New Honorary Advisers For Asia:NZ

MEDIA RELEASE Friday, 3 July 2009

New Honorary Advisers For Asia:NZ

Four high ranking Asian dignitaries have been named as new honorary advisers to the Asia New Zealand Foundation.

The new honorary advisers are Dr Ng Eng Hen (Singapore), Mr Stanley Tan (Singapore), Madame Li Xiaolin (China) and Mr Soichiro Fukutake (Japan).

They were appointed last week by the Minister of Foreign Minister Hon Murray McCully who is Chairman of the Asia New Zealand Foundation’s Honorary Advisers Board. “I am delighted to announce the appointments of these honorary advisers, who all hold leading positions in business, academic or political circles. They will make an important contribution to the foundation’s work and to the reputation of New Zealand,” said Mr McCully.

Dr Ng who is Singapore’s Minister for Education and Second Secretary for Defence will be replacing Prime Minister Lee Hsieng Loong who has been an adviser since 1994.

Mr Tan, who received an ONZM in 2002 for services to New Zealand-Singapore relations, initiated the Asia New Zealand Foundation’s Singapore Scholarship programme and has been a supporter since its inception in 1997.

Madame Li is the Vice President of the People’s Association of Friendship with Foreign Countries that will be undertaking a joint exchange project with the foundation’s Young Leaders Network later this year, while Mr Fukutake is Chairman and CEO of the Benesse Corporation of Japan.

The foundation’s honorary advisers’ board is an important link to networks at the most senior levels in their countries, and beyond. They provide advice, knowledge and influence to the foundation’s activities.

There are 17 Asia New Zealand Foundation honorary advisers from 11 Asian countries. They represent an important human resource to the foundation in its activities to facilitate closer links between New Zealand and Asia.

Their term of appointment is generally for five years. All four new honorary advisers begin their new appointments immediately.

ends

© Scoop Media