Our 2021 Distinguished Alumni Award winners are shining examples of the aspiration, effort, determination and resilience required to ascend a Taumata or summit.

You are invited to join a livestream of the event to celebrate their successes and contributions with the Vice-Chancellor and invited guests from the communities that make up and are served by the University.

We'll send you a link to the livestream nearer to the date of the event.

Our winners

Dr Ashley Bloomfield is Director-General of Health and Chief Executive of the New Zealand Ministry of Health. He has spent more than 20 years in the public service working to improve health and address inequalities in New Zealand and globally. In March 2020 he became widely known as the face of New Zealand’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, providing daily updates with the Prime Minister through the lockdown that led to New Zealand’s elimination approach to the pandemic.

Andrew Grant is a prominent international business consultant. He is a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company and has been a member of its global board for 15 years. The former Rhodes Scholar serves on two University of Auckland boards and has been a member of the Prime Minister's Business Advisory Council. He helped establish Springboard Trust, The Education Hub and the Murray Speight scholarships at Oxford University.

Jeremy Salmond is an eminent heritage architect and the Founding Director of Salmond Reed Architects. He is a member of the Queen’s Service Order for Services to Conservation of Historic Heritage and in 2018 he received the New Zealand Institute of Architects Gold Medal, which recognises an outstanding career. Jeremy is the heritage advisor for Auckland’s Central Rail Link project and the lead heritage architect for the Christ Church Cathedral reinstatement.

The Rt Honourable Dame Helen Winkelmann was appointed Chief Justice of New Zealand in December 2018. As the former Chief Judge of the High Court she promoted access to justice and introduced reforms which reduced delays in the Court. She led the High Court response to the Canterbury earthquakes and was instrumental in creating the Christchurch Earthquake List, which enabled prompt resolution of earthquake-related cases.

Courtney Sina Meredith is a distinguished author whose work delves into issues such as racism, sexism and poverty and draws on her Samoan roots. She is the Director of Tautai, Aotearoa’s leading Pacific arts organisation. Courtney has been awarded prestigious creative opportunities around the globe. Heralding an era of niu leadership, she has a strong focus on giving voice to the contemporary experiences of Pacific women.

Photo: Janet Lilo

About Taumata

Taumata is from the new University of

Auckland Māori name, Waipapa Taumata Rau,

gifted by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei,

and meaning ‘Place of many peaks’.

Whāia te iti Kahurangi, ki te tuohu koe,

me he Taumata teitei

Seek the treasure which you value dearly.

If you should bow your head,

let it be to a lofty mountain.