Emerging from childhood roles with remarkable poise, Elle Fanning has grown into one of her generation’s most versatile performers, balancing blockbuster spectacle with intimate, character-driven acting. At just a glance, Elle seems effortlessly luminous. Her talent runs far deeper than just her natural beauty though with her remarkable kindness and […]
Miraka Davies opened the Journey To Excellence stage with a waiata and a rebrand, then spent half an hour demonstrating that resilience has nothing to do with keeping it together. The first thing Miraka Davies did as keynote speaker was introduce herself, which was awkward, because she was also the […]
Thirty years in technology sales have taught Sita Proud that negotiation is not a boardroom event. It is a mindset, and women are better equipped for it than they think. Sita Proud learned to negotiate at about ten years old, in a saree shop in India, watching her mother commit […]
Andrew Nicol has interviewed 100 New Zealand leaders about AI. His verdict: most of us are strumming a guitar we have never practised, then blaming the guitar. Andrew Nicol opened with a confession from a Fiji sailing holiday. He wore his prescription sunglasses onto the boat, knowing better. He ducked […]
Redundancies at 28, a $60 million lawsuit at 29, and a home baking roster she is not on: Skills Consulting Group CEO Rosanne Graham on what the path to the top actually looks like. Before the career history came the baking story. Graham is a single parent of five children, […]
The day closed with Miraka Davies back in the MC chair, steering Sita Proud and Rosanne Graham through a conversation ranging from feedback and imposter syndrome to mothers, motorbikes and steak. Asked what had stuck with her from the day, Proud pointed to Andrew Nicol’s letter to his children. “I’m […]
Sixteen years ago Di Foster was given twelve months to live and told to put her affairs in order. She declined, had a chat with Death over green tea, and built a framework for living intentionally instead. Di Foster opened by admitting that the six-year-old inside her, the one who […]
From down to the wire phone calls to opera at the pyramids, Innovative Travel founder Robyn Galloway has spent 35 years proving that the strongest negotiating position is a relationship you built before you needed it. Robyn Galloway’s first recorded negotiation was a failure, and it was with her mother. […]
Host Joy Reid gathered Di Foster, Robyn Galloway, Andrew Nicol and Rosanne Graham for a closing kōrero on apologies, imposter syndrome, fruit salad, and why nobody should aim to win 100 per cent of a negotiation. Joy Reid opened by confessing she had scribbled Rosanne Graham’s ten lessons “on scraps […]
At the 2026 Met Gala Joey King wore a custom Miu Miu tulle column dress embellished with cascading silver crystals, featuring a pink leather halter neckline and pink georgette train inspired by the iconic Miu Miu Spring/Summer 2010 collection. She finished the look with light pink satin mules. Gigi Hadid […]
If there were an Olympic sport for politely following up proposals, I’d quietly fancy my chances of making the podium. One of the more unexpected lessons I’ve learnt since starting my own consultancy is that some of the biggest projects I’ve ever “won” have never actually begun. Most new opportunities […]
Eighty-two per cent of New Zealand businesses now use AI. Almost none of them can feel it. Expert speakers at the M2 AI Summit in Auckland spent a day explaining why the missing ingredient is not the machine. Here is the state of play, courtesy of the Productivity Propelled report […]
We are living through the oddest phase of the AI story so far: everyone is using it, almost nobody can prove it is working, and the technology itself has quietly changed underneath us. A day in Christchurch with nine speakers made sense of it. There is a peculiar contradiction sitting […]
Long before boardrooms, Christine Kearney trained in ballet: a discipline built entirely on making difficulty look effortless. It’s a fitting origin story for a woman who has spent her career perfecting the same art in business. She cut her teeth in five-star hospitality, starting her hotel career at The Ritz […]
Nichole Lewis lost everything in the financial crisis – and found her way back by rewriting one sentence. Here’s the phrase she says is holding women back from wealth, and the four-quadrant framework she built to escape it for good. “I can’t afford it.” It sounds harmless. Practical, even. But […]
Jacqlin Richards on why you can hold a boardroom together, yet bath time still breaks you – and how to change that. Jacqlin Richards is a Parenting Alchemist and mother of two, who has been recognised as a Women Changing the World Gold Award recipient. Here, the founder of the […]
For Michelle Herlihy, CEO of Speirs Finance Group, leadership begins and ends with people. Michelle runs a near $1 billion lending business that supports thousands of New Zealand companies, yet when she describes her role, the financial metrics come second. The real work, she says, is human. “I would sum […]
While Chorus is focused on maintaining the digital infrastructure that powers New Zealand, Chief People Officer Jo Mataira is dedicated to the human elements that power the organisation. Having spent over a decade with the telecommunications giant, Mataira has seen the company through a period of immense structural change, yet […]
Sara Johnson leads one of the biggest trade-facing businesses in the country as CEO of ITM, New Zealand’s largest independent building supply network. On paper, the scale is substantial: a co-operative of more than 90 stores nationwide, backed by 26 Frame & Truss plants, serving everyone from local builders to […]
Alaina Luxmoore and Heather Polaschek of RUSH have spent years navigating industries that have not always made space for women. What they have been a part of building together showcases what genuine support in leadership actually looks like. Alaina Luxmoore is Director of Marketing at RUSH, Aotearoa’s leading digital design […]
Change, by its nature, can be unsettling within an organisation. Korrin Balmain often explains it with a simple analogy. “Imagine leaving your car at a valet car wash, when you get it back, the seat has moved, the mirrors are different, and the radio station has changed. You would stop […]
Wendy Nowell-Usticke has spent long enough in beauty to know when an industry is overcomplicating things. In a world that thrives on excess, multi-step routines, endless launches and ever-changing trends, she has found herself moving in the other direction. That shift did not come from trend forecasting or a sudden […]
These days, the travel industry is brimming with algorithmic social feeds, tracked ads, apps and online booking systems, but Robyn Galloway is living proof that nothing can replace true human experience, expertise and passion. As the founder of Innovative Travel, Galloway has led her company through the massive technological and […]
In the world of Margot Robbie, a cup of tea is not just a beverage; it is a universal problem solver, a celebratory toast, and a grounding ritual all rolled into one. She has famously admitted to drinking at least ten cups of Dilmah a day, a Sri Lankan brand […]
New Zealand is full of amazing women leaders across a range of sectors and industries, and while our Leading from Every Angle series is an ongoing feature, here is a recap of the awesome leaders we have profiled and some of their lessons from the journey. 1. Speak up Tracey […]
She never intended to build a company. Even now, looking back, Sarah Heal still describes the beginning of Information Leadership as “a bit of a happy accident.” There was no plan, no strategy, and no planned leap into entrepreneurship. It began with a phone call from a friend. It started […]
When talking to Tracey Ryan, you quickly get the sense she has lived several careers in one lifetime. Chief Executive of Aurecon New Zealand, she sits at the intersection of engineering, infrastructure and national strategy, but her story starts a long way from project boards and government forums. It begins […]
Fusion5 is a big ship. It began as a small Wellington venture and has grown into a trans-Tasman technology services company of around a thousand people. It implements core platforms, runs managed services, integrates data so decisions move faster, and is increasingly known for getting AI out of slide decks […]
People often talk about leadership in terms of scale. The size of a business. The size of a transformation. The size of a mandate. But for Hannah Walton, the most meaningful measure is not scale at all. It is the human experience behind the numbers. It is how older New […]
Dawn Engelbrecht is no stranger to building scale. She grew a six-child after-school programme into 183 locations with 58 franchisees in New Zealand and branches in Australia, Canada, England, Ireland and South Africa caring for over 9,000 children a day, then brought that experience to Kitchen Studio, where she now […]
“You Win or Lose in the Second Half.” For Lisa Oakley, founder of People Associates, the second half isn’t about age or timing — it’s about renewal. It’s proof that you can rebuild, reimagine, and rise stronger from the toughest seasons. The first half might knock you down or strip […]
Creative Direction: Osborne Shiwan – Photographer: Danilo David – Model: Petra Leary Two decades into her label, Turet Knuefermann is not interested in fashion as noise. Her world is built far more quietly, in fittings where women exhale, in conversations about real lives rather than trends, in the small daily […]
On November 12, 1993, an inaugural eight-person tournament with no weight class, no time limits, no judges and very few rules took place in Denver, Colorado, which would forever change the landscape of the martial arts world. It would determine the superior fighter in any and every fighting style […]
When Kate Eaglen first walked into Simpson Grierson’s offices, sailing across the Pacific was the last thing on her mind. At the time, her ambitions were more traditional: sharpen her legal skills, learn from the best, and make her mark in the fast-paced world of commercial litigation. Law appealed to […]
How do you define effective leadership, and how has your definition evolved over time? My understanding of leadership has evolved through a few pivotal moments in my career. One of the most transformative experiences was working under a leader who profoundly shaped my growth and confidence and taught me what great […]
By its nature, recruitment is one of those industries that is constantly dynamic, nuanced, multifaceted, and connected to the success of a wider economy. At Dynamix Recruitment, two women – Lisa Bennett, the Managing Director, and Renee Sharp, the Finance Director, are leading the way with a combined expertise that […]
M2woman had the opportunity to sit down with Olivia (Liv) Mackay to learn about her passion for sailing and the ability to operate at the top of the world. Liv is the strategist for SailGP team Black Foils, and we interviewed her just six days after the team cleaned up […]
Mariele Klering never imagined she would get into Jiu-Jitsu. A few years ago, the thought of stepping onto the mats—let alone thriving in a sport she once dismissed as “too masculine”—would’ve seemed laughable to her. But life, as it so often does, had a way of surprising her. After spending […]
Marketing moves fast—blink, and you’re already behind. Staying ahead in 2025 isn’t about chasing every new trend; it’s about embracing innovation, staying agile, and focusing on what actually delivers results. For entrepreneurs who want more than just survival, these five strategies will help you stand out, stay relevant, and turn […]
As I look at my 18 year old daughter readying herself to leave home and head off to university – pushing past her fears and ready to pursue her dreams, I have reflected on my own current levels of courage. How often am I ready to step outside my comfort […]
“In those moments when we don’t think we’re smart enough or pretty enough, or skinny enough or successful enough, or basically just not enough. I had a woman say to me, ‘Just know, you will never be enough. But you can know the value of your worth if you just […]
M2woman had the opportunity to sit down with Olivia (Liv) to learn about her passion for sailing and the ability to operate at the top of the world. Liv is the strategist for SailGP team Black Foils, and we interviewed her just six days after the team cleaned up the […]
Hannah McQueen likes a big goal. The more audacious the better, and preferably several big hairy ones at once. Right now, the personal finance expert and founder of enable.me is re-writing her best-selling book, training for the Berlin marathon, establishing a farm, and working on growing the business from helping […]
Lara Henderson clearly remembers the moment she realised she probably wouldn’t be going back to corporate life after having her first child. “I had just emerged from the blur of the first four months of having a newborn, and I went out to meet with a mentor of mine.” “I […]
I don’t think a year in the last decade has promised to disrupt digital marketing as much as this one. The rate of change and availability of new tools and automation are changing the game. Here are my top 6 things to consider when embarking on your strategy for 2024: […]
Rochelle Moffit, owner of Tickled Pink personal branding agency talks about the importance of living life on your own terms, and how it’s helped her find genuine happiness in business, and everything she does. After 20 years in business and with two divorces behind me, I’ve learned a few lessons […]
There’s something timeless and universal about tales of individual tenacity and adaptability. They are inspirational for sure, but it’s maybe also that they provide a blueprint for navigating the intricacies and challenges of life. And resilience is not only a way to face adversity but it is a foundation […]
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a condition that affects over 4,100 New Zealanders and millions worldwide, and each one is a life altered forever by the chronic and unpredictable neurological disease that affects the central nervous system. Women are three times more likely to be diagnosed, and the average age […]
I often reflect on my life and time on this earth. I realise how much I have changed over the last decade—let alone four and a half decades—and how many of life’s lessons I have learnt. You can choose your attitude and how you respond to things. Whilst not […]
Having recently spent ten days in Hawaii I was reminded of the spirit of the Hawaiian people – their warmth, friendliness, their genuine interest in others and the respect for each other and each other’s property. I must say it took me most of my break to accept that […]
