Media Release: Stephen Jennings joins The New Zealand Initiative's Board of Directors
The New Zealand Initiative welcomes entrepreneur Stephen Jennings, CEO and Founder of Africa’s largest urban development company, Rendeavour, onto its Board of Directors.
“It is an honour to have Stephen join our Board,” said Roger Partridge, Chairman of The New Zealand Initiative. “Our mission is to create a more prosperous New Zealand for all New Zealanders. Jennings is a visionary international business leader and will bring valuable insights to the Initiative’s work.”
“I am delighted to be joining The New Zealand Initiative Board. The Initiative’s methodological, fact-based approach to policy is ideally placed to improve public understanding on many of the key challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand,” said Jennings.
Jennings is one of New Zealand’s most successful entrepreneurs. For more than 20 years, the Taranaki-born economist and investor has been living and working in emerging markets. A pioneer of capital markets in Central and Eastern Europe and Africa, he is responsible for more than $200 billion worth of investment into these regions.
As the leader of Africa’s largest urban development company, Rendeavour, Jennings now helps build city-scale developments in some of the fastest growing cities in Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The developments include homes, offices, industrial areas, schools and hospitals and allow residents to live and work within their community without the burden of commuting across already congested cities.
Despite his long international career, Jennings has always maintained great interest in New Zealand. He shared his views on the future of New Zealand’s economy at a dinner lecture hosted by the Initiative in 2016.
On The New Zealand Initiative’s Board, Stephen Jennings will join Roger Partridge (Chairman, The New Zealand Initiative), Dr Oliver Hartwich (Executive Director, The New Zealand Initiative), Barbara Chapman (Chair, Genesis Energy), Chris Quin (Chief Executive, Foodstuffs North Island), Linda Meade (Lead Partner, Deloitte Access Economics), John Judge (Independent Non-Executive Director), Matthew Cockram (Chief Executive, Cooper and Company), Neil Paviour-Smith (Managing Director, Forsyth Barr) and Scott Perkins (Non-Executive Director, Brambles, Origin Energy and Woolworths).
ENDS
Simone White, Communications Officer
The New Zealand Initiative
Phone: +64 4 494 9109
Mobile: +64 21 293 7250
Email: simone.white@nzinitiative.org.nz
About The New Zealand Initiative
The New Zealand Initiative is an evidence-based think tank and research institute, which is supported by a membership organisation that counts some of the country’s leading visionaries, business leaders and political thinkers among its ranks.
Our members are committed to developing policies to make New Zealand a better country for all its citizens. We believe all New Zealanders deserve a world-class education system, affordable housing, a healthy environment, sound public finances and a stable currency.
The New Zealand Initiative pursues this goal by participating in public life, and making a contribution to public discussions.