Women who LEAD

They are extraordinary female leaders. Each working at the top of their field and making a profound and positive difference to the world around them.

Leading, impactful, savvy and brave; ASB Bank and panel host – Hannah Ockelford – are delighted to bring you the stories of three incredible “Women who LEAD”.

The first in our 2023 series will feature distinguished New Zealand business woman – Dame Therese Walsh, the popular and talented broadcaster – Toni Street, and the successful and influential executive in Pasifika Medicine – Debbie Sorensen.

This is an event that promises to be lively and inspirational; a rare and privileged insight into the professional lives and the personalities of three incredible women. You will hear what it means to them to be a leader, how they use their influence to effect change, what drives them and what’s coming next.

5:30pm – Networking & Drinks
6:00 - 7:30pm - Panel discussion
7:30 - 8:00pm – Networking & Drinks

• Dame Therese Walsh
Dame Therese Walsh is one of the country’s leading independent Directors, and is currently the Chair of Air New Zealand and the Chair of ASB Bank. She is also Chair of Chapter Zero NZ steering group and a Director of Antarctica New Zealand. She is considered one of the most influential women in the country’s sporting leadership, having been the Head of New Zealand for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 and the Chief Operating Officer for Rugby New Zealand 2011. She has previously served as Chair of TVNZ, a Director of Contact Energy, NZX, NZ Cricket, Save the Children NZ, and Pro Chancellor of Victoria University. Dame Therese is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a commerce graduate. In 2013, she was named the inaugural supreme winner of the Women of Influence Awards and she was awarded a Sir Peter Blake Trust leadership Award in 2014. She became a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2015.

• Toni Street
The engaging and talented Toni Street is one of New Zealand's most loved broadcasters. Her easy on-air style and warm personality make her (a very important) ‘one third’ of the “Coast Breakfast” radio show, alongside Sam Wallace and Jason Reeves. Toni was a reporter for One News for nearly a decade before making the move to host some of the country’s most popular news and current affairs programmes; hosting ‘Breakfast’ and then ‘Seven Sharp’ for 4 years. Toni has been the face of many LIVE sporting events across her career including the ASB tennis tournaments, international netball tests and world cups and, most recently, she anchored the Tokyo Olympics and the America's Cup coverage for TVNZ. She is also the author of New Zealand’s best-selling book for 2022 "Lost and Found" where she shares her story of heartbreak and hope – her own surrogacy journey and the loss of three siblings.

• Debbie Sorensen
An excellent communicator and intelligent businesswomen, Debbie Sorensen has been instrumental in the development and progress of Pacifika health Services in New Zealand over the past 3 decades. As Chief Executive of the Pasifika Medical Association group over the past 15 years, she has led its transformation into the largest Non-Governmental Pacific organisation in the region. Debbie was the first Chief Advisor Pacific Health to the Minister of Health and is a successful and experienced company director. Her two current governance roles are as Vice Chair Moana Pasifika Rugby and as a Trustee of the Milford Foundation. Debbie is responsible for the development of the PACMAT (Pacific Medical Assistance Team) which is a clinically expert humanitarian response group, strongly anchored in Pacific methodologies and experienced in working with Pacific communities in New Zealand and the region. Debbie was invested in 2015 as a Commander of the Royal Crown of Tonga by His Majesty Tupou V for her work in the health sector in Tonga and has been the recipient of many other awards recognising her significant contribution.