The New Zealand Women of Influence Awards are an annual set of awards which recognise women who make a difference to everyday New Zealanders' lives. The Awards were first made in 2013 and were initially sponsored by Westpac Bank.[1] In 2016, Stuff NZ became a joint sponsor.Nominations are invited from the public. A panel selects finalists in each category, who are invited to an awards dinner at the Aotea Centre in Auckland where the recipients are announced.[2] In 2021 the awards dinner was not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Awards were initially presented in seven categories; additional categories have since been introduced and as of 2020 the Awards are made in ten categories: Board and Management, Business Enterprise, Innovation and Science, Young Leader, Arts and Culture, Public Policy, Community and Not-for-profit, Diversity, Global and Rural. In addition, there is a Supreme Award, which is awarded each year, and a Lifetime Achievement Award, which has been awarded four times.[3]
The category Innovation and Science was titled Science, Health and Innovation until 2019. In 2021 it was renamed Innovation, Science and Health.[4] The category Young Leader was titled Emerging Leader in 2013 and 2014. The category Arts and Culture was titled Arts in 2013 and 2014. The category Community and Not-for-Profit was titled Community and Social in 2013, Community in 2014 and Community Hero in 2021.
The category Social Enterprise has been awarded once, in 2014. The category Local and Regional has been awarded twice, in 2013 and in 2014.[5]
In 2021, the category Global was not awarded, a category Environment was added and the category Rural was re-named Primary Industries.[6]
Dame Silvia Cartwright is the head of the judging panel. On the 2020 panel with her were Sir John Kirwan, Vanisa Dhiru, Abbie Reynolds, Sinead Boucher and Gina Dellabarca.[7] In 2021 Francene Wineti replaced Sir John Kirwan on the panel.[8]
| 2021 | Supreme Woman of Influence | Bronwyn Hayward, expert on sustainability, climate change and youth | |
| Lifetime Achievement | Dame Silvia Cartwright, New Zealand’s first female High Court judge and second female Governor-General | ||
| Board and Management | Cassandra Crowley, CEO of Te Arawa Management Limited | ||
| Business Enterprise | Jessie Wong, director of Yu Mei | ||
| Innovation, Science and Health | Bev Lawton, founder and director of Centre for Women’s Health Research – Te Tātai Hauora o Hine | ||
| Young Leader | Kate Gatfield-Jeffries, co-founder of Young Women in Business and Law mentoring groups | ||
| Arts and Culture | Qiane Matata-Sipu, founder and creator of NUKU | ||
| Public Policy | Melanie Mark-Shadbolt, Deputy Secretary Māori Rights and Interests, Ministry for the Environment | ||
| Diversity | Dana Youngman, television executive | ||
| Community Hero | Bernadette Pinnell, founder of Compass Housing Services | ||
| Primary Industries | Tia Potae, Whānau Ora navigator at Tokomairiro Waiora | ||
| Environment | Bronwyn Hayward |
| 2020 | Supreme Woman of Influence | Siouxsie Wiles, microbiologist and leading Covid-19 commentator | [9] |
| Lifetime Achievement | Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban, New Zealand’s first female MP of Pacific Island descent | ||
| Board and Management | Dame Alison Paterson, businesswoman and company director | ||
| Business Enterprise | Sonya Williams and Brooke Roberts, co-founders of Sharesies | ||
| Innovation and Science | Siouxsie Wiles | ||
| Young Leader | Aigagalefili Fepulea'i Tapua'i, climate change and social equality campaigner | ||
| Arts and Culture | Parris Goebel, choreographer and dancer | ||
| Public Policy | Una Jagose, New Zealand Solicitor-General | ||
| Community and Not-for-Profit | Ranjna Patel, domestic violence campaigner | ||
| Diversity | Tupe Solomon-Tanoa'i, diplomat | ||
| Global | Jane Kelsey, lawyer and political scientist | ||
| Rural | Trish Fraser, soil scientist |
| 2019 | Supreme Woman of Influence | Dame Jane Harding, medical researcher | [10] [11] |
| Board and Management | Abbie Reynolds, sustainable business leader | ||
| Business Enterprise | Brianne West, sustainable beauty entrepreneur and founder of Ethique | ||
| Innovation and Science | Dame Jane Harding | ||
| Young Leader | Annika Andresen, marine conservationist | ||
| Arts and Culture | Jennifer Ward-Lealand, actress | ||
| Public Policy | Debbie Sorensen, public health leader | ||
| Community and Not-for-Profit | Swanie Nelson, community organiser | ||
| Diversity | Tapu Misa, journalist | ||
| Global | Anne-Marie Brady, political scientist | ||
| Rural | Gina Mohi, environmental planner |
| 2018 | Supreme Woman of Influence | Jackie Clark, of The Aunties, a charity working with domestic violence survivors in South Auckland | [12] |
| Lifetime Achievement | Theresa Gattung, businesswoman and former chief executive of Telecom New Zealand | ||
| Board and Management | Farah Palmer, former captain of New Zealand's women's rugby union team, the Black Ferns | ||
| Business Enterprise | Angie Judge, technology entrepreneur | [13] | |
| Science, Health and Innovation | Wendy Larner, president of the Royal Society Te Apārangi | ||
| Young Leader | Maddison McQueen-Davies, founder of Share a Pair NZ | ||
| Arts and Culture | Miranda Harcourt, actress | ||
| Public Policy | Charlotte Korte, for creating Mesh Down Under | [14] | |
| Community and Not-for-Profit | Jackie Clark | ||
| Diversity | Sarah Lang, founder of Women's Infrastructure Network | [15] | |
| Global | Sarah Vrede | ||
| Rural | Rebecca Keoghan | [16] |
| 2017 | Supreme Woman of Influence | Cecilia Robinson, founder of My Food Bag | [17] |
| Lifetime Achievement | Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand | ||
| Board and Management | Anne-Maree O'Connor, investment banker | ||
| Business Enterprise | Cecilia Robinson | [18] | |
| Science, Health and Innovation | Hinemoa Elder, youth forensic psychiatrist | ||
| Young Leader | Sharnay Cocup, founder of the Taupiri Youth Group Trust | ||
| Arts and Culture | Denise L'Estrange-Corbet, fashion designer | ||
| Public Policy | Rebecca Kitteridge, director of the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service | ||
| Community and Not-for-Profit | Lisa King, founder of school lunch provider Eat My Lunch | ||
| Diversity | Minnie Baragwanath, founder of Be. Accessible, a social change agency focusing on changing how New Zealanders view accessibility | ||
| Global | Siân Simpson | ||
| Rural | Nicola Shadbolt, agricultural businesswoman |
| 2016 | Supreme Woman of Influence | Helen Robinson, businesswoman | [19] |
| Lifetime Achievement | Dame Rosanne Meo, businesswoman | ||
| Board and Management | Helen Robinson | ||
| Business Enterprise | Lisa King, founder of school lunch provider Eat My Lunch | ||
| Science, Health and Innovation | Michelle Dickinson, nanotechnologist and science educator | ||
| Young Leader | Alexia Hilbertidou, founder of GirlBoss NZ | ||
| Arts and Culture | Gaylene Preston, filmwriter, director and producer | ||
| Public Policy | Naomi Ferguson, Commissioner of Inland Revenue | ||
| Community and Not-for-Profit | Catriona Williams, founder of Catwalk Trust | ||
| Diversity | Sue Kedgley, Wellington politician | ||
| Global | Lyn Provost, Auditor-General of New Zealand | ||
| Rural | Mavis Mullins |
| 2015 | Supreme Woman of Influence | Joan Withers, for her work campaigning for more women on boards and in business | |
| Board and Management | Joan Withers | [20] | |
| Business Enterprise | Linda Jenkinson, entrepreneur | ||
| Science, Health and Innovation | Frances Valintine, education futurist | ||
| Young Leader | Parris Goebel, choreographer and dancer | ||
| Arts and Culture | Victoria Spackman, creative director and business executive | ||
| Public Policy | Vicky Robertson, Chief Executive of the Ministry for the Environment and Secretary for the Environment | [21] | |
| Community and N | Stacey Shortall, volunteer lawyer in women's prisons | ||
| Diversity | Colonel Karyn Thompson, the most senior woman in the New Zealand Defence Force | ||
| Global | Dame Judith Mayhew Jonas, lawyer | ||
| Rural | Katie Milne, first woman president of Federated Farmers |
| 2014 | Supreme Woman of Influence | Lesley Elliott, for her work at the Sophie Elliott Foundation, which educates New Zealanders on healthy relationships | |
| Board and Management | Traci Houpapa, company director | ||
| Business Enterprise | Dame Wendy Pye, publisher | ||
| Science, Health and Innovation | Dame Margaret Brimble, chemist | [22] | |
| Emerging Leader | Parris Goebel, choreographer and dancer | ||
| Arts | Shona McCullagh, choreographer and founding director of the New Zealand Dance Company | ||
| Community | Lesley Elliott | ||
| Local and Regional | Kerry Prendergast, Wellington politician | ||
| Social Enterprise | Jo-anne Wilkinson and Anne Miles |
| 2013 | Supreme Woman of Influence | Dame Therese Walsh, chief operating officer for the 2011 Rugby World Cup | |
| Board and Management | Dame Therese Walsh | ||
| Business Enterprise | Mai Chen, constitutional and administrative lawyer | ||
| Science, Health and Innovation | Marilyn Waring, public policy scholar | ||
| Emerging Leader | Mahsa Mohaghegh, founder of women's networking group She Sharp | ||
| Arts | Victoria Spackman, creative director and business executive | ||
| Community and Social | Emeline Afeaki-Mafile'o, community leader | ||
| Local and Regional | Fran Wilde, Wellington politician |