sustainability – Creative Welly – Courageous conversations with bold humans.

Creative Welly Episode #49 | Julia Capon & Jake Nash

Courageous conversations with bold humans (from the most creative little capital in the world).

Julia Capon, For Impact Coach / Founder

Over her career, Julia has worked exclusively with for-purpose organisations, alongside founding Do Good Jobs, NZ’s ethical job board.

After 12 years running Do Good Jobs, she recently passed on the baton to new owners. This move enables her to focus more of her time on an area that she loves: coaching and delivering courses. Her new enterprise, the For Impact Coach, focuses on helping For-Purpose leaders to learn the mindset and methods to achieve their goals and maximise the impact on their cause – and do it easier and faster.

Today, alongside her husband, she is also a co-founder of a rapidly growing EV charging infrastructure company, Thundergrid.

Jake Nash, Group Digital Lead – Warren and Mahoney Architects

Jake Nash is the Group Digital Lead at Warren and Mahoney Architects, boasting 13 years of dedicated service to the firm. He spearheads digital innovation, integrating novel concepts, workflows, and technology across seven studios in New Zealand and Australia, benefiting a team of 400 amazing creatives. With a fervour for education and empowering individuals to harness their architectural zeal, Jake’s current focus involves delving into data, analytics, Artificial Intelligence, and pioneering digital strategies to shape the future of the AEC sector.

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Creative Welly Episode #46 | Christine Langdon & Duncan Nimmo

Courageous conversations with bold humans (from the most creative little capital in the world).

Christine Langdon, Co-founder and Chief of Good at The Good Registry (and freelance communications consultant)

Christine likes to do good things with good people so she co-founded The Good Registry — a ‘gift’ website where kind and clever people can reduce waste and support good causes with charity donations instead of candles and cufflinks. She also freelances on communications projects that have positive impacts for people and the planet. She started her career as a journalist and has also dabbled in yoga teaching.

Duncan Nimmo

Duncan is a veteran of 22 years in the screen entertainment sector, a collector of an eclectic range of skills, and an advocate for unrepentant Dad-ness.

He is happiest when he’s working with clever people on strategies that intersect technical innovation with culture. Duncan is a scrappy technologist and he loves being given the opportunity to be useful.

His screen industry experience spans as feature film production, TV production, animation, visual effects, sound and music post-production, gaming, and social media.

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Creative Welly Episode #44 | Jenny Cameron & Chris Jackson

Courageous conversations with bold humans (from the most creative little capital in the world).

Jenny Cameron, Chief Transformation Officer, Ministry for Primary Industries – connector and stubborn optimist for people-centred solutions

I really enjoy jobs that draw on my ability to bring people together to effect system change. I like to connect people together who seek solutions, with nature and humans at the heart. I thrive on working on gnarly issues that are at the nexus of where regulatory and social intersect – drawing on my psychology and legal background.

A consummate Gemini, I like to converse, debate, and relish being thrown in at the deep end. I’ve been a lawyer, a diplomat, I’ve worked in the brewing, electricity, and dairy sectors. My current role is Chief Transformation Officer for the Fit for a Better World vision for Aotearoa New Zealand’s food and fibre sectors in the Ministry for Primary Industries. In some of our biggest challenges are our greatest opportunities.

Chris Jackson, Strategist, Foresight Practitioner, Designer, Researcher, Artist, Coach, Writer, Skateboarder, Business Owner

When you don’t know where you are going, are unsure about what the future holds or dealing with a complex, strategic challenge – that’s where I come in.

I thrive in spaces where others have been but have yet to figure out. I’ve got a slightly dented toolbox that’s two decades old. In it, you’ll find a socket set from futures thinking, a collection of design screwdrivers, some research chisels and lots of strategic hand-saws.

Whether you’re a CEO, a middle manager, or a design practitioner, I’ve helped you and your organisation before. But it’s probably in an adjacent sector.

And that’s the difference.

Connecting the dots to understand your ever-changing operating landscape to embed change that sticks.

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Creative Welly Episode #37 | Kimberley Gilmour & Joseph Harawira

Courageous conversations with bold humans (from the most creative little capital in the world).

Kimberley Gilmour, Chief People Officer, Groov

Kimberley has spent most of her career leading People & Culture in startups / scaleups, helping build foundational people processes/practices and nurturing strong cultures. She has worked with some of New Zealand’s most iconic and successful high growth companies through periods of global expansion, including Icebreaker (in its Wellington days), Vend, 8i, UneeQ and currently Groov. She is passionate about using her experience to help individuals and organisations thrive.

Outside of People and tech, Kimberley is passionate about supporting wellbeing in all its forms and is partway through her masters in Health Psychology.

Kimberley spent 12 years living in Wellington and always loves returning to see old friends and run familiar trails.

Joe Harawira, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Wai Mānuka

Joe is of Ngāti Awa and Ngāi Te Rangi descent. He is the Co-Founder and Managing Director at Wai Mānuka – a premium non-alcoholic beverage that builds off the off the success of New Zealand’s mānuka honey industry. Joe has served in the military and prior to starting Wai Mānuka he worked for New Zealand Rugby leading the national injury prevention strategy.

He is passionate about entrepreneurship and innovation, Māori culture, wellness and paying it forward. In 2015, Joe also founded a social enterprise to support youth well-being in school. Joe comes from Whakatāne, Bay of Plenty and holds an Executive MBA and Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science.

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Creative Welly Episode #34 | Bernadette Casey & Tan Huynh

Courageous conversations with bold humans (from the most creative little capital in the world).

Bernadette Casey, Textile and circular economy specialist

Co-Founder of UsedFULLY which leads Aotearoa-New Zealand’s transition to a to a low carbon, circular economy by implementing new technologies and business models at scale. Ensuring the full value of textile resources are maximised, to minimise the impacts of what we clothe and protect ourselves with. A frequent guest speaker on Stewardship and the Environment from a clothing perspective, she has presented her research on systemic change and circular systems at a number of international conferences, including the Global Fashion Conference. An Edmund Hillary Fellow she was awarded a University of Liverpool Dissertation of the Year for her Masters research into ethical purchasing. Bernadette believes the most effective way to solve our greatest challenges is through collaboration.

Tan Huynh – Manager, Impact Investing Network

Tan’s varied background has taken him across startups, corporate and government in diverse sectors such as investment, technology, creative, economic development and education. He has delivered major projects across New Zealand, Australia, the US, the UK and Vietnam. The underlying theme is growing the capability and scale of enterprises and sectors through strategic investment and economic development initiatives.

He has successfully raised investments for impact enterprises, previously at crowdfunding platform PledgeMe. Tan works with the Impact Investing Network to connect, educate and advocate for the growth of the impact investing sector in Aotearoa New Zealand. He’s also at the Ākina Foundation, coaching organisations to scale their positive social and environmental impact with investment.

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Creative Welly Episode #29 | Emilie Fetscher & James Bushell

Courageous conversations with bold humans (from the most creative little capital in the world).

Emilie Fetscher, Entrepreneur / Designer / Researcher, GM Design @ Xero

Need zest? Meet Emilie. Deeply curious, passionately collaborative, and inspired by the people and world we live in; Emilie brings a diverse background and relentless optimism to all her endeavors. She’s worked in and out of design as an outdoor guide, a freelancer, in a boutique consultancy, as well as starting tech and non-tech businesses before taking the plunge into the large global team that is Xero. Outside of her day job she contributes to the startup ecosystem, mentoring programs for young women, and as a lurker in environmental communities. She’s also an outdoor enthusiast and lover of great dinner table conversations with old friends and new.

James Bushell, Director / Investor / Strategist, MOTIF

James Bushell is the founding director of MOTIF, a specialist business advisory for organisations that want to create a more equitable and sustainable world. He is a leading strategist in incorporating ethics and sustainability into commercial models and has had governance and executive experience in developing, emerging and developed economies. James is also an author and recently released a book called HUMANGOOD – a field guide to ethical leadership.

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Creative Welly Episode #20 | Karen Fifield & John Holt

Courageous conversations with bold humans (from the most creative little capital in the world).

Karen Fifield MNZM, Chief Executive at Wellington Zoo Trust

Karen has been the Chief Executive of Wellington Zoo since 2006 and is a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit MNZM for Business and Animal Welfare. Karen is a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) Council and Chairs the WAZA Ethics and Animal Welfare Committee. She is a member of the WAZA Conservation and Environmental Sustainability Committee.

Karen won the 2009 HER Business Wellington award for outstanding business leadership and sustainability and the 2010 HER Business NZ National award for outstanding business leadership. Karen was 2010 Wellingtonian of the Year in the Environment category. Karen was a finalist in both the 2014 and 2015 Westpac/Fairfax Media NZ Women of Influence Awards in the Social Enterprise category and the Board and Management category respectively.

John Holt, Founder at All Things Considered

Serial Founder and Company Director committed to growing high impact, high growth ventures that will better New Zealand

Founder of All Things Considered – a trusted focussed lens on the sustainability and ethics of the global clothing and fashion supply chain

Driven by personal growth and embracing the innovative and unconventional. Passionate aviator in training and devoutly curious about all things.

Current projects / focus areas: The future of aviation, Sustainable Fashion, Waste minimisation and the growth of New Zealand’s technology and innovation ecosystem.

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Creative Welly Episode #19 | Paula Eskett & Ari Sargent

Courageous conversations with bold humans (from the most creative little capital in the world).

Paula Eskett, District Libraries Manager, Waimakariri District Council

Paula Eskett has worked in libraries since her parents told her she needed an afterschool job at 14.

Her belief and determination in the community building and strengthening power of libraries has been reinforced through her mahi in an array of library roles across Aotearoa.

She is most engaged when advocating for and designing services that promote equity of access to all that libraries can offer their communities; knowledge in all its different forms, the tools and technology to create and share new knowledge and spaces to grow understanding and social connections.

Paula currently leads Waimakariri Libraries, is a LIANZA past president, CORE Education eFellow and fellow of Creative Common’s Institute of Open Leadership

Ari Sargent, Managing Director, Octopus Energy NZ

Known for his ability to think deeply, he was once described by a colleague as a “Brainbox wearing sneakers and shorts”. This description exemplifies the intelligent disobedience he likes to apply problem solving and innovation.

A 30 year veteran of the energy industry makes him either a dinosaur or a guru. He describes his early career as being interesting and extremely rewarding – he set up Meridian Energy’s trading operation, negotiated the renewal of the Tiwai Point electricity contract and spearheaded the company’s renewable energy strategy. But he definitely felt like a square peg in a corporate round hole. No surprise he lept from that environment to create Powershop, one of New Zealand’s most loved consumer brands, and established the world’s first multinational energy franchise to take Powershop to the world.

These days he is heading up UK unicorn Octopus Energy’s entry into the NZ electricity market and wants to make accessing clean energy easy and affordable.

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Creative Welly Episode #16 | Natasha Zimmerman & Ben Preston

Courageous conversations with bold humans (from the most creative little capital in the world).

Natasha Zimmerman, Meaning Maker

Natasha is the founder and creative force behind Unchatter, an organisation focused on bringing meaningful connection to the world. She creates spaces where small talk is banned and an array of thoughtfully curated exercises get participants to dig deep.

Natasha’s fab accent will tell you from the US, where she was a healthcare executive before coming to NZ to pursue her PhD at the University of Canterbury. Her current research is centered on belonging and connection in organisations, and she loves finding the juicy intersection of science, humanism, and practical application.

When she’s not engaged in a deep conversation, you’ll find Natasha getting lost in a good book, looking at the moon, organizing things for fun, and baking ridiculous cakes. She’s an old soul, an introvert, and a poetry zealot. Natasha lives in Christchurch with her joy-givers: her partner Hassan and her baby boy Bodhi.

Ben Preston, Independent Creative Consultant + Project Director at MOTIF

As an engineering technologist and regenerative practitioner, Ben supports revitalisation of the life-giving patterning in social, environmental and economic systems in business and place-based design.

This involves placing living, ecological processes of environments and cultures at the core of project team operations, engaging new forms of collaboration, procurement and design that are inclusive and holistic, and re-integrating individuals and groups in the re-patterning processes of their surroundings.

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Creative Welly Episode #13 | Mayu Suzuki & Trent Yeo

Courageous conversations with bold humans (from the most creative little capital in the world).

Mayu Suzuki – Petite Queen Bee of mariri New Zealand / JFW organiser

Mayu is a bridge between Japan and New Zealand – or at least that’s my goal! During the day I am a Mānuka honey expert gifting New Zealand Taonga to Japanese customers on e-commerce, I also organise one of the biggest cultural events “Japan Festival Wellington”.

As a Japanese-Kiwi, I am passionate about culture and identity issues. My mission is to connect Japan and New Zealand in all business, culture, sports and all sectors.

Trent Yeo – Loves team sports

Trent is Executive Director of Ziptrek Ecotours in Queenstown. Ziptrek is an adventure ecotourism zipline business that utilises the power of adventure to help create meaningful memories of place.

Ziptrek is a long time communicator about The Natural Step and now a Future-Fit Pioneer. Ziptrek’s business model assists tens of thousands of guests to learn about sustainability.

Trent is also an ex TEDx event organiser, once produced an online vodcast about NZ for China travellers, represents on board of Tourism Industry Aotearoa and co-starter of Startup Queenstown Lakes.