Powerhouse city champions have joined the Tūwhana business events advocate programme, elevating the initiative to new
heights at its first anniversary.
Designed to attract prestigious international conferences to Christchurch, Tūwhana brings together thought leaders from
multiple sectors and communities who work to promote Ōtautahi Christchurch as an international destination for business
events.
Tūwhana means to advocate and is inspired by a common phrase used in waka ama to urge people to work together:
“Tūwhanawhana mai, tū hāpainga”.
Business events play an important part in the city's ambition to grow a regenerative economy that brings prosperity to
people and the planet. They are key drivers of long-term, sustainable economic development for Christchurch, and act as
a conduit for global connectivity, knowledge sharing and accelerated innovation.
One year into the Tūwhana programme, positive outcomes are already evident, with advocates supporting and endorsing
conference bids, attending events to connect with clients and showcase the city, connecting with their networks and
other bid champions and building a long-term pipeline of business.
ChristchurchNZ Head of Business Events Megan Crum says, "Reflecting on the first year of Tūwhana, the whole team feels
so proud of the work and positive outcomes we are already seeing. It is great to see the momentum the programme has
created, with our incredible advocates forming that important connection with their industries and networks to the
business events sector."
The programme's first anniversary was celebrated during an evening event where new advocates Mark Rocket and Professor
Alex Tan were welcomed to Tūwhana by the programme patron, Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger.
Internet and aerospace entrepreneur Mark Rocket is the current President of Aerospace New Zealand and as CEO of Kea
Aerospace is leading the way in the emerging aerospace sector in Aotearoa.
Professor of Political Science and International Relations and the coordinator of Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at
the University of Canterbury, Alex Tan has a remarkable collection of awards, research accolades, and connections to
top-tier universities across the globe, he is an established thought leader in the fields of Taiwan and Asian politics
and international relations of the Asia-Pacific.
Rocket and Tan will work alongside the existing Tūwhana advocates to promote Christchurch's industry and sector
strengths, helping to boost focus areas and create a long-lasting legacy with their wealth of knowledge in their
respective fields.
Tūwhana’s current advocates include a range of business leaders and specialists who are passionate about their sector
and the future potential of Ōtautahi Christchurch.World Economic Forum Global Shaper and Christchurch City Council Community Board member, Bridget Williams is the founder
of Bead and Proceed, an organisation that educates people about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.Tanya McCall, chair of Tangata Atumotu Trust, a not-for-profit Pasifika health and social services provider, is a
knowledgeable leader in Christchurch’s health sector. She is also the Kaiwhakahaere Umanga/Group Manager of Strategy and
Operations in the Te Waipounamu regional team at Te Whatu Ora.Former President and Fellow of the Asia-Pacific Society for Computers in Education, Tanja Mitrović specialises in
intelligent tutoring systems, student modelling and learning analytics, and is a Professor at the Department of Computer
Science and Software Engineering at the University of Canterbury.Awarded with a Queens Service Medal for services to palliative care, Kate Reid is chair of the Cancer Society of New
Zealand’s Canterbury/West Coast Division, sits on the board of Governance New Zealand and is a senior lecturer at the
University of Canterbury, specialising in palliative care and oncology nursing.Recipient of the NZSAR Award for collaborative rescue operations in Antarctica, Graeme Ayres is an Antarctic legend and
natural environment champion. He is the former Operations General Manager at Antarctica New Zealand and former officer
of the Government of The Ross Dependency and is currently a naturalist at Ms Oosterdam - Holland America Cruise Line.Former Mayor of Christchurch, The Honourable Lianne Dalziel served as an MP for 23 years and is a globally respected
leader in disaster resilience and developing sustainable communities. Last year, Dalziel was named as a Companion of the
New Zealand Order of Merit for services to local government.
With the achievements seen in its inaugural year, The Tūwhana advocate programme paves the way for an incredibly
promising future of business events in Ōtautahi Christchurch. The city and local community will reap the long tail
effects and see the profound impact of the advocates' work unfold for years to come.
https://www.christchurchnz.com/tuwhana