ASB Bank announces Arianna Huffington New Zealand visit

For immediate release

12 August 2014

ASB Bank announces Arianna Huffington New Zealand visit

Huffington Post Media Group founder is coming to New Zealand thanks to ASB, Anthem, stuff.co.nz, AUT University and The Briefing

Arianna Huffington will be coming to New Zealand for the first time in September.

One of the world’s most influential speakers and thought leaders, Huffington will attend a series of exclusive, invite-only events, including an evening dinner and a keynote address in Auckland on Friday 12 September.

Huffington is Chair, President, and Editor-in-Chief of the Huffington Post Media Group and author of 14 books. In May 2005, she launched The Huffington Post, a news and blog site that has quickly become one of the most widely read, linked to, and frequently cited media brands on the internet, winning its first Pulitzer Prize for reporting in 2012.

She was twice named to Forbes’ The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women list in 2012 and 2013 and twice named to the Time 100 – Time magazine’s list of the world’s 100 most influential people – in 2006 and 2011.

An entrepreneur and business leader, Huffington is among the global influencers shaping conversations on politics, the economy, media and public policy.

Managing Director of Anthem, Jane Sweeney, has long considered bringing Huffington to New Zealand. Huffington’s business history and digital leadership has been a source of inspiration as Sweeney framed up her new communications agency which opened earlier this year.

“Anthem is thrilled to have secured one of the world’s truly influential women to share her expertise with the New Zealand business fraternity,” says Sweeney.

“Her latest book, Thrive, is a must read, and I hope her visit will inspire local leaders to focus on what she calls the ‘Third Metric’ which includes well-being, wisdom, wonder, and a capacity for compassion and giving.”

Co-partner and lead sponsor ASB Bank says it is delighted to be involved in bringing a business achiever of Huffington’s calibre before a New Zealand audience.

ASB’s Executive General Manager Corporate, Commercial and Rural Banking, Steve Jurkovich, expects the entrepreneur will speak to the ambition of ASB’s business customers.

“Arianna Huffington is universally admired for her drive to succeed against all odds. Hearing about Arianna’s personal ambition first-hand will be extremely motivating for our business customers as they aspire to realise their own ambitions and reach the pinnacle of their industries,” Jurkovich says.

Simon Tong, Managing Director of Fairfax Media says Arianna Huffington is a natural fit with stuff.co.nz with the company’s focus on relevant user generated content.

“Compelling content is paramount to us, as we seek to inform, engage and share with New Zealanders everyday through New Zealand’s number one news and entertainment site, stuff.co.nz.”

Huffington was also named to Vanity Fair’s 2011 Powers That Be list, Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business, Financial Times’ 50 Faces That Shaped the Decade, Newsweek’s Top Ten Thought Leaders of the Decade and Forbes’ Most Influential Women in the Media 2012.

Her 14th book, Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder was published by Crown in March 2014 and debuted at number one on The New York Times Best Seller list.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Arianna Huffington serves on several boards, including HuffPost’s partners in Spain, the newspaper EL PAÍS and its parent company PRISA; Onex; The Center for Public Integrity; and The Committee to Protect Journalists.

Arianna Huffington is among the most influential players shaping the national conversation on politics, the economy, the media and public policy. An entrepreneur and business leader, Huffington provides an informed view on the state of the current business landscape and the impact of financial policy on the future of the economy. Her access to Washington’s key decision makers, as well as global and business leaders, allows her to provide a fresh and in-the-know perspective on today’s current events, culture and politics.

Celebrated for her work as the co-founder and editor-in-chief of the must-read Huffington Post, which in 2012 won its first Pulitzer Prize, Huffington has garnered worldwide acclaim, including being named in 2011 to the TIME 100, the magazine’s annual list of the most influential people in the world; Vanity Fair’s 2011 Powers That Be list; Fast Company’s list of the 100 Most Creative People in Business; Financial Times’ 50 Faces That Shaped the Decade; Newsweek’s Top Ten Thought Leaders of the Decade; and Forbes’ Most Influential Women in the Media (2012) and The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women (2012 and 2013).

She is the author of 14 books, including Third World America: How Our Politicians Are Abandoning the Middle Class and Betraying the American Dream (2010). Her new book, Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder (March, 2014), debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and follows up on the success of her acclaimed Third Metric conference, offering women (and men) a new definition of success, one that focused not only on career advancement, but on the equally important goals of health and wellbeing, personal fulfilment, giving back and living a life of purpose and meaning.

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