Our Facilitators

Owner of bilingual restaurant FUSH, Anton Matthews, is all about normalising te reo for all Kiwis. Anton has a degree in in Te Reo Maori and Maori Indigenous Studies, and a Graduate Diploma in Teaching at the University of Canterbury Te Whare Wananga o Waitaha. A graduate from top Maori language academy Te Panekiretanga o Te Reo Maori, Anton is a natural teacher and presenter, never more comfortable than sharing his passion for te reo – watch some of his videos here. 

With over 20 years experience in training and learning & development, Carolyn also has extensive experience as an HR Manager and as a people leader; this provides an essential background to ensure all the workshops she delivers are tailored to participants needs, are useful and relevant. She believes that any workshop or learning experience must be based on robust theory, research and also NZ legal precedents and provide useful tools and techniques for immediate use. 

Carolyn's delivery style is lively and engaging, resulting in a enjoyable, enlightening and practical day. 

Communications expert Desirée Williamson has been supporting Canterbury business people for over a decade, providing the tools and dialogues to help achieve tangible communication improvements that result in an enhanced workplace communication climate and credibility in the workplace. 

Through her experience working with people at various stages of their career, across a multitude of industries, Desirée is able to help with various scenario planning to provide practical support for course attendees, while also providing a comfortable environment for attendees to share real-life challenges.

Dr Elsamari Botha is the MBA Director at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, and teaches Digital Transformation and Technology Preparedness in the UC MBA programme. She is also an extraordinary associate professor at the University of Stellenbosch Business School, South Africa. She attained her PhD in Industrial Economics and Management at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden. With 15 years of consulting experience, as well as starting an EdTech platform, Elsamari’s research focuses on the adoption and monetization of new technologies in organisations, online consumer behaviour, and digital strategy development. Elsamari has published in leading international journals such as Industrial Marketing Management, Journal of Business Research, Business Horizons, the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, and Public Relations Review. 

Lauren James, our BusinessNZ Network Sustainability Lead has 12 years experience in a hybrid of commercial, and sustainability experience. The diverse portfolio of global experience she brings spreads across multiple industries. Beyond NZ, she has worked in Australia, China and South-East Asia, the UK and Mexico City. Recent focuses of climate risk disclosure reporting and consulting (External Reporting Board/ PWC); sustainable procurement and supplier diversity at Westpac and for Ports of Auckland, combined with sustainability, innovation and commercialisation for global dairy industry (Fonterra) have cultivated a strong sustainability lens applied practically to a commercial context and a desire for leadership to create change and impact.

Lauren’s key strength is being a change agent, developing and executing strategy and educating for sustainable change to help businesses succeed in a dynamic landscape. The backbone of her experience are post-graduate qualifications in sustainability and environmental science from world leading universities including a Masters from Imperial College, London.
 
Aside from a strong corporate background, Lauren has worked with SMEs and social enterprises, as a consultant, mentor and co-owner and has volunteered for an NGO working on social innovation in Mexico City. She was also a crew member of the Eat Less Plastic journey in the Pacific undertaking ocean microplastic research, beach clean-ups, community education and as part of this voyage, was the lead interviewer of NGOs in Suva for a documentary. 

Leon Fox is the owner and Director of The Safety Guru Ltd. and Principal of Safety Associates, specialising in OHS consultancy and workplace training.

He has previously been an Injury Prevention Consultant and National Trainer for ACC and has managed an industrial labour recruitment agency.

Leon brings a mixture of business pragmatism and legislative knowledge to his workshops, laced with a genuine passion for OHS and seeing people go home safely.

He is an excellent communicator and culture change facilitator and, as a presenter, Leon engages easily and quickly with groups from all organisational levels.

Michael is an HR and Employment Relations Advisor with Business Canterbury.

Michael's 40-year career has exposed him to working across the whole employee lifecycle including recruitment, employee relations, performance management and succession planning and has a particular interest in cultivating talent.

Michael loves partnering and supporting Canterbury businesses to thrive in these challenging times.

Mr. G is a Strategist, Sustainability Consultant, Coach and Behavioural Change Analyst with over 15 years working experience with companies, NGOs and Governments throughout the Middle East, Asia, Europe and now New Zealand.

His consulting and coaching experience ranges from Activity Entertainment, Education, F&B, Hospitality & Tourism, Healthcare, HR and FMCG. His sustainable business approach has won him the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation's Green Business Awards and helped push the sustainable business agenda for organizations such as the United Nations and Oxfam to the Royal Government of Cambodia. In the past 8 years, he founded 2 groups of companies and handed over 4 brands through succession planning.

He has a strong belief that empathetic dialogue and design are key life skills to both personal and professional success, and is currently on a mission to solve real world issues through empathy, entrepreneurship and principled leadership.

Stephanie creates a safe environment to address each person’s needs and get the relevant and appropriate message across in a fun and relatable way.  Uniquely qualified to deliver many aspects of Health, Safety and Wellness education, Stephanie informs and inspires her audiences.

She has worked as a Health and Safety Educator since 1996; beginning her journey with the Engineers Union; working for 2 years with the British Health and Safety Executive and then working for many years as a Health and Safety Consultant with various clients.

Stephanie has a Masters Degree in Consumer and Applied Science (Otago), a post graduate certificate in Occupational Health and Safety (Otago) and a Licentiate diploma in Speech and Drama from the Trinity College of London. 

Victoria Barkway founded Bold Consultancy in 2008 and provides training, coaching, professional supervision and wellbeing support to businesses and organisations across New Zealand and sometimes further afield.

One of the most positive and enthusiastic people you will ever meet. A passionate and hardworking individual, living in London and travelling across the UK, roles in banking, management, financial services, HR (Personnel back then), training, leadership assessment, leadership development and busine ss strategy firmly sowed the seeds for Bold Consultancy to be here today.

A sought after trainer, facilitator and coach. Studying Psychology, Advanced Interpersonal Behaviours and a Bachelor of Science (Counselling) Victoria has an ability to engage people in their own development, recognise where they need to focus and pinpoint practical strategies to achieve productive results.

Victoria works all over the place from her home in Christchurch. She has an incredible passion for what she does and has never ever arrived at work without a smile on her face.