17 July 2025 - The Helen Clark Foundation is delighted to announce the launch of its Honorary Fellows programme.

The programme brings together highly respected policy thinkers across a range of disciplines to engage on key long-term issues facing New Zealand. The Fellows will write regular opinion pieces and convene webinars in their areas of expertise, using the Foundation as a platform to contribute to the national conversation on issues that matter to New Zealand's future.

The Foundation warmly welcomes Dr Jonathan Boston, Lucy Cassels and Stephen Jacobi as our first Honorary Senior Fellows and expects to add more expert fellows to the programme over time.

Rt Hon Helen Clark, the Foundation's patron, says "we are very pleased to have these values-driven thought leaders contributing to our Foundation's mission of developing fair, sustainable and inclusive solutions to key long-term issues facing New Zealand."

The Honorary Fellows programme will launch with an inaugural webinar at 12pm on 31 July, featuring Jonathan, Lucy and Stephen in conversation with Helen Clark. This webinar will explore the challenges and opportunities confronting New Zealand in the 2020s and beyond (register here: https://helenclark.foundation/event/new-zealands-key-policy-challenges/).

Professor Jonathan Boston ONZM

Jonathan is an Emeritus Professor of Public Policy in the School of Government at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington. His research interests include: climate change policy (both mitigation and adaptation), child poverty, governance (especially anticipatory governance), public management; tertiary education funding (especially research funding); and welfare state design.

Jonathan has served at various times as the Director of the Institute of Policy Studies and the Director of the Institute for Governance and Policy Studies at Victoria University of Wellington. He has also served in an expert advisory capacity to various public sector organisations. Jonathan has published widely on a range of matters including public management, social policy, climate change policy, tertiary education policy, and comparative government. He has served on the boards of a number of organisations including Oxfam NZ.

Jonathan’s work for the Foundation will explore public policy, governance and the future of democracy.

Lucy Cassels

Lucy is an experienced global health policy specialist, researcher and former career diplomat. She has held a diverse range of roles at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Ministry of Health, focused on multilateral negotiations and global health diplomacy, as well as aid and development in the Pacific and in

Southeast Asia. She was most recently Deputy Secretary for Policy and Strategy at the Ministry for Pacific Peoples, concentrating on critical issues affecting Pacific communities in Aotearoa New Zealand. In her research and consultancy work, Lucy is particularly interested in the intersection of environmental and health challenges, especially as they pertain to climate change in our region.

Lucy will explore climate resilient development and innovation, as well as broader global health issues.

Stephen Jacobi

Stephen currently serves as New Zealand Director for the Australia-New Zealand Leadership Forum which brings together business and government to create greater prosperity, security and sustainability for both countries.

A former diplomat and trade official, Stephen has served in various capacities including stints leading both NZUS and NZ China Councils as well as the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). Stephen serves as Managing Director of Jacobi Consulting Ltd and has recently stepped down as Executive Director of the New Zealand International Business Forum. He is a frequent media and public commentator on industry, trade and international issues.

Stephen will write about international trade issues and foreign affairs.

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