How do leaders operate effectively in an election year: top must-dos and don’ts

Presentation

Speaker(s): Dr Mai Chen
Date: 5:00pm — 7:00pm, 17 August 2026
Venue: The George
Location: 50 Park Terrace, Christchurch Central City
Price members: $40.00 incl GST
Price non-members: $60.00 incl GST

Overview

An election year can significantly influence the operating environment for organisations. Business leaders and directors play a critical role in ensuring their organisations remain well-positioned amid changing political and regulatory landscapes.

An election year differs from the two non-election years in a three-year government term and requires different knowledge and actions from leaders to optimise both their own position and that of their organisation if they are to be effective.

Dr Mai Chen will explain these differences and outline the key do’s and don’ts to achieve the best outcomes that affect your organisation, industry, and bottom line.

Dr Mai Chen

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Dr Mai Chen is a leading New Zealand barrister and President of New Zealand Asian Lawyers. She is a former Managing Partner of Chen Palmer, New Zealand’s first boutique law firm and Australasia’s first public law specialist firm, co-founded with Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey Palmer KC.

Dr Chen has held numerous governance and advisory roles, including as an independent non-executive director on the Bank of New Zealand and chair of its People and Remuneration committee. She was a member of the New Zealand Securities Commission; the inaugural chair of Global Women and the Superdiversity Institute of Law, Policy and Business; and a former Adjunct Professor at the University of Auckland Business School and School of Law.

Dr Chen is a recognised thought leader, author, commentator, and advocate for diversity and inclusion. She was recognised in the Top 50 Diversity Figures in Public Life in the Global Diversity List, supported by The Economist, and was a top 10 finalist for New Zealander of the Year in 2014 and 2016.

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Additional information

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