Suzannah Jessep’s March 2025 CEO Update
I’m writing this just two days after the Foundation’s amazing Honorary Advisers’ meeting in Auckland (more on that later!) and two days before I join the Prime Minister’s delegation to India. As you can imagine, it’s been a busy week for both me and the team.
The Foundation's Honorary Advisers gathered in Auckland in March to discuss Asia-New Zealand relationships and Foundation affairs
It is exactly one year since I last visited India alongside the Rt Hon Winston Peters, Minister of Foreign Affairs. In India, a lot can change in just a year, so I’m excited to return and see the ongoing transformation that is taking place. Joining me will be Foundation Honorary Advisers, the Rt Hon Sir Anand Satyanand and Sameer Handa, as well as Trustee Hone McGregor. In total, this will be the biggest ever official delegation to India!
Speaking of New Zealand-India connections, I’d be remiss not to mention the Champion’s Trophy cricket finals held in Dubai on Sunday where New Zealand faced off against India. While the Black Caps lost, our cricketers continue to be fantastic ambassadors for New Zealand, both on and off the field and are a reminder of the importance sports – and our communities in general – can play in helping to deepen relations between countries.
The Asia New Zealand Foundation will also lead a delegation of young leaders and journalists to attend the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi at the same time as the PM’s visit. Our delegation will also travel to Chennai, in Southern India, where they will meet with Digital IT Minister Palunivel Thiaga Rajan, visit the Royal Enfield Factory and Sri-City, and connect with leading thinkers, students and others.
We will publish articles on both the PM’s visit and the Raisina Dialogue on the Foundation’s website in coming weeks.
While on the topic of India, I’ll quickly mention the India agribusiness delegation in New Zealand this week. As I write, the group is attending Central District Field Days in Feilding, gaining firsthand insight into the future of New Zealand’s agricultural industries and thinking about how we can grow greater collaboration between New Zealand and India in agri-business. Keep an eye on the Foundation’s website for an article documenting their time in New Zealand.
Honorary Advisers Meeting
Indonesian Honorary Adviser Helianti Hilman meeting Prime Minister Chris Luxon at the Honorary Advisers' meeting dinner
As noted in the introduction to this update, the Foundation hosted its Honorary Advisers in Auckland this week. Holding senior positions across a diverse range of sectors – including business, government, academia, and community – our Honorary Advisers provide valuable on-the-ground insights into the Asia region and act as advocates for the Foundation and wider New Zealand in Asia.
The Honorary Advisers were welcomed to Auckland by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei elders at Ōrākei Marae, Bastion Point
During their visit, advisers met with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and some of New Zealand's leading public and private sector figures. They also provided valuable advice to the Foundation on how we can keep improving our work and maximising our impact in what is looking to be an increasingly complex region. Many of the advisers gave guest lectures, did site visits, met senior officials, and one even did a cooking show! As above, keep an eye out on our website for more reporting from their visit and the Advisers’ meeting.
Asia Honorary Advisers
Vietnam report
Last month the Foundation launched our latest research report, Viet Nam and New Zealand at 50: The next chapter.
Released to commemorate 50 years of formal diplomatic ties between the two countries, the report builds on the Foundation’s 2020 publication, Viet Nam & New Zealand: Let’s Go. It explores the evolution of New Zealand’s relationship with Viet Nam, highlights key opportunities for collaboration, and looks ahead to fostering even closer ties in the future.
Building strong relationships with smaller but hugely dynamic Asian countries like Viet Nam is important for New Zealand’s economic growth, regional access and influence, and resilience.
Strengthening diplomatic, social and economic ties also enhances New Zealand’s presence in the Indo-Pacific, fostering greater understanding, stability and cooperation in an increasingly competitive and uncertain geopolitical landscape.
Viet Nam and New Zealand at 50
Across other programmes we have a huge amount of activity happening. The arts programme is preparing a delegation for Indonesia, and the sports programme is preparing to send interns to Singapore and lead a delegation to Singapore and Malaysia. The track II team will be in India, but they are also preparing for several dialogues across the region and are looking forward to hosting visiting experts from Asia here in New Zealand.
I’d like to end with a quote, repeated by one of our Asia Honorary Advisers at our meeting earlier this week. Attributed to George Shultz, a former U.S. Secretary of Labour, Treasury, and State, who was reflecting on the importance of trust on the occasion of his 100th birthday. He said: "trust is the coin of the realm" - a statement that emphasizes that trust is essential for building strong relationships and achieving success in any field, from family to politics to business to diplomacy. It is a statement that reminds us, in these uncertain times, how important our close advisers, friends and stakeholders are, and how our relationship enables our success.
Let’s see how 2025 pans out, but if media headlines are anything to go by, it’s looking like it’s going to be a bumpy ride and our friends are going to be more important than ever!
