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Jenny ShipleyIFF Co-Chairman Former Prime Minister of New Zealand
Bio
Dame Jenny Shipley was the 36th Prime Minister of New Zealand holding office from 1997 to 1999 and the first woman in NZ to do so. In the preceding seven years she held several Senior Ministerial positions in the New Zealand Government where she took a leading role in New Zealand’s very significant economic and social reforms of that time. These roles included Minister of Social Welfare and Superannuation, Health, State Service, State Owned Enterprises, Transport, amongst others. As Prime Minister she hosted and chaired APEC in NZ in 1999. In 2002 she retired from NZ politics having served 15years in the New Zealand Parliament and returned to the business sector. Dame Jenny has served as an independent Director on the Shanghai and Hong Kong listed China Construction Bank for 6 years and oversaw the establishment of China Construction Bank NZ Ltd Branch in New Zealand and Chaired that Branch for 5 years. She also chaired the former SOE and now NZX and ASX listed company Genesis Energy company for 9 years. She remains a director, consultant, and advisor to several companies and organisations. Dame Jenny is a Board member of the BOAO Forum. She is also a Director of the China based International Finance Forum [IFF] and was an Initiator and remains engaged with the China based Education Forum for East Asia. She is a member of World Women’s Leadership Council and is a former Vice President and current member of the Club of Madrid, a group of 110 former Presidents and Prime Ministers. Dame Jenny has been married to Burton for almost 50 years. She has two adult children and four wonderful grandchildren. Her passion is working with leaders who have the courage and competence to help “shape the future” of their companies, their country, and our World.