Session 1: State of the Sector
Mihi whakatau followed by a welcome and housekeeping from the day’s MC, Jemma Robertson
Jemma Robertson is currently working in rural media for AgriHQ as the Editor of Inside Dairy. Her career began in broadcast journalism working for RNZ as a reporter based in Christchurch before moving to Wellington and becoming a Rural News reporter and presenter. She then moved to New York, USA and was a reporter for Digiday, covering how fashion, luxury and media companies were adapting in the digital age, while also producing the publication’s two weekly podcasts. A highlight was interviewing Marie Claire’s editor-in-chief on the magazine’s digital evolution.
Now based in Rangiwahia, Manawatū, Jemma and her husband Alexander run his family’s sheep and beef farm while raising their three young children. They also host guests at The Last Church in Āpiti – their boutique accommodation and event space.
An update on the political environment from the Honourable Paul Goldsmith.
Hon Paul Goldsmith is the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Minister of Justice, Minister for Media and Communications and Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations.
Born in Mt Eden and having attended Auckland Grammar School, Paul lives with his wife and their four children in the Epsom electorate. First elected off the National Party list in 2011, Paul served as the Chair of the Parliamentary Finance and Expenditure Select Committee. He held several Ministerial roles in the Fifth National Government. Before entering Parliament, Paul was a historian and biographer publishing numerous books. With his Media and Communications portfolio we look forward to hearing his views on the sector particularly in the lead up to the election.
A presentation of market research gathered by Isentia’s Ngaire Crawford
Ngaire Crawford leads Insights and Research at Isentia, driving innovation in measurement strategy and product development across the Pulsar group. With nearly two decades of experience in communications research, she champions the power of insight to tell richer stories, shape smarter decisions, and prove the true value of communications. A passionate advocate for meaningful data and inclusive storytelling, Ngaire believes great measurement doesn’t just report impact, it creates it.
An update on the economic environment from Stuff’s Money Editor, Damien Venuto.
Damien Venuto is currently the Money Editor at Stuff, reporting on the nuances of the markets and wealth generators in New Zealand. Prior to this, he was a Senior Account Director at One Plus One Communications and the host of the New Zealand Herald’s Front Page Podcast, which he and his team grew to a cumulative audience exceeding two million, and spent four years as online business editor for the NZ Herald.
Prior to that, Venuto spent four years at Tangible Media, most recently as Editor of NZ Marketing Magazine and StopPress. Readers of his Herald columns and past work in the trade press will be well aware of Venuto’s keen insight into the world of communications and marketing, and his ability to simplify the complex in service of a great story.
As Chief Human Rights Commissioner, Dr Stephen Rainbow’s wide range of statutory responsibilities cover governance, strategic leadership, and day-to-day activities of the Commission. He has a personal passion for ensuring the protection of freedoms and democracy in a rapidly changing world, and in addition to civil and political rights, he has responsibilities for artificial intelligence and new technologies, abuse in care, the rights of older people, and international engagement.
His human rights background includes being a former chair of the Rainbow community’s advocacy and counselling service OUTLine, and former board member of the New Zealand AIDS Foundation (now Burnett Foundation Aotearoa). He campaigned for Homosexual Law Reform, was a prominent voice for marriage equality and has blogged and written widely on issues impacting Rainbow people.
Catherine Arrow will deliver an update on global trends such as the new generation of AI tools.
Catherine Arrow is a pioneer and recognised leader in public relations education and practice and was named Global Public Relations Practitioner of the Year at the World PR Awards. She works with professionals and organisations of all types to build capability, strengthen strategy and deliver meaningful outcomes.
As founder and director of PR Knowledge Hub, Catherine leads an independent learning centre that provides high-quality professional development for practitioners worldwide — in person, online and on demand. Her work spans organisational relations, internal communication, public engagement, advocacy, ethics, risk and reputation, with a central focus on the practical use of emerging technologies. Over the last decade, she has focused on exploring and communicating the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on public relations and society, providing critical training and guidance and launching the first global AI in PR Capability Certification in 2022. Catherine supports practitioners at all stages of their career, helping them navigate complexity, build trust and lead with purpose.
Catherine is a Life member and Fellow of the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, Accredited Fellow ASEAN PR Network and a Founding Chartered Public Relations Practitioner. She is a Member of the Commission on Public Relations Education and a Member of the Institute of Directors. Contributions to the public relations profession include her eight-year tenure as board member and Secretary of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management and she is an active member of the International Advisory Board for FERPI. A respected writer and speaker on the societal impacts of public relations, Catherine’s career has spanned the Northern and Southern Hemispheres and she is a recipient of the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand President’s Award for exemplary contribution to the profession.
Session 2: Value of PR
Ellen Read is a senior media and communications leader with experience spanning journalism, government, corporate, and global non-profit sectors. She is currently Life Content Director at Stuff, leading editorial strategy and storytelling across lifestyle content, a role which marks a return to media after several years away. During that time she was Chief Engagement Officer at the Christchurch Call Foundation. She has also headed PR, media and community at Woolworths New Zealand, overseeing corporate communications, reputation risk, and crisis management. Before that, Ellen spent four years in the Prime Minister’s Office as Deputy Chief Press Secretary to Jacinda Ardern, helping manage strategic media relations, stakeholder engagement, international engagements, and high-stakes crisis response, including March 15, Whakaari White Island, and Covid. She began her career in journalism and holds a BA in English and a journalism diploma from Massey University.
Panel discussion with Adelle Keely, Kelly Bennett and Ngaire Crawford.
As the founder of One Plus One Communications, Kelly Bennett is one of New Zealand’s most experienced and successful public relations practitioners, having won the PRINZ (large) AOY award for the last two consecutive years. Recognised for his industry contributions, he became a PRINZ Fellow nearly a decade ago and has played a key role in shaping the PR landscape in Aotearoa. Kelly also helped establish the Communications Council PRESCom group and has judged numerous domestic and international awards, including representing NZ at Spikes Asia, coupled with the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
Ngaire Crawford leads Insights and Research at Isentia, driving innovation in measurement strategy and product development across the Pulsar group. With nearly two decades of experience in communications research, she champions the power of insight to tell richer stories, shape smarter decisions, and prove the true value of communications. A passionate advocate for meaningful data and inclusive storytelling, Ngaire believes great measurement doesn’t just report impact, it creates it.
Presentation from Maia Studio’s Mihi Blake
What does it take for a communications advisor and an organisational leader to work well together when issues arise, scrutiny is high and the organisation’s next move really counts? In this panel, senior PR leaders and the Chairs/CEOs they advise will share what helps their relationships work during significant reputational moments, issues, or crises. Through real-world examples, the discussion will explore trust, candour, decision-making and role clarity. Both the leaders and PR professionals will share what they need from each other when operating in high-pressure situations. This session is suitable to everyone from emerging practitioners to senior professionals who want a stronger understanding of how strategic relationships are built before pressure hits, and how they hold up once it does.
Key takeaways for attendees
- What organisational leaders most value from PR counsel during high-stakes reputational moments.
- What comms professionals need from their leaders and how to ask for it.
- How trust, access, and straight talking are built before an issue or crisis arrives.
- Practical lessons on earning and keeping a seat at the top table when judgement, timing, and credibility are under pressure.
Heather Claycomb founded HMC in May 2004 driven by her passion to tell a great story and support Waikato businesses in making a difference. In 2019, her business evolved into a social enterprise which now donates its profits to her family charity, All Good Ventures. Passionate about the PR industry, Heather has been involved in the PR Institute of NZ (PRINZ) in a regional leadership and governance capacity since 2013. She was elected to the position of Board Chair in May 2022, where she served until July 2024. Heather’s unique background in communications, marketing, sales and public relations across a broad range of industries have given her a strong foothold to run HMC . Her MBA education coupled with an expertise in corporate communications, allows Heather to bring a unique perspective to her clients with the ability to approach communications issues from a strategic business perspective. Heather leads the team to help clients with crisis and issues management and has developed PR strategies and crisis response related to a wide range of subjects including rapid Covid response, criminal activity by staff, response to the End of Life Choice Act, bullying, defective products causing harm, and more.
As CEO of Spark Health, John Macaskill-Smith has extensive expertise in both public and private health sectors driving digital health innovation in New Zealand. His experience spans senior roles at the Health Funding Authority (HFA), Ministry of Health (MoH) and various private health organisations, where he developed innovative solutions to sector challenges across New Zealand, Australia, the Middle East and the UK. John is a seasoned Director, holding positions on various commercial and not-for-profit boards. He is speaking at this session in his role as School Board Chair of St Peter’s Cambridge, a leading private high school.
Julien Leys has over 24 years’ communications experience working in both the private and public sectors. Following completion of a First-Class Master’s Degree in Law, Julien was appointed as the legal and political adviser to the Minister of Local Government in New Zealand’s first MMP Parliament. After senior positions with leading communications agencies, Julien established an award-winning consultancy PR Partners which he ran for 10 years. In 2014 PR Partners was merged with Trans-Tasman consultancy SenateSHJ where Julien was the General Manager, Board Member and a senior Partner until March 2019. Julien left to establish Pendulum Strategies as a strategic corporate communications consultancy with a client list covering energy, transport, government affairs, financial services, horticulture, technology, education and healthcare sectors in New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands. Julien is a specialist in crisis and issues management, media relations, and government relations. He has extensive experience in assisting major clients with complex issues as well as successfully managing crises across the energy, pharmaceutical, transport, public utility, labour hire, technology and food / hospitality sectors. He also has extensive experience working with the building and construction sector and was appointed as the Chief Executive of the Building Industry Federation in 2019. Julien is a Fellow of the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand, and a Past Chair of the College of Fellows. He also regularly presents as part of the APR course.
Dave Bodger holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Economics from Lincoln University. He worked in the Australasian oil industry since university including 17 years as the Chief Executive of Gull New Zealand. Dave retired from full-time work at Gull in 2023 and remains on the Gull Board. Dave is Board Chair of Kidney Kids New Zealand Incorporated which followed a donation of one of his kidneys to his daughter Anna in 2023. Dave, a passionate Cantabrian, lives on Auckland’s North Shore with his wife Julie and two of their four adult children. Dave can often be found swimming or fishing from his jet ski around the Hauraki Gulf. His favourite weekly activity is a walk along Long Bay beach with Julie.
Session 3: Professional Development
Carl Davidson is an insights professional with a social scientist’s heart. He has built a distinctive career bridging academia, government policy and commercial settings. In 2006 he founded Research First Ltd and oversaw its growth into one of New Zealand’s most respected insight firms. In 2010 Carl was appointed the Chief Commissioner of the New Zealand Families Commission and tasked with transforming it into a social policy research and evaluation agency. After nearly two decades at Research First, global funding shifts and pandemic disruptions prompted a reset. So in 2025 Carl launched The Curiosity Company.
In 2023 he was honoured as a Fellow of the Research Association of New Zealand (RANZ) and celebrated alongside Research First for winning the RANZ Market Research Effectiveness Supreme Award that year. In 2023 he was also named as Global Insights250 winner, an award “celebrating the worldwide pioneers, leaders and innovators in market research, data-driven marketing and insights”. The Insight250 presents a unique view into academic, enterprise, agency, technology, media and association data-driven leaders around the globe.
Panel discussion with Tracey Bridges, Julie Wagener and Cas Carter
Tracey Bridges is a leading practitioner in the areas of strategic communications, behaviour change and issues management. A PRINZ Fellow, she has worked on projects involving public, private and not for profit organisations. She is an experienced facilitator, and provides professional development and mentoring for communications teams, management teams and boards. Tracey had a twenty year career in communication consulting, including as a founding partner of trans-Tasman communications consultancy SenateSHJ. These days, Tracey is a Director and co-Founder of The Good Registry, a social enterprise helping people translate their gift spending into donations to good causes. She’s also a professional director, serving as Chair of the Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency, and a Trustee for the Wellington Regional Stadium Trust and the Digital Media Trust.
Cas Carter has an extensive background in general management, corporate communications, public relations, and marketing. She has had a range of senior roles in education, science, innovation and tourism in the public and private sector covering all the vagaries of marketing, communication, sales, and fundraising. She has also worked in the Beehive as a private secretary in New Zealand’s parliament and a journalist and newsreader. Cas has held a number of board roles including on the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, Kapiti College Board of Trustees, Business Central and the Wellington Homeless Women’s Trust. She has been a regular radio panellist and media columnist.
Presentation from IHREC’s Hannah Neale
What does it take for a communications advisor and an organisational leader to work well together when issues arise, scrutiny is high and the organisation’s next move really counts? In this panel, senior PR leaders and the Chairs/CEOs they advise will share what helps their relationships work during significant reputational moments, issues, or crises. Through real-world examples, the discussion will explore trust, candour, decision-making and role clarity. Both the leaders and PR professionals will share what they need from each other when operating in high-pressure situations. This session is suitable to everyone from emerging practitioners to senior professionals who want a stronger understanding of how strategic relationships are built before pressure hits, and how they hold up once it does.
Key takeaways for attendees
- What organisational leaders most value from PR counsel during high-stakes reputational moments.
- What comms professionals need from their leaders and how to ask for it.
- How trust, access, and straight talking are built before an issue or crisis arrives.
- Practical lessons on earning and keeping a seat at the top table when judgement, timing, and credibility are under pressure.
Heather Claycomb founded HMC in May 2004 driven by her passion to tell a great story and support Waikato businesses in making a difference. In 2019, her business evolved into a social enterprise which now donates its profits to her family charity, All Good Ventures. Passionate about the PR industry, Heather has been involved in the PR Institute of NZ (PRINZ) in a regional leadership and governance capacity since 2013. She was elected to the position of Board Chair in May 2022, where she served until July 2024. Heather’s unique background in communications, marketing, sales and public relations across a broad range of industries have given her a strong foothold to run HMC . Her MBA education coupled with an expertise in corporate communications, allows Heather to bring a unique perspective to her clients with the ability to approach communications issues from a strategic business perspective. Heather leads the team to help clients with crisis and issues management and has developed PR strategies and crisis response related to a wide range of subjects including rapid Covid response, criminal activity by staff, response to the End of Life Choice Act, bullying, defective products causing harm, and more.
As CEO of Spark Health, John Macaskill-Smith has extensive expertise in both public and private health sectors driving digital health innovation in New Zealand. His experience spans senior roles at the Health Funding Authority (HFA), Ministry of Health (MoH) and various private health organisations, where he developed innovative solutions to sector challenges across New Zealand, Australia, the Middle East and the UK. John is a seasoned Director, holding positions on various commercial and not-for-profit boards. He is speaking at this session in his role as School Board Chair of St Peter’s Cambridge, a leading private high school.
Julien Leys has over 24 years’ communications experience working in both the private and public sectors. Following completion of a First-Class Master’s Degree in Law, Julien was appointed as the legal and political adviser to the Minister of Local Government in New Zealand’s first MMP Parliament. After senior positions with leading communications agencies, Julien established an award-winning consultancy PR Partners which he ran for 10 years. In 2014 PR Partners was merged with Trans-Tasman consultancy SenateSHJ where Julien was the General Manager, Board Member and a senior Partner until March 2019. Julien left to establish Pendulum Strategies as a strategic corporate communications consultancy with a client list covering energy, transport, government affairs, financial services, horticulture, technology, education and healthcare sectors in New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands. Julien is a specialist in crisis and issues management, media relations, and government relations. He has extensive experience in assisting major clients with complex issues as well as successfully managing crises across the energy, pharmaceutical, transport, public utility, labour hire, technology and food / hospitality sectors. He also has extensive experience working with the building and construction sector and was appointed as the Chief Executive of the Building Industry Federation in 2019. Julien is a Fellow of the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand, and a Past Chair of the College of Fellows. He also regularly presents as part of the APR course.
Dave Bodger holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Economics from Lincoln University. He worked in the Australasian oil industry since university including 17 years as the Chief Executive of Gull New Zealand. Dave retired from full-time work at Gull in 2023 and remains on the Gull Board. Dave is Board Chair of Kidney Kids New Zealand Incorporated which followed a donation of one of his kidneys to his daughter Anna in 2023. Dave, a passionate Cantabrian, lives on Auckland’s North Shore with his wife Julie and two of their four adult children. Dave can often be found swimming or fishing from his jet ski around the Hauraki Gulf. His favourite weekly activity is a walk along Long Bay beach with Julie.
Closing the day followed by networking drinks.