Adam Mcconnochie

Director of Business and Entrepreneurship , Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono

Aotearoa New Zealand

Adam McConnochie is a director and senior leader at Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono, New Zealand’s leading authority on the country’s connectivity with Asia. The organization’s mission is to equip New Zealanders to thrive in Asia, and its vision is for a New Zealand confident in and with Asia. A historian by training, he has led the business, entrepreneurship, and leadership programs at the Foundation. Some highlights include building an interactive network of leading entrepreneurs across New Zealand and Southeast Asia, a hui to the south of New Zealand to explore the history of discrimination against Chinese people and a mentorship program based on the tuakana-tiena (big brother-little brother) model.. In addition to his work with the Asia New Zealand Foundation, Adam is the co-founder and director of a climate-focused social enterprise Solid. Solid has prevented over 25,000 plastic toothpastes tubes from going to landfills and is certified climate positive. The enterprise was also a recent finalist in the New Zealand Sustainable Business Awards ‘Circular Economy’ category. Adam considers his greatest strength to be that of a connector and sees himself as someone who connects the dots between people and passion.