KIWI HEROES SIR RAY AVERY AND SAM JOHNSON
SET TO INSPIRE LEADERS DURING LEADERSHIP WEEK
They couldn’t be more different – one is a 20-something university student and the other is a New Zealand order of Merit
recipient who was named 2010’s New Zealander of the year, but they both have one very important thing in common, and
that’s their ability to be great leaders.
It is for this reason that Sam Johnson, the man behind the Student Volunteer Army (SVA), which helped thousands of
displaced students and moved 65,000 tons of liquefaction during the Christchurch “Quakes”, and Sir Ray Avery, who is
renowned for helping developing countries gain better access to health care, have been selected to engage with
Leadership Week at the Leadership New Zealand dinner being held in the Auckland Town Hall on Saturday July 2nd.
Leaders including CEOs, key executives, academics and artists, community and spiritual leaders from many different
organisations and pockets of the country will come together at the Town Hall to examine a theme of Leadership for our
times - building a nation on Courage, Compassion and Commitment as part of Leadership Week 2011.
Leadership Week is an annual event that highlights the strategic relevance and value that great leadership provides for
New Zealand. It also showcases the work being done to develop the nation’s leadership capability.
Leadership New Zealand Chair Jo Brosnahan says Leadership Week is a wonderful opportunity for leaders in all areas of
New Zealand society to reflect on how their leadership is shaping the future of the country. “It is a chance for leaders
to share their vision with those around them, and to impart knowledge and experience, so that we continue to improve as
leaders,” Ms Brosnahan says.
“With the generous assistance and support of Leadership New Zealand’s event sponsors; Foodstuffs, ACC and Baleringe, the
Leadership New Zealand dinner will bring leaders from various backgrounds together to listen and be inspired, and to
share and enlighten, but most importantly, the event will bring the qualities of courage, compassion and commitment to
the fore – because these are fundamental qualities required for our leaders as we continue to build our nation,” she
says. “This is why we have chosen speakers who embody these qualities to help ignite Leadership Week.”