Audrey Atchinson-Wilding | Fletcher Kupe Leadership Scholar

MASTER OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

(Undergraduate degree from Massey University)

Coming from a farming background and a mixed race family, I was brought up with beliefs influenced by Maori notions of whakapapa and the connection we have with our environment, ancestral roots and our future children. I explored my connection with the environment during my undergraduate degree, doing research on sustainable business and design solutions. Sustainability was considered a “niche market” and many large companies were not implementing environmental changes into their business structure. Working in London’s financial sector, I found younger investors were demanding ethically-responsible stock options. So I aim to work with publicly-traded companies, advising them on effective changes that will capitalize on the growing awareness of investors’ environmental values while also making a substantial contribution to increasing sustainable practices.

Sponsor: Hugh Fletcher

Mentor: Rod Oram, winner of the Qantas Media Awards and the Westpac Business and Financial Journalism Awards (Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainability and Community Engagement)