Porirua's BizFest Announces Two Outstanding Speakers
One of New Zealand's most iconic athletes will be speaking at Porirua's BizFest on 1 July, joining the founder of an international dance company who grew up in Cannons Creek.
BizFest 2025: Kōpū i te pae - Light up the Horizon will take place on 1 July, a day that aims to inspire and connect business people in our city. Topics of discussion on the day will include what's on the economic horizon, how business leaders are navigating uncertain times in the business world, and what are the key ingredients for innovation and success now and into the future.
Dame Valerie Adams is recognised worldwide for her feats in shot put and is a leader and role model in the Pacific community for her work outside athletics.
From 2006 to 2016, Dame Valerie was unbeaten in major championships and won Olympic gold at Beijing 2008 and London 2012. A seven-time Halberg sportswoman of the year, her story is one that inspires - post her shot put career, she works in the community to support a number of causes and with commercial partners, while also being chair of the World Athletics Athletes' Commission, a World Athletics Council member and on the board of High Performance Sport New Zealand.
Porirua Mayor Anita Baker says having Dame Valerie speak in Porirua is a coup, bringing value to the event by being able to share her experiences as an athlete at the very highest level, her commitment to her community and health and wellbeing, and her advocacy for athletes, especially among women in sport.
"Someone like Dame Valerie will add immense value to BizFest - she is someone who has demonstrated perseverance, discipline and an amazing work ethic, prioritising health and wellbeing, and commitment to helping others. I can't wait to hear what she has to say about pushing through challenges and building resilience," Mayor Baker says.
Black Grace's Neil Ieremia, meanwhile, will add a homegrown flavour to BizFest, with his journey one of inspiration and perspiration.
Born in Cannons Creek and of Samoan heritage, Ieremia left home and his banking job at 19 and enrolled in a fulltime dance programme.
Founding dance company Black Grace in 1995, he has enjoyed sell-out performances in the US, Mexico and Canada and won numerous accolades at home and abroad for what Black Grace has achieved across the world.
Appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2016, Ieremia received the inaugural Moana Creative Enterprise Award at the 2022 Pacific Business Trust Awards and is an honorary member of Dance ICONS, the international organisation of choreographers, along with numerous other honours.
Mayor Baker says Ieremia's talk at BizFest should not be missed.
"Neil was rightly inducted into our Hall of Fame at Te Rauparaha Arena in 2022 - he is a local who has gone on to impressive heights around the world and will have a beautiful and authentic story to tell about seizing opportunities and taking our stories from Porirua to the global stage."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
1News
15 hours ago
- 1News
Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman join Australia SailGP team as co-owners
Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman became co-owners of the Australia SailGP team. The Deadpool & Wolverine stars joined driver and chief executive Tom Slingsby in leading the team's rebrand after several successful seasons, winning three championships in its four seasons. The team will be called the BONDS Flying Roos, with the Australian underwear company BONDS as its title partner. "We're incredibly excited to set sail together in this new adventure," Reynolds and Jackman said in a joint statement released through SailGP. "Hugh brings a deep love for and pride in his home country, as well as being an avid fan of sailing. He will also be bringing his overly clingy emotional support human along for the ride. Apologies in advance to Australia. No comment on whether we're writing this in our BONDS. No further questions." Parliament punishment, free money?, getting wicked again (Source: 1News) ADVERTISEMENT It's the latest sports venture for Reynolds, who along with fellow Hollywood actor Rob McElhenney is a co-owner of Wrexham, one of the world's oldest football clubs. Reynolds and McElhenney were also among a group of investors in the Alpine Formula One team in 2023 and were part of an investment group that acquired Colombian club La Equidad earlier this year. The BONDS Flying Roos SailGP Team is expected to make its debut at the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix starting June 7. Slingsby, an Olympic gold medallist, said in a release that Jackman and Reynolds bring "unmatched star power, a love for storytelling, and a sharp sense of [humour] that fits perfectly with our team".
RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
Samoan teacher pens children's book on cultural values
"Alagaupu Faasamoa ma uiga mo tamaiti" - is a new children's book in both Samoan and English by Samoan language expert and teacher Tauanu'u Perenise Tapu Sitagata, with illustrations by Maori artist Ani Huia Ligaliga. To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Otago Daily Times
Uni club's success a team effort
It is hard to pinpoint one area that has made the Otago University Rowing Club a success. Maybe that is the beauty of the hard-working club — it is strong across the board and that led to it being named club of the year at the recent Rowing New Zealand awards. Club manager Glen Sinclair was thrilled at the recognition. "Very stoked for all of the people that work behind the scenes at the club and have done so much work for a very long time," Sinclair said. The club, which last won the award in the early 2000s, is home to about 95 competitive rowers, nearly 30 recreational rowers, 12 Special Olympic rowers, nine high-calibre coaches — an area in which Sinclair takes particular pride — and five volunteers. Each person contributes to the club's fibre and has helped it to be New Zealand's top university club for the past 16 years, and only losing the national universities regatta on overall points once in the past 26 years. Many athletes have received higher honours in the past year including Juliette Lequeux, who represented New Zealand at the Windermere Cup and has been selected for world cup events this month, and Hannah Matehaere, who joined Otago University as a novice, also represented New Zealand at the Windermere Cup and will compete at the World University Games in Germany. Jack Pearson, Cody Johnson and recent graduate Fred Vavasour are part of the national under-23 programme. Otago University also maintains strong relationships in Japan, China and Germany, competing in five international regattas in 2024 and holding programmes that benefited rowers from different countries. "No other club has anything like that in New Zealand. We work hard to make sure that is our special thing," Sinclair said. "Because of our club's relationships, we're setting up the training camp for the world uni games in Germany. "Even going back further, it was because of Otago Uni's relationships in New Zealand that we set up the camp for the New Zealand Olympic team for the Japan Olympics." The club also supports Otago Rowing with several events, helps secondary school rowing clubs with facilities and rowing machines, and hosts yearly waka ama events. Earlier this year, it also opened a new performance centre at Lake Ruataniwha. For the past 27 years, Sinclair has also run Special Olympic indoor rowing sessions with 12 athletes involved — including six who have been there since the beginning — and the students help as coaches. "What I love even more is seeing my athletes who coach it ... the rewards that they get out of it." Otago Rowing and North End life member Lauren Farnden received a national service award. After hanging up the oars, Farnden has given back to the sport through coaching at North End and St Hilda's Collegiate, led the Otago provincial team, directed Otago's winter development programme and contributed nationally. Since 2004, Farnden has moved through the administrative ranks as chairwoman of the Otago secondary school rowing association and serves on the Southern Rowing performance centre board. She has made her mark as an official and was the chief umpire for the New Zealand championships earlier this year, and internationally has officiated at the world cup in Poland and the world masters championships.
