Jenny Shipley

Dame Jenny Shipley is an independent director and keynote speaker, with an extensive portfolio of directorships in New Zealand and internationally. She is the chairman of Genesis Energy and the New Zealand subsidiary of China Construction Bank NZ Ltd. Additionally, Shipley has served as an independent director on the Shanghai and Hong Kong listed China Construction Bank for six years.

Shipley's leadership extends beyond corporate governance. She chaired APEC in New Zealand in 1999, becoming the first woman to do so. A significant part of her career was dedicated to public service, including her tenure as the 36th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1997 to 1999, where she led a coalition and minority government through the Asian financial crisis and achieved economic growth of over four percent. After leaving politics in 2002, she continued to influence through her roles on several boards, including the Boao Forum for Asia and the Beijing-based International Finance Forum.

Today, Shipley's speaking engagements focus on topics such as "Moving Young Minds Forward", "Making People Stakeholders in the Future", and "Investing in People: A Ladder to the Future". She tracks and analyzes geopolitical, demographic, economic, and social mega trends, particularly those affecting the Asia Pacific region. Shipley also remains actively involved in leadership development through her role as a board member of the Club of Madrid and her continued commitment to global women’s leadership and educational initiatives, such as the Education Forum for East Asia.