The Nation’s Capital Should Return to Auckland’. In opposition an equally astute team of lawyers – a class we know to be beyond comparison when it comes to the art of argument - will oppose the moot, no doubt vigorously and artfully.
 
You will enjoy a beautifully set environment, welcome canapés, a 3-course dinner and beverages and great company, during an evening of entertainment like no other, knowing that you are supporting New Zealand’s KiwiHarvest and other equally as worthy local charities.
 
Visit www.battleofthesuits.co.nz now for more information (including viewing our 2019 event video if you unfortunately missed out last time), and to purchase your tickets