Asia New Zealand Foundation Welcomes New Asia Honorary Advisers

The Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono has appointed two prominent Asia leaders to its panel of Asia-based Honorary Advisers.

Tan Sri Datuk Dr Rebecca Fatima Sta Maria is the first female executive director of the APEC Secretariat. With a distinguished career in Malaysian civil service and trade negotiation, she has significant experience in international trade policy and regional cooperation. She has played key roles in various regional trade agreements and multilateral forums, including APEC and ASEAN. Her expertise and accomplishments have been recognised through academic awards and inclusion in Forbes' 50 Over 50: Asia list.

Dr Jolan Hsieh is a leading Taiwanese scholar and serves as the director of the Centre for International Indigenous Affairs at National Dong Hwa University (NDHU) in Taiwan. With a doctorate from Arizona State University, she holds leadership positions in academia, human rights organisations, and government committees.

In welcoming the appointments, Foundation Chair Dame Fran Wilde said the organisation was lucky to have such high calibre experts willing to help New Zealand through the Foundation. "Asia is critical for the future of our nation and, as we work to build New Zealanders’ capability and connections, the role of our 43 honorary advisers becomes increasingly important."

Appointed by the New Zealand Foreign Minister, the Rt Hon Winston Peters, the Foundation’s Honorary Advisers provide expert advice to the Foundation in support of its mission of ‘equipping New Zealanders to thrive in Asia.’ The panel includes leading academics, business experts, diplomats and other influential decision-makers.

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