Asia New Zealand Foundation
1. Business/Trading Name: Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono (known until 2004 as the Asia 2000 Foundation of New Zealand).
2. Company Number: N/A. The Foundation is not registered as a company but as a charitable trust (established by trust deed in 1994) and listed as a Schedule 4 entity under the Public Finance Act.
3. NZBN: Not publicly listed. (The Foundation is a registered charity and crown-affiliated trust; a specific NZ Business Number is not prominently cited in public records.)
4. Entity Type: Charitable trust and Crown entity (Public Finance Act 1989, Schedule 4) – a non-profit, apolitical “Crown trust” dedicated to building NZ-Asia links. The Foundation has charitable status (exempt from income tax as a registered charity).
5. Business Classification: Non-profit foundation focusing on international relations, education, culture, and community engagement (promoting Asia awareness and skills in NZ).
6. Industry Category: Public/Non-profit sector – International Affairs, Cultural/Educational Exchange, Policy Research. The Foundation’s activities span arts, business, education, entrepreneurship, leadership, media, and sports sectors in relation to Asia.
7. Year Founded: 1994 (established September 1994 as the Asia 2000 Foundation; renamed Asia New Zealand Foundation in 2004).
8. Addresses: Wellington (Head Office): Level 16, Fujitsu Tower, 141 The Terrace, Wellington 6011; PO Box 10-144, Wellington 6143. Auckland: Level 7, 45 Queen Street, Auckland 1010. Christchurch: Level 3, BNZ Centre West, 101 Cashel Street, Christchurch 8011.
9. Website URL: Main site: asianz.org.nz. Asia Media Centre: asiamediacentre.org.nz (Foundation-run hub for journalists).
10. LinkedIn URL: The Foundation’s LinkedIn page is linkedin.com/company/asia-new-zealand-foundation (company profile with organizational info and updates).
11. Company Hub NZ URL: N/A. (No listing on CompanyHub; the Foundation is not a registered company.)
12. NZ Companies Office URL: N/A. (Not a company registration. As a charitable trust and crown entity, it does not have a Companies Office profile; its public-sector listing is on Govt.nz.)
13. Social Media URLs: Facebook: “Asia New Zealand Foundation” official page. Twitter: @asianewzealand (Asia New Zealand Foundation account). Instagram: @asianewzealandfoundation (for outreach and youth engagement). YouTube: “Asia New Zealand Foundation” channel (hosts event videos, webinars).
14. Ultimate Holding Company: None. The Foundation is independent (governed by its Board of Trustees) and is not owned by any company – it is partially government-funded but not a subsidiary of any firm.
15. Key Shareholders: None. (There are no shareholders; it is a trust. The New Zealand Government is a primary stakeholder via funding and board appointments, but not a shareholder in a legal sense.)
16. Leadership: Chairperson: Hon. Dame Fran Wilde DNZM QSO (former Cabinet Minister and civic leader). Chief Executive: Suzannah Jessep (appointed CEO in late 2023–Jan 2024; former Director of Research & Engagement). Past Executive Directors: Simon Draper (2015–2023), John McKinnon (2013–2014), Dr. Richard Grant (2004–2012), Hon. Tim Groser (circa 2000–2002), among others.
17. Staff: Approximately 20–30 staff members across offices in Wellington (headquarters), Auckland, and a small Christchurch branch. Staff include program directors for Arts, Business, Education, Leadership, etc., as well as researchers and support staff. (The Foundation had ~21 staff in 2008 ; it remains relatively small, described as “small but important” in NZ’s foreign policy apparatus.)
17.a Staff with Previous Government Roles: The Foundation’s leadership and staff feature many former government officials and diplomats. For example, CEO Suzannah Jessep served 14 years with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), including postings as Deputy Ambassador in India, Nepal, and Vanuatu. Immediate past Executive Director Simon Draper was a career diplomat who returned to MFAT for a senior role after leading the Foundation. Earlier directors were also ex-MFAT: John McKinnon (former NZ Ambassador to China and Secretary of Defence), Dr. Richard Grant (longtime NZ diplomat), and Tim Groser (former trade negotiator and Ambassador who later became Trade Minister). Board Chair Fran Wilde is a former MP and regional government leader. Many trustees and staff have held roles in MFAT, NZ Trade & Enterprise, Education NZ or other government agencies, reflecting a significant “revolving door” with the public sector.
18. Past Employees: Notable alumni include Hon. Tim Groser – Executive Director of Asia 2000 (now Asia NZ) around 2000, who later became NZ’s Trade Minister. Dr. Richard Grant, a veteran diplomat, led the Foundation in the 2000s. John McKinnon (former Ambassador to China) was Executive Director (2012–2014). Ziena Jalil, a former NZ Trade Commissioner, was on the board until 2024. Many former staff have moved into or from government, diplomacy, academia or related NGOs, highlighting the Foundation’s role as a nexus for experienced Asia-focused professionals.
19. Clients / Members: N/A (Not applicable). The Foundation is not a commercial consultancy and has no “clients” in the traditional sense. Its beneficiaries are the New Zealand public and institutions it partners with. It provides programs and services (grants, internships, events, research) rather than contracted client work. Its “stakeholders” include government (MFAT as funder), schools, businesses, media outlets, and community groups interested in Asia.
19.a Industries/Sectors Represented: The Foundation engages with a broad range of sectors in New Zealand society: Education (teachers, schools, universities), Media (journalists and news organizations), Business (corporates and SMEs expanding into Asia), Arts and Culture (artists, cultural institutions), Entrepreneurship (start-ups, young business leaders), Sports (sportspeople exchanges), and Government/Policy (Track II diplomacy involving policy think tanks). These sectors are served through targeted programmes – e.g. Asia internships for graduates in businesses, media travel grants, schools’ Asia resources, etc.
20. Publicly Disclosed Engagements: The Foundation regularly reports its activities through annual reports and media releases. It has facilitated Track 1.5 dialogues – semi-official roundtables on sensitive issues like foreign influence. For instance, in 2018 it hosted a closed-door roundtable on how NZ should handle foreign interference (involving officials, academics, media and business leaders). It also publicly shares findings of its annual Perceptions of Asia surveys and research reports to inform policy-makers and the public. Major engagements include the “Seriously Asia Revisited” hui in 2022 consulting experts across NZ on Asia policy. While not a lobbying firm, it maintains an “Output Agreement” with the Foreign Minister, and reports to Parliament via its Annual Report. (This means its objectives and performance are formally conveyed to the government.) Any formal advice or interactions with government (e.g. submissions on policy, participation in official delegations) are typically noted in its reports rather than in a lobbying register.
21. Affiliations: The Foundation is closely affiliated with the New Zealand Government, particularly MFAT. The Minister of Foreign Affairs is the Foundation’s responsible Minister, and MFAT’s Secretary sits ex officio on the Board. Other ex officio affiliations include the CEO of NZ Trade & Enterprise and Secretary for Education (reflecting ties to trade and education sectors). Internationally, the Foundation has built partnerships with counterpart organizations – e.g. in 2024 it entered a formal alliance with The Asia Foundation (USA) to jointly conduct research and policy dialogues in the Asia-Pacific. It also works with Asian think tanks and Track II networks (e.g. institutes in ASEAN countries, East Asia and India) as part of its informal diplomacy role. Domestically, Asia NZ collaborates with agencies like Creative New Zealand (on arts initiatives) and business councils (e.g. ASEAN-NZ Business Council) for events. It maintains relationships with academic centers such as Victoria University’s Centre for Strategic Studies (some staff like Prof. David Capie, Director of CSS, sit on its Board). The Foundation is also an affiliate of the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs through overlapping personnel and joint events.
22. Sponsorships/Collaborations: Over the years, Asia NZ Foundation has partnered with and received sponsorship from both public and private entities. It was conceived as a public-private partnership – co-founded by government ministers and business leaders. Early corporate supporters included companies engaging with Asia (e.g. in 1994 Sir Dryden Spring of Fonterra and others in business backed the initiative ). The Foundation delivers the Young Business Leaders Initiative in collaboration with MFAT (which funds the program connecting young NZ and ASEAN entrepreneurs). It sponsors or co-hosts Asian cultural festivals and events around NZ (e.g. Chinese New Year and Diwali festivals in partnership with local councils and ethnic communities). In the arts, it works with Creative NZ and galleries to bring Asian artists to NZ and send NZ artists to Asia. The Foundation often collaborates with universities on research projects (providing grants for Asia-related research) and with media outlets on content (through its Asia Media Centre). Notably, in 2003 it ran the “Seriously Asia” conference with support from the NZ Government, drawing wide sponsorship to set a national agenda for Asia engagement. In 2022, it launched “Seriously Asia Revisited” with workshops supported by various sector partners. Corporate sponsors are occasionally involved in specific programmes (for example, NZ companies hosting interns or sponsoring awards), but core funding is mostly public.
23. Events: The Asia NZ Foundation hosts and organizes numerous events to promote Asia–NZ engagement. Major events include: “Seriously Asia” Summit (2003) – a landmark conference initiated by the Foundation and PM Helen Clark’s government to chart NZ’s Asia strategy. It convened business, academic and community leaders and led to an action agenda (with a follow-up Action Report in 2005). In recent years, the Foundation holds “Seriously Asia Revisited” hui (2022) across NZ, gathering experts to reassess progress and future strategy. It also runs regular networking events like “Asia After Five” (evening talks in cities connecting people interested in Asia), business seminars, and Track II dialogues. Each year, the Foundation supports or co-organizes cultural events: e.g. the Asia Summit at the Auckland Arts Festival, or panel discussions at the Wellington Asia film festival. It has an annual Leadership Network forum for young leaders (alumni of its programmes) and often facilitates visits of Asian delegations. Through its media programme, it arranges press briefings and forums for journalists on Asian current affairs (sometimes with visiting Asian experts). In 2024 and beyond, the Foundation and The Asia Foundation plan to establish a new annual Asia-Pacific conference in NZ focusing on regional challenges.
24. Political Donations: None. The Asia New Zealand Foundation does not make political donations. As a government-supported charitable entity, it is neither expected nor allowed to fund political parties or candidates. A search of electoral donation records yields no contributions from the Foundation or its staff in an official capacity. (Its funding flows in the opposite direction – from government appropriations to the Foundation.)
25. Controversies: The Foundation itself has largely avoided major scandal. However, questions have been raised about its independence and potential biases. Critics have noted that because it is predominantly state-funded and led by ex-diplomats, it can appear as a “mouthpiece” for MFAT’s agenda. For example, analyst Michael Reddell pointed out Asia NZ is “(almost entirely) government-funded” and staffed by former MFAT officials, suggesting its perspectives may align closely with official policy. There is also occasional debate about the tone of its work: the Foundation’s surveys in recent years revealed growing Kiwi mistrust of China, which some observers worry could feed an anti-China narrative. (The Foundation defends these surveys as reflecting public sentiment, not shaping it.) In 2018, its quiet hosting of a roundtable on PRC political influence (to foster a “constructive” discussion, without the sharp rhetoric seen in Australia) was viewed by some as over-cautious – an attempt to manage debate in line with NZ’s diplomatic balancing act. On the other hand, the Foundation has actively challenged anti-Asian bias in media: in 2007 it lodged a Press Council complaint against a magazine’s “Asian crime” story (North & South’s controversial “Asian Angst” article), which was upheld for inaccuracy and discrimination. This advocacy won praise from communities, but drew ire from the article’s defenders at the time. Overall, no major financial or ethical misconduct has come to light. The controversies surrounding Asia NZ mainly center on perceptions of political alignment – whether it is too pro-Western or, conversely, too soft on authoritarian Asian regimes – depending on who is critiquing.
26. Other Information of Note: The Asia New Zealand Foundation was co-founded by prominent figures Philip Burdon (former Trade Minister) and Sir Don McKinnon (former Foreign Minister), who in 2019 were officially honoured as founders for their vision in 1994. The Foundation’s governance structure is unique: up to 20 Trustees can sit on the Board (though in 2024 it has 8 members), and it also maintains a panel of Honorary Advisers across Asia – “leading academics, businesspeople and former politicians/diplomats” from countries like China, India, Japan, Indonesia, etc., who provide counsel. The Foundation publishes an annual “New Zealanders’ Perceptions of Asia and Asians” survey, running since 1997, which is a key barometer used by media and policymakers. It also produces research reports on Asia-related topics (e.g. security, economy, people-to-people links) which are freely available. Financially, the Foundation’s core government grant has typically been around NZ$4–5 million per year, supplemented by project-specific sponsorships. The Foundation is often described as NZ’s leading non-government authority on Asia, and it has influenced the creation of similar organizations (for instance, the separate Asia New Zealand Foundation (Hong Kong) was launched in 1999 to support its work in Asia). In NZ’s policy ecosystem, Asia NZ occupies a niche as a bridge – between government and academia, between New Zealand and Asia, and between the public and policy élite – which makes it a unique actor in the landscape of foreign affairs outreach.
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