Victoria’s distinguished alumni honoured at gala dinner

1 August 2013

Victoria’s distinguished alumni honoured at gala dinner

About 500 guests attended a prestigious black tie dinner in Wellington last night to honour some of Victoria University’s top alumni.

The University presented Distinguished Alumni Awards to six graduates who now rank among New Zealand’s most influential leaders, thinkers and creative talent.

They are Claudia Batten, John Campbell, Georgina te Heuheu, Brian Roche and Jeff Tallon. Rugby player Conrad Smith was presented with the inaugural Distinguished Alumni Award for a Young Alumnus.

The 2013 Distinguished Alumni Awards gala dinner was held at the Wellington Town Hall. The event is sponsored by The Dominion Post, the Wellington City Council and Woolf Photography.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Pat Walsh congratulated the recipients who illustrate the high calibre of Victoria’s alumni.

“Last night was a celebration of the diverse contribution our alumni make both globally and here in New Zealand.”

Victoria has presented Distinguished Alumni Awards since 2006, introducing the accolades as a way of recognising and honouring the contribution made by its graduates.

The following synopses provide a brief insight into the achievements of the 2013 Distinguished Alumni Award winners:

Claudia Batten
Claudia Batten (BCA, 1996; LLB (Hons), 1998) is known internationally for her innovative contributions combining marketing and information technology. She was a founding team member of two innovative digital media companies in the United States. Claudia’s passion for media, digital innovation and businesses of the future has seen her appointed to numerous boards.

John Campbell
John Campbell (BA (Hons), 1988) is one of New Zealand’s most respected television journalists. The presenter of TV3’s nightly current affairs show Campbell Live is known for a unique and effective communication style, and a determination to seek answers on a wide range of issues. John has won multiple industry awards for investigative journalism.

Hon Georgina Manunui te Heuheu
Georgina Manunui te Heuheu QSO (BA, LLB) is of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Arawa, Ngāti Awa and Tuhoe descent. She was the first Māori woman in New Zealand to graduate in Law and gain admission to the High Court as a Barrister and Solicitor in 1972. She is Chairman of Māori Television, and Deputy Chair of the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board.

Brian Roche
Brian Roche (BCA, 1978), CEO of New Zealand Post Group, has had a significant impact on New Zealand society through his contribution to both the public and business sectors.

During a successful career with PricewaterhouseCoopers, he held leadership roles and led major initiatives for successive governments. He also played a pivotal role in ensuring New Zealand hosted the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Conrad Smith
Conrad Smith (LLB (Hons), 2004) is an outstanding sportsman whose skills and leadership qualities are recognised internationally. He has 69 All Blacks Test caps to his name and was part of the team that won the Rugby World Cup in 2011.

Conrad fits practising as a solicitor at Gibson Sheat around his rugby commitments.

Jeff Tallon
Dr Jeffery Tallon (PhD in Chemistry, 1977, and DSc, 1997) belongs to an elite group of internationally recognised New Zealand physical scientists.

He has been at the forefront of developing a world-leading portfolio of patented high temperature superconducting (HTS) materials. Jeff has also been a leader in developing the physical sciences in New Zealand.

ENDS

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