B Corps & The New Economy in Aotearoa NZ

In the B Corp movement, we talk a lot about the 'new economy' and 'changing the system' - B Lab’s vision is for an ‘inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy’.

But what would this actually look like? What would be the characteristics of a regenerative economy in Aotearoa New Zealand? How would it work? How would the best businesses be operating within it? And… how do we get from here to there?’

Hosted by B Lab's Aotearoa NZ Manager, Qiulae Wong, and Co-Chair, Alex Hannant, hear from an inspiration panel of experts on this important topic during B Corp Month 2023. 

About our speakers

• Alex Hannant (Panel facilitator) - Co-Chair of B Lab AANZ and Executive in Residence at The Yunus Centre Griffith University - With varied experience in the fields of sustainable development and innovation, Alex is now focused on better understanding the nature of systems change and creating the conditions and infrastructures for regenerative futures. Previous roles include: Co-Director and Professor of Practice at The Yunus Centre, Griffith University (AUS), CEO of the Ākina Foundation (NZ), Director of Programmes at LEAD International (UK), and Head of Partnerships at the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (UK).
• Rod Oram - Business Journalist - Rod has more than 40 years’ experience as an international business journalist. He has worked for various publications in Europe and North America, including the Financial Times of London. He contributes weekly to Newsroom.co.nz, Radio New Zealand’s Nine to Noon, and to Newstalk ZB. He is a frequent public speaker on deep sustainability, business, economics, innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship, in both NZ and global contexts
• Jo Kelly - CEO, Toitū Tahua Centre for Sustainable Finance - Jo has delivered cross-continent sustainability initiatives between some of the world’s best known business leaders. Alongside her role as Chief Executive of Toitū Tahua, Jo is on the B Lab Australia New Zealand Board and the National Advisory Board for Impact Investing. In 2011 Jo managed establishment of The B Team, co-founded by Sir Richard Branson and Jochen Zeitz, which led the first calls from business for Net Zero by 2050 and an ambitious Paris Agreement. On returning home to Aotearoa NZ Jo spent four years with Deloitte New Zealand.
• Jennifer Wilkins - Degrowth researcher and consultant - Jennifer Wilkins is a degrowth researcher and consultant focused on shaping emerging ideas in degrowth policy and business concepts around Aotearoan issues and perspectives. Her work is gathered on the website Heliocene.org. She is currently completing a Master’s in Degrowth: Ecology, Economics and Policy at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. She is an MBA of Warwick Business School and a CIMA-qualified chartered management accountant with corporate management experience in manufacturing, forestry and infrastructure in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, and has lived in Japan and the USA
• Qiulae Wong - Aotearoa New Zealand Manager, B Lab AANZ - Qiulae works with the NZ B Corp community and the wider ecosystem in Aotearoa to make impact-focused business the new norm. She has spent her career working with purpose-led business and non-profit organisations across multiple industries to rethink the role that business plays in driving a more inclusive and regenerative society. She is also studying a Mastery of Business and Empathy (MBE) with Small Giants Academy, Australia's first B Corp.