Leadership Network members to mentor teen entrepreneurs
Members of Asia New Zealand Foundation’s Leadership Network are set to share their international knowledge, professional expertise and diverse experiences with high school students at this weekend’s Enterprise in Action event in Auckland.
Angela Lim is one of the Leadership Network members who will be mentoring teens
Enterprise in Action is an annual event run by Young Enterprise Trust (YET), involving 80 secondary school participants who already run their own small businesses through The Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme.
Seven members of Asia New Zealand Foundation’s Leadership Network will work with a group of eight students, who come from schools in Auckland, New Plymouth and South Canterbury. Over the weekend, they will complete two challenges – the Massey University Innovators Challenge and the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Challenge.
The Asia New Zealand Foundation Leadership Network is a global professional network at the forefront of developing and maintaining strong links between New Zealand and Asia. Established in 2007, the network now has about 350 members from diverse personal and professional backgrounds who are based throughout New Zealand, in Asia and beyond.
The Leadership Network members mentoring Young Enterprise Trust students are:
Kashmir Kaur, senior policy analyst, Ministry of Education, Wellington
Kayo Lakadia, network strategy, Air New Zealand, Auckland
Angela Lim, doctor, Counties Manukau Health, Auckland
Madeleine Lock, senior tax consultant, Deloitte New Zealand, Auckland
Arish Naresh, clinical director, allied health, Hauora Tairawhiti, Gisborne
Ping Panjaboon, property portfolio manager, Blackstone Group, Auckland
Shaun Tan, product development engineer, Texus Fibre Limited, Auckland
Asia New Zealand Foundation deputy executive director Adele Mason says the network members have a diverse range of experiences and professional skills to share with the students.
“Enterprise in Action challenges New Zealand students to look at global issues, which is a good fit with Asia New Zealand Foundation’s mission of equipping New Zealanders to thrive in Asia.
“Members of our Leadership Network have indicated that they are interested in mentoring the next generation and we’re really pleased to be able to build their leadership skills in this way.”
Outside of his day job as clinical director of allied health, Leadership Network member Arish Naresh holds a range of voluntary and community positions. He is looking forward to passing on skills and knowledge that he has gained through the Leadership Network to younger people. “The next generation of Kiwis will be highly entrepreneurial, innovative and in jobs that are not mainstream. Through the YET project, I am honoured to be able to mentor high school students to achieve that potential.”
The Asia New Zealand Foundation is a non-partisan, non-profit organisation with a range of programmes designed to equip New Zealanders with first-hand experience of Asia and to forge valuable links to the region. Founded in 1994, the Foundation works in five main areas - business, arts and culture, education, media and research. It also runs a Leadership Network and takes a lead role in track II (informal diplomacy) bilateral and multilateral dialogues in the Asia-Pacific region.
