Meet our Judge Chair

This new role has been introduced to the Awards Programme to oversee a fair and transparent judging process – including reviewing due diligence, managing conflicts of interest and chairing the Executive Judging Day.

Image Credit: Dean Purcell for NZ Herald

Hon. Justice Simon Moore KC

The Hon. Justice Simon Moore graduated from Otago University with a BA (Hons) and LLB in 1980. He was admitted to the Bar in 1982, and three years later, he became a partner at Meredith Connell, a leading Auckland Crown Solicitors firm. In 1994, he was appointed Crown Solicitor for Auckland, a position he held for 20 years. During that time, he chaired the partnership and represented the Crown in many high-profile criminal trials.

In 2008, he was appointed King’s Counsel (KC), and six years later, in 2014, he was appointed to the High Court of New Zealand. As a Judge, Justice Moore has chaired several committees and managed the Criminal Lists for a number of years. He later took on the role of Civil List and Executive Judge of the Auckland High Court, a position he held until mid-2024. As a judge, one of his most notable cases was the trial of Jesse Kempson, who was convicted of the murder of Grace Millane.

Justice Moore is currently in the role of Chair of the Electoral Commission, after retiring from the Bench at the end of 2024.

He and his wife, Jane, have been married for 44 years. Together, they have three sons and five mokopuna.

Meet our 2025 Executive Judges

12 independent, respected New Zealanders that select the finalists and winners.

They offer diversity of industry, social and cultural, entrepreneurship, and innovation backgrounds, ensuring our prestigious Awards honour the extraordinary New Zealanders making Aotearoa a better place.

Executive Judges

• Sir Ashley Bloomfield KNZM —Interim Chief Executive, ESR – Science and Research
• Caren Rangi, ONZM —Interim Chief Executive – Cook Islands Development Agency of New Zealand (CIDANZ)
• Dan Te Whenua Walker — Senior Partner Development Manager for Global Partner Solutions, Microsoft, Deputy Chair, NZ Māori Tourism and Director,
  Tātaki Auckland Unlimited
• Geoff Ensor — Director, Red Hut Leadership Services and Former Department of Conservation Director of Commercial Partnerships
• Dame Professor Juliet Gerrard — Professor, University of Auckland, Former Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor
• Kendall Flutey — Co-Founder & CPO of Banqer
• Paddy Gower —Journalist
• Robyn Baker ONZM — Chair, NZ Teaching Council
• Robyn Scott-Vincent —Founder Attitude Pictures Ltd & com
• Steve Jurkovich —CEO, Kiwibank
• Theresa Gattung DNZM —Chair, Global Women
• Dame Valerie Adams DNZM —Athlete and Chair, World Athletics Athletes’ Commission

Meet our 2026 Category Judges

Our seven Category Judging Panels are made up of some of the brightest minds from a number of fields, offering expertise within their given categories. They’re tasked with the job of whittling down the hundreds of nominees to just 10 Semi-Finalists that are representative of the best of the best within the award category — to go forward for Executive Judging.

New Zealander of the Year Te Pou Whakarae o Aotearoa

• Rachel Smalley MNZM, Director
• Arihia Bennett CNZM, National Commissioner South, Tamariki & Whanau Services, Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children
• Jim Boult CNZM, Company Director
• Sir Graham Henry KNZM, Former All Blacks Coach

Young New Zealander of the Year Te Mātātahi o te Tau

• Kauri Tearaura, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Lead, Department of Internal Affairs
• Shay Wright, Kaihautū / Chief Navigator, Te Whare Hukahuka Ltd
• Simran Kaur, Founder, Girls That Invest and 2024 Young New Zealander of the Year
• Stephanie Benseman, Head of Portfolio Services, Icehouse Ventures
• Brodie Jean Kane, Independent Broadcaster

Senior New Zealander of the Year Te Mātāpuputu o te Tau

• Meng Foon, CEO, MY Gold Investments Ltd
• Dame Diana Crossan, Board Chair, Lifetime Retirement Income
• Karen Billing-Jensen, Chief Executive, Age Concern New Zealand
• Mavis Mullins, Governor
• Edward Ellison ONZM, Farmer / Upoko of Te Rūnanga ō Ōtakou and associated hapū

New Zealand Innovator of the Year Te Pou Whakairo o te Tau

• Olivia Blaylock, The Icehouse, Chief Executive Officer
• Paul Atkins, Chief Executive, Royal Society Te Apārangi
• Andrew Clews, GM HealthTech, Callaghan Innovation & HealthTech Activator
• Kerensa Johnston, Director
• Leighton Roberts, Co-Founder, Co-CEO, Sharesies

New Zealand Sustainability Leader of the Year Te Toa Taiao o te Tau

• Brianne West, Founder & CEO of Incrediballs 
• Prof. Bronwyn Hayward MNZM, Professor, University of Canterbury & Director, The Sustainable Citizenship and Civic Imagination Research Group
• Mark Fenwick, Marine Ecologist, NIWA
• Annabell Chartres, Partner – Sustainability, Climate & Nature, PwC New Zealand
• Angela Clifford, CEO of Eat New Zealand & Owner of The Food Farm

New Zealand Community of the Year Ngā Pou Whirinaki o te Tau

• Sam Johnson, Founder of Student Volunteer Army & Director of Projects at STILL
• Dr Jason Tuhoe, Māori General Practitioner
• Ezekiel Raui, Head of Foundation One New Zealand
• Sharon Brettkelly, Presenter of The Detail podcast
• Jemma Adams, Chief Executive, Otago Community Trust
• Tania Kura, Retired Deputy Commissioner, NZ Police

New Zealand Local Hero of the Year Te Pou Toko o te Tau

• Rachel Māia, NZ ParaClimber, Motivational Speaker
• Dr Ranjna Patel ONZM QSM, 2021 New Zealand Innovator of the Year, Founder, Gandhi Nivas Family Violence Prevention Programme
• Sarah Page, Chief Executive and Founder, Kindness Collective
• Mark Crysell, Journalist
• Josiah Tualamaliʻi, Governor and Mental Health Policy Specialist

Meet our 2026 Local Hero Regional Judges

Each regional panel is made up of Regional Judges from a variety of backgrounds – media, corporate and local government. We seek those community-minded people with their fingers on the pulse of who is creating real, tangible impact within their region. They’re entrusted with determining our Top 100 Local Hero Medallists’ who will go forward for Category Judging.

Local Hero Regional Judges

• Alf Filipaina, Manukau Ward Councillor, Auckland Council
• Amy You, Head of Product, Tower Insurance
• Andre Fesolai, Contact Centre, Tower Insurance
• Anna Kooperberg, Customer & Marketing, Tower Insurance
• Anthony Au-Yeung, UX & Design Chapter Lead, Tower Insurance
• Belinda Feek, NZ Herald Waikato Reporter
• Carolyn Eyre, Deputy Mayor Western Districts, General Ward Councillor
• Celeste Donovan, Councillor for Coastal Ward, Christchurch City Council
• Councillor Carol Peters, PhD, QSM, Councillor, Whangārei District Council
• Damian Newell, Host, The Breeze, Dunedin
• Devina Nikam, Senior Actuarial Pricing Analyst, Tower Insurance
• Dr Will Flavell, Board member, Henderson-Massey Local Board
• George Mitchinson, Business Enterprise Support & Engineering Practice Manager, Tower Insurance
• Georgia Stewart, ZM Days’ announcer
• Hannah Wilkins, The Breeze Dunedin Breakfast Presenter
• Helen Lash, Westland District Council Mayor
• Hilary Muir, Host, The Breeze, Canterbury
• James Silcock, Head of Strategy, Planning and Investor Relations, Tower Insurance
• Jane Nees, Deputy Chair, Bay of Plenty Regional Council
• Jordan Oppert, TVNZ Sports Journalist
• Jordyn Rudd, 1 News Reporter
• Josephine Bartley, Councillor, Auckland Council
• Ken Swan, More FM Breakfast Host, Taranaki
• Kerrin Leoni, Councillor, Auckland Council
• Kieran Simmons, Process Excellence, Tower Insurance
• Lorraine Dunning, Underwriter, Tower Insurance
• Mātai Smith, Station Manager/Broadcaster
• Melissa Nightingale, Senior Reporter for the Herald
• Mike Skeens, Contact Centre, Tower Insurance
• Natasha Albert, Claims Product Owner, Tower Insurance
• Neil Gillespie, Deputy Mayor, Central Otago District
• Nicola Bunting, Head of Service Experience, Tower Insurance
• Nureddin Abdurahman, Councillor, Paekawakawa/Southern Ward, Wellington
• Peter David Tennent QSO JP, QSO, JP, Taranaki
• Petra Jane Tahana, Enablement Practice Lead, Tower Insurance
• Rachel Ward, Editor – Northern Advocate, NZME
• Rehette Stoltz, Mayor, Gisborne
• Ross Haliday, Claims, Tower Insurance
• Sarah Connell, Key Partnership Manager, Tower Insurance
• Scott Shannon JP, Deputy Mayor, Timaru District Council
• Tania Gibson, Mayor of Greymouth
• Tania Pearson, General Counsel/Company Secretary, Tower Insurance
• Timothy Burfield King, Tasman District Council Mayor
• Tori Tokalau, Senior Reporter, Stuff
• Tui Shortland, Councillor & Chair, Northland Regional Council
• William Woodsworth, Reporter Top South Media (Marlborough Weekly & Marlborough App)