Meet your 2025 Semi-Finalists

Rangatahi Vision

Kiwibank

New Zealander of the Year

Meet your Semi-Finalists

We’ve just announced Aotearoa New Zealand’s 70 most extraordinary leaders. The doers. The dreamers. The people that are out there making an impact, and leaving our nation better than they found it. Is your favourite New Zealander in the mix? Find out, and get to know your 2025 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Ngā Tohu Pou Kōhure o Aotearoa Semi-Finalists.

We announce the top three Finalists for all seven awards on Wednesday 26 February, so get connected on our socials, and stay tuned!

Click on the awards below to meet the 10 semi finalist in each Award category.

Awards

Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year

University of Canterbury Young New Zealander of the Year

Ryman Healthcare Senior New Zealander of the Year

Spark New Zealand Innovator of the Year

Genesis New Zealand Sustainability Leader of the Year

Mitre 10 New Zealand Community of the Year

Kiwibank New Zealand Local Hero of the Year

2024  

winners

Nicola MacDonald

Genesis

New Zealand Sustainability Leader of the Year

Te Toa Taiao o te Tau

Cyclone Gabrielle Volunteers

Mitre 10

New Zealand Community of the Year

Ngā Pou Whirinaki o te Tau

Sally Walker

Kiwibank

New Zealand Local Hero of the Year

Te Pou Toko o te Tau

Simran Kaur

University of Canterbury

Young New Zealander of the Year

Te Mātātahi o te Tau

Dr Jim Salinger

Kiwibank

New Zealander of the Year

Te Pou Whakarae o Aotearoa

Cecilia Robinson

Spark

New Zealand Innovator of the Year

Te Pou Whakairo o te Tau

Bob Francis

Ryman Healthcare

Senior New Zealander of the Year

Te Mātāpuputu o te Tau

2024/25

Key Dates

24 July

Nominations
Open

26 August

Nominations
Closed

21 November

Local Heroes
Announced

12 December

Semi-Finalists
Announced

26 February

Finalists
Announced

20 March

Awards
Gala

Join us as we kick off our nominations phase of The Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards Ngā Tohu Pou Kōhure o Aotearoa! For four weeks – from 24 July to 26 August – we invite you to put forth your champions of positive change. Awarded across seven categories and celebrating people from every age, stage and background; this is your chance to shine a spotlight on the people who matter to you.

As nominations come flooding in, we’re hard at work bringing together seven incredible judging panels comprised of sector leaders and experts from across Aotearoa. When nominations close on 26 August, all nominations will go through two rounds of intensive debate, as with great care and rigour our judges select the most powerful stories of the year.

In late-November, we proudly reveal and celebrate the top 100 nominees for the Kiwibank Local Hero of the Year Te Pou Toko o te Tau. These people are our friends, our neighbours, our colleagues, our front line workers, our volunteers – the people that work behind the scenes every day to make Aotearoa a better place. Each receives a medal, and will move through to the next round of judging to be considered for the final award.

From thousands of public nominations, the top ten Semi-Finalists across all categories are announced. This is a huge moment to collectively appreciate and celebrate the people who have made invaluable contributions to our nation – from transforming local communities to putting Aotearoa New Zealand on a world stage.

Our Executive Judging Panel. Made of esteemed leaders from diverse fields across New Zealand, this panel will meet and select the top three Finalists from across the seven categories. Their selections will be announced in February 2025, and celebrated as our 2025 Finalists. You’ll have to join us on Awards Night in March to see who takes out the title!

Join us for the greatest night of the year! Our annual Awards Gala is set for April 2025 in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. Be in the room with the best of Aotearoa as we celebrate the the Semi-Finalists, Finalists and announce the 2025 Winners across all seven categories. Nothing beats the energy, emotion and significance of this special night. Limited tickets will be on sale, so stay tuned!