speakers
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Zion Armstrong
Zion Armstrong’s incredible journey began with a sprint away from the police in West Auckland, igniting an athletics career that led him to the Commonwealth Games.
But that was just the beginning of his remarkable ascent.In his early 20s, Zion became the head of footwear at Adidas NZ, demonstrating his extraordinary talent in the world of sports retail.
Climbing the corporate ladder, he travelled to HQ in Germany, before honing his leadership skills in Asia before he reached the pinnacle as the president of Adidas North America. Under his leadership, the team achieved a record $US6 billion in annual profit, marking a significant milestone in the company's history.
In 2022, Zion made a life-altering decision to leave his high-profile lifestyle and return to New Zealand for his kids.
As a speaker, Zion Armstrong offers an extraordinary narrative of success, transformation, and the courage to embrace what truly matters. His story is an inspiration, showcasing what's possible with determination and a clear sense of purpose.
Zion's story is a profound reminder of what's truly important in life. His journey is a testament to the power of the right mindset and work ethic, balanced with a deep understanding of personal values and priorities.
Hon Nicola Willis
Minister of Finance, Minister for Economic Growth and the Minister for Social Investment
Hon. Nicola Willis is the Minister of Finance, Minister for Economic Growth and the Minister for Social Investment, as well as the Deputy Leader of the National Party. Prior to becoming a Member of Parliament in 2018, Nicola held a number of senior management roles at Fonterra, and served on the boards of Export NZ and policy think-tank The New Zealand Initiative.
Nicola was a senior advisor to Prime Minister Rt Hon. John Key during his first term in Government, and prior to that a researcher for Rt Hon. Bill English. She lives in Wellington with her husband Duncan and their four children
Sally Copland
Managing Director, Woolworths NZ
Sally Copland is the Managing Director of Woolworths New Zealand, a role she commenced on 1 July 2025. This appointment follows a highly successful career within the Woolworths Group, where she most recently served as Managing Director of Group eComX, leading the eCommerce portfolio for both Australia and New Zealand.
Born and raised in Masterton, Sally’s connection to retail began with her first jobs in stores in her local town. This foundational experience grounds her professional and academic achievements, which include a Master of Management from Macquarie Graduate School of Management, as well as a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Otago. Sally is married to James and is a mother to two boys. She loves being outdoors walking, running, ocean swimming, travelling and cooking for her family.
With a career at Woolworths Group that began in New Zealand in 2006, Sally has been in Australia for the last three and a half years. Now returning home and focusing entirely on the New Zealand business, Sally brings a profound understanding of the local and international retail landscape. Her expertise spans customer engagement, marketing, digital innovation, loyalty, eCommerce and operations, building high-performing teams to merge physical and digital retail into seamless customer experiences.
Sally is excited about the opportunity to lead the 21,000 strong Woolworths team who are serving the millions of kiwis who shop both in-store and online. The Woolworths NZ strategy and direction is clear - with a focus on delivering kiwi customers the best of fresh, market leading convenience and a more rewarding experience through Everyday Rewards. The absolute focus continues to be giving our customers good prices, a great range of products, convenience and a fantastic shopping experience and supporting local communities right across Aotearoa New Zealand.
Mary Devine
CEO Foodstuffs South Island
An experienced leader with executive, governance and consulting experience across multiple national businesses, Mary is highly regarded as one of the most influential leaders in New Zealand’s retail sector.
Mary first joined the Foodstuffs South Island Board in 2018 and transitioned to her current role as Chief Executive in January 2022. Prior to this Mary held a broad range of retail leadership roles including at Hallenstein Glassons, Ballantynes, EziBuy, and the Briscoes Group.
In 2013 Mary received the Honorary Queen’s Award of an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for services to business. Mary was also instrumental in the early formation of Global Women, which pioneered focus on advancing women in leadership in New Zealand. In 2025 Mary received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Retail NZ, recognising the significant and lasting impact her career has had on New Zealand’s retail sector.
Mary holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Otago and an MBA from the University of Canterbury.
Chris Quin
CEO Foodstuffs, North Island
As CEO of Foodstuffs North Island, he leads a co-operative of more than 320 locally owned grocery stores – New World, PAK’nSAVE, and Four Square – that serve millions of shoppers across the North Island every week. He also serves as Managing Director of Foodstuffs NZ, a Director of The New Zealand Initiative, and Chair of the Giltrap Group.
Before joining Foodstuffs in 2015, Chris spent 24 years at Spark (formerly Telecom), where he played a pivotal role in one of New Zealand’s largest corporate transformations. As CEO of Spark’s retail and digital divisions, he helped reinvent the business from a traditional telco into a modern, customer-led digital services company.
Since moving into grocery, Chris has focused on building a customer-driven and productive co-op that creates real value for suppliers. He’s passionate about the role grocery plays in New Zealand’s economy and communities, and is committed to working with suppliers to keep pushing the boundaries of innovation, growing New Zealand businesses and delivering the best choice and value for households.
David Stewart
Foodstuffs, North Island
David joined Foodstuffs in 2010 as Chief Financial Officer at Foodstuffs Auckland, where he played a key role in the merger with Foodstuffs Wellington that created Foodstuffs North Island. He became CFO of the new co-operative in 2013 and General Manager Merchandise in 2016. David has helped transform the co-operative’s retail and supplier partnerships, strengthened data-driven decision-making, and led the transition to operating in a regulated grocery market following the Commerce Commission’s market study. Prior to Foodstuffs, he held senior finance roles in Europe with France Telecom, Orange, and PwC. Named New Zealand’s CFO of the Year in 2015, he is a Chartered Accountant and a graduate of Stanford’s Executive Programme.
Dean Waddell
Foodstuffs, North Island
Dean is a third-generation grocer who was appointed to the Foodstuffs North Island Board in 2013 and later became Chair. He started out working in the family supermarket, New World Brookfield, then went to study for a Bachelor of Business Studies at Massey University, before returning to work at New World Brookfield. Dean became a Member of the Foodstuffs co-operative in 1992 when he purchased New World Brookfield and moved to his current store, PAK’nSAVE Cameron Road in Tauranga, in 2013. Dean and his wife Julie have three children.
Pierre van Heerden
Grocery Commissioner
Pierre van Heerden was appointed Grocery Commissioner in July 2023. Most recently, he was the Chief Executive Officer of Mojo Coffee, General Manager Commercial Development of Zealandia, and Executive General Manager of Farrah’s Breads. Before this, van Heerden was Managing Director of Southern Sky Associates, a business consultancy. He has also been the Chief Executive Officer of Brancourts Dairy Group, Australia and Executive General Manager of Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing New Zealand for 10 years, Managing Director of Dick Smith Foods in Australia, as well as having held various executive roles with Sanitarium in Australia.
Anton Matthews
Anton Matthews is a driven entrepreneur and a passionate advocate for Māori culture, dedicated to embedding te reo Māori and tikanga into every venture. As the founder and director of Hustle Group in Ōtautahi, Christchurch, Anton has established a resilient hospitality collective, which includes Joe’s Garage Wigram, Fush, and Tātou Tātou, reflecting his commitment to hard work, resilience, and a tenacious spirit. His dedication to Māori values shines through in every facet of his business, offering an inspiring blend of cultural heritage and modern success.
Beyond hospitality, Anton leads Hustle Education, a programme focused on building cultural confidence across Aotearoa, empowering individuals and organisations to embrace Māori culture meaningfully. His work with Angitu Trust further illustrates his commitment to community, fostering opportunities for rangatahi and making te reo Māori accessible to all. Anton’s vision for a more inclusive Aotearoa highlights how the fusion of cultural values and drive can foster both personal and community strength, establishing him as a prominent voice in values-based leadership across New Zealand.
SESSION SPEAKERS
Mike Cullerne
Chair, NZ Food & Grocery Council
Mike has over 20 years of experience in the FMCG industry in both NZ and Australia, including his current role as Managing Director for the Arnott’s Group. From starting his career as a merchandiser in Auckland he has gone on to lead large and diverse teams, built and executed successful business strategies, and overseen operations as an executive director.
In addition to running a large FMCG business, Mike's recent experience in acquiring NZ brands and businesses (180degrees, Mother Earth) and investing in local manufacturing gives him valuable insights into the challenges faced by FGC members. As a result, he is well-positioned to advocate for their needs and collaborate with other stakeholders to address industry-wide issues.
As a board member for the previous two years Mike has worked to ensure the FGC remains at the forefront of the industry driving positive change whilst delivering value for its members. This includes chairing the GIAC and advocating for positive industry change with key stakeholders such as the Grocery Commissioner and various Ministers.
Raewyn Bleakley
Chief Executive, NZ Food & Grocery Council
Raewyn is an experienced and successful senior leader who has worked across and within government for more than 20 years, 6½ of them in chief executive roles at various industry associations.
Before becoming the CE of the NZ Food and Grocery Council, she was one of five Deputy Chief Executives at Fire and Emergency NZ for three years, where she was responsible for leading the Office of the Chief Executive. Before that she spent two years as General Manager Governance, Communications and Stakeholders, and three years as Region Director Central New Zealand at Waka Kotahi (NZ Transport Agency).
Her experience in industry associations has been extensive. She started her career as New Zealand Regional Manager for the Hospitality Association and was appointed the first National Operations Manager, before taking on the dual roles of Chief Executive of Bus and Coach Association NZ and the Rental Vehicle Association of NZ. In 2012 she was appointed Chief Executive of Business Central, incorporating Wellington Chamber of Commerce.
Raewyn also has extensive governance experience, including directorships on the transport Industry Training Organisation Tranzqual, Motor Industry Training Organisation, New Zealand Chambers of Commerce and Industry Board and Management Committee and Wellington Zoo Trust (where she was also was Deputy Chair and Chair of the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee).
Sarah Salmond
Partner, MinterEllisonRuddWatts
Within a broad public and regulatory practice, Sarah specialises in advising clients on the laws governing the food, healthcare, technology, industrial products and consumer goods sectors. She also focuses on helping clients navigate all aspects of government decision-making, regulatory investigations, international trade and financial sanctions. She is named on NZ Lawyer's Elite Women List 2023.
Sarah routinely assists private sector clients with complex, sensitive, and often high-profile public law, regulatory and government relations matters. She helps them to understand complex legal requirements, conduct due diligence, capitalise on regulatory opportunities, file and contest Official Information Act requests, participate effectively in regulatory investigations and public inquiries, present persuasively in disputes with decision-makers, and develop arguments and strategies that secure favourable legislative and policy changes. She is personally recognised for Public Law and her team is ranked Band 1 for Public Law by Chambers Asia Pacific 2024. She is also personally ranked for Government Practice and Public Law by the Best Lawyers™ in New Zealand.
Felicity Roxburgh
Executive Director, NZ International Business Forum
Felicity Roxburgh is the Executive Director of the New Zealand International Business Forum, where she leads the Forum’s engagement on key trade and economic policy issues and represents the interests of internationally focused businesses in dialogue with government and international partners.
Felicity brings nearly two decades of experience in international trade, foreign policy, and regional engagement, with a strong focus on geopolitics and the Indo-Pacific. She most recently served as New Zealand’s Consul-General in New Caledonia and has held a broad range of roles at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, with postings in Hong Kong, New York, and the Pacific.
Earlier in her career, Felicity served as Director, Business at the Asia New Zealand Foundation, where she led initiatives to strengthen New Zealand’s business and people-to-people links across Asia. She has a master's in communication studies and a journalism degree.
Shaun Lewis
General Manager, Ministry for the Environment
Shaun Lewis is the General Manager of Waste Systems and Operations at New Zealand’s Ministry for the Environment. Since 2016, Shaun has led national policy and operational programmes to transform New Zealand’s waste system, including the implementation of the Waste Minimisation Act, product stewardship schemes, and improvements to kerbside recycling.
Shaun’s recent work has focused on supporting the Government’s global leadership in the negotiation of a global plastics treaty, as well as driving the phase-out of problematic plastics and strengthening compliance and enforcement across the sector. Shaun works closely with central and local government, industry, and community stakeholders to accelerate the transition to a low-waste, low-emissions economy. With a career spanning the Ministry for the Environment, Ministry of Fisheries, and the Environmental Protection Authority, Shaun brings deep expertise in environmental policy, operational delivery, and cross-sector collaboration. Shaun is a regular contributor to national and international forums on waste and resource efficiency, committed to building partnerships that deliver practical, lasting change for Aotearoa New Zealand
Sahil Khatri
Strategic Analytics & Insights Lead, NielsenIQ
Sahil Khatri leads NielsenIQ’s Strategic Analytics & Insights division, with a focus on consumer research and strategic consulting. With a career spanning research agencies and corporate environments, Sahil brings deep expertise across FMCG, telecommunications, banking and insurance sectors. Known for his ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable insights, Sahil helps organisations unlock growth through customer-centric thinking and evidence-based decision-making. His approach blends analytical rigour with commercial acumen, making him a trusted partner for brands navigating today’s dynamic consumer landscape.
Jen Hambleton
Partner, MinterEllisonRuddWatts
Jennifer is a highly experienced competition and consumer lawyer, with a particular specialty in merger clearances, enforcement actions, and disputes.
She advises on the full suite of competition and consumer law issues, including merger clearances, authorisations, cartels, leniency applications, and collaborative activities. Jennifer acts for clients on Commerce Act and Fair Trading Act (FTA) investigations and enforcement actions. She also advises on issues under the Commerce Act, FTA, Grocery Industry Competition Act and Grocery Supply Code arising from contractual terms and practices, and on advertising and promotions.
Jennifer has extensive experience as a commercial litigator and has represented commercial and government clients on competition and consumer law actions, and commercial disputes, in all levels of the New Zealand courts. She also has significant experience in alternative dispute resolution (ADR) processes, including expert determinations, arbitrations, and mediation. Ranked as a Next Generation Partner by esteemed legal directory The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Jennifer is sought after for her clear thinking, commercial approach, and astute strategy setting. She provides practical solutions to enable clients to achieve their desired outcomes
Mike Rudman
Director, NextGen Group
Mike Rudman is the Director of NextGen Group, a leading Australian consultancy based, specialising in negotiation training, team capability development, and category and commercial management for FMCG suppliers. With over four decades of experience across major companies including Unilever, Lion, and Fonterra, Mike brings deep strategic insight and commercial acumen to his role. Mike is a regular contributor to industry training and webinars, including sessions for the NZ Food & Grocery Council.
Kate Gooch
NZ CPG Director, Circana
Kate Gooch brings a strong commitment to data, technology, and people development — a passion that has shaped her career in business leadership across analytics and consultancy. Her journey began on the manufacturer side, where she held roles in sales, marketing, and trade marketing at Heinz Wattie’s and Tip Top. She later transitioned into the data and insights space, joining Aztec during its start-up phase in New Zealand.
Her career continued in the UK, where she spent 13 years working with leading suppliers in the impulse sector to develop category and brand strategies in convenience, e-commerce, and shopper loyalty. While at 5One (now a division of Mastercard), she partnered closely with BP Europe, helping to leverage shopper insights across their petrol channel in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, and France. She also gained exposure to the online retail world through her work with Ocado and as a business development manager at mySupermarket. She led econometric marketing mix modelling (MMM) projects while at M-Factor (now DemandTec), until in 2014, she joined Circana UK, where she led Strategic Clients and later the Health & Beauty sector, working with some of the UK’s largest FMCG businesses.
In 2019, the lure of home became too strong and Kate returned to New Zealand and now heads Circana’s CPG client-facing team. In this role, she and her team collaborate with manufacturers to unlock the value of Circana’s rich industry insights and drive strategic growth. Kate is also an early-career mentor and is passionate about nurturing talent within the industry and supporting women in achieving their career aspirations
Debbie Simpson-Pudney
Head of Retail, Solutions & Innovation, Circana
Debbie Simpson-Pudney is a senior commercial leader with a career spanning over two decades in FMCG across three continents. She currently heads up Retail Consulting at Circana NZ, including the Bespoke Solutions team, where she delivers strategic value through tailored consulting, high-impact insights, and commercially grounded solutions that drive growth. Before moving into the data, consulting and technology space back in 2020, Debbie held senior commercial roles with global manufacturing giants including Unilever, Danone, and Constellation Wines. Her deep understanding of both supplier and retail dynamics gives her a unique perspective on unlocking value across the FMCG ecosystem.
A familiar face at industry forums, Debbie regularly presents at events such as the NZFGC conferences, Circana’s Insights Circle, and State of the Industry. She brings energy, authenticity, and straight-talking humour to her work, creating environments where people feel seen, valued, and motivated to deliver their best. Whether guiding strategy, driving results, or taking the mic, Debbie knows how to connect people, spark conversation, and make things happen
Bernie Brookes
Independent Chair, Australian Food & Grocery Council
Bernie Brookes is AFGC’s first independent Chair, and brings more than four decades of executive and board-level experience in the retail and consumer goods sectors, both in Australia and internationally. He has held senior leadership roles including CEO of Myer Australia and Edcon in South Africa, and Executive Director at Woolworths Australia.
In addition to his executive career, Mr Brookes has served on numerous boards across a diverse range of industries. He is currently Chair of Direct Group (Innovations and TVSN), and Renuon Renewable Energy and has previously sat on Boards of First Unity, Salvation Army Australia and Funtastic. He has also served on the Advisory Board of the World Retail Congress and was the founding judge, in addition to his role as patron of the Joe Berry Memorial Award and induction into the Australian Retail Hall of Fame
Colm Maguire
Chief Executive, Australian Food & Grocery Council
Colm Maguire is the Chief Executive Officer and Company Secretary of the Australian Food and Grocery Council. Colm’s role comprises leadership of organisational culture, HR, finance, business operations and governance as well as the AFGC’s member services and events.
Colm joined the AFGC in July 2024, having previously served as the COO at the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, where he led a range of transformation programs, cultural improvements, and achieved outstanding results for the membership. Previously, he spent 10 years as the Chief Executive Officer of a national sporting organisation, Touch Football Australia.
Colm has served on various not-for-profit boards, including the Council of Small Business Australia and Netball ACT, where he is currently the Chair. Colm is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a fellow of the Institute of Leaders and Managers and was recently inducted into the Leading Teams Hall of Fame
Ian Walsh
Partner, Argon&Co
With over 30 years’ experience driving operational performance across industries, Ian works with organisations from the shop floor to the boardroom to deliver high-impact, sustainable change. A Six Sigma Master Black Belt and founder of Intent Group (now part of Argon & Co), he specialises in business improvement programmes, lean manufacturing, supply chain optimisation, and best practice implementation—consistently delivering measurable bottom-line results.
Vincent Arbuckle
Deputy Director-General, NZ Food Safety
Vincent joined the Ministry for Primary Industries in November 2018 and currently leads New Zealand Food Safety. Prior to this, he was Deputy Director-General Compliance and Governance, and held senior roles in Corrections, the New Zealand Fire Service, and AXA New Zealand.
Robin Davies
With over 30 years in the corporate world, Robin brings firsthand experience in leading high-performing teams and shaping award-winning places to work across diverse and dynamic career.
Robyn began as an accountant, spending 17 years in finance roles before following my passion into human resources. As People & Culture Director at Lion NZ, and later leading some of their businesses, Robin helped cultivate a culture ranked in the top decile globally, winning multiple awards for our work.
Robin has also held senior leadership roles at Stuff as People & Culture Director, and at Fonterra supporting global diversity and inclusion strategies and initiatives. An Associate Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation, a Chartered Accountant, and a Workplace Inclusion Accredited Professional.
In 2022, Robin founded her business with a clear purpose: to help leaders flourish in their work and careers, and build healthy high-performing workplaces
Peter Stevens
Chief Executive, GS1 NZ
Dr Peter Stevens has been Chief Executive of GS1 New Zealand since January 2004. Before joining GS1, Peter worked in senior roles at BearingPoint, Standards New Zealand and Apple Computer. He has served as a Senior Lecturer in IT marketing at Victoria University and an Adjunct Professor in Information Systems & Computing at Unitec.
Peter has post-graduate qualifications in science and marketing. In his spare time, Peter loves going on adventures (at the beach, into the Waikanae swamp, or in the bush), loves DIY and is proud of his personal best speed on his sand yacht: 91kph!
Kaitlin Dawson
Executive Director, Kai Commitment
Kaitlin leads collaboration and action across New Zealand’s food system and is dedicated to bringing businesses, communities and government together to drive impactful, sustainable change.
For the past decade, Kaitlin has entrenched herself in the waste minimisation sector, driving incredible results. Her curiosity for understanding human behaviour sparked her desire to change the waste system from the ground up. Her heart is happy when connecting community initiatives with business and government to create collaborative, sustainable change.
Alison Thompson
Partnership Manager, CompeteNZ
Alison leads strategic partnerships at Competenz, one of New Zealand’s largest work-based learning providers. With over 20 years’ experience across workforce capability, vocational education, and talent development—including roles at Kraft Heinz and Fonterra Farm Source.
Competenz Partnerships team help manufacturing businesses build skilled, future-ready teams through practical, industry-aligned training.
Competenz is one of New Zealand’s leading work-based learning providers, supporting over 3,500 businesses across 37 industries—including food and beverage manufacturing and engineering.
Competenz mission is to help Kiwi manufacturers grow business by build meaningful careers through practical, nationally recognised on-job training that fits the needs of fast-paced sectors like FMCG.