Public Engagement

Media, Speaking & Public Engagement

Mary Los'e contributes to public conversations on leadership, governance and economic development across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Through speaking engagements, media interviews and participation in leadership forums, she brings cross-sector executive experience to discussions that matter to business, government and Pacific communities. Her public engagement spans leadership and governance, Pacific economic development and entrepreneurship, and the health and community systems she has worked within.

This page serves as a record of where Mary has contributed publicly: the events she has spoken at, the outlets that have featured her, and the themes she returns to in public discussion. It is intended as a practical resource for event organisers, conference programmers, moderators and journalists. Across all of these settings, Mary's contribution is that of an experienced executive and governance leader taking part in important sector conversations, rather than public profile for its own sake.

Events

Featured Speaking Engagements

Mary Los'e has contributed to a range of leadership and economic development events. Featured engagements include:

2026 — 11th Annual Women in Leadership Summit

Topic: High-Stakes Conversations & Negotiations

Partnership: In partnership with UN Women Aotearoa

Mary contributed to this summit on the theme of high-stakes conversations and negotiations, sharing perspective drawn from her cross-sector executive and governance experience.

2025 — Women Leading Business Lunch

Host: Wellington Chamber of Commerce

Featured alongside: Katherine Rich

Mary took part in this Wellington Chamber of Commerce event focused on women leading in business, contributing alongside other featured speakers.

2025 — Auckland Pacific Economic Insights

Focus: Pacific business leadership, entrepreneurship and economic development

Mary contributed to this event on Pacific economic development, addressing business leadership, entrepreneurship and the wider economic opportunities for Pacific communities.

2024 — Auckland Pacific Economic Insights Series

Participation: Panel participation

Mary took part in this series as a panel participant, contributing to discussion on Pacific economic development and business.

Themes

Speaking Topics

Mary Los'e is available to speak on the following topics, drawn from her executive and governance experience.

Leadership

Leading Across Sectors · Leadership in Complex Systems · Leading Through Change

Governance

Governance & Executive Leadership · Strategic Oversight · Boardroom Perspectives

Pacific Economic Development

Pacific Entrepreneurship · Economic Opportunity · Partnerships for Growth

Community Systems

Public Sector Collaboration · Building Sustainable Outcomes

Public Leadership Conversations

Across her public engagement, Mary Los'e returns consistently to a set of themes that reflect her cross-sector experience:

  • Leadership
  • Governance
  • Pacific Economic Development
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Community Systems
  • Health Equity
Coverage

Media Features & Interviews

Mary Los'e's career and expertise have been featured across a range of New Zealand outlets, providing independent context on her work. Selected features include the following.

NZ Herald Profile

Publication: NZ Herald | Topic: Career journey

A profile tracing Mary's journey from Shortland Street to executive leadership.

Ministry for Pacific Peoples

Publication: Ministry for Pacific Peoples | Topic: CEO appointment

A profile relating to Mary's appointment as Chief Executive of the Pacific Business Trust.

PMN

Publication: PMN (Pacific Media Network) | Topic: Pacific business and entrepreneurship

Commentary relating to Pacific business and entrepreneurship.

Tagata Pasifika

Publication: Tagata Pasifika | Topic: Pacific health pathways

Coverage relating to Pacific health pathways.

Te Ao Māori News

Publication: Te Ao Māori News | Topic: Telehealth and health equity

Coverage relating to telehealth and health equity.

Podcasts & Audio

The Front Page Podcast

Publication: Host: Damien Venuto | Topic: Māori and Pasifika representation following the 2023 election

Mary took part in The Front Page Podcast for a discussion on Māori and Pasifika representation in the period following the 2023 election. The conversation is presented here as public policy and community discussion, reflecting Mary's perspective as an executive and community leader rather than political advocacy.

Assets

Professional Biography

Concise speaker biographies are provided below for event programmes, introductions and media use. These are intended to become downloadable assets.

50-word biography

Mary Los'e is a New Zealand executive leader and governance professional with cross-sector experience across media, housing, banking, health and Pacific economic development. A former Chief Executive of the Pacific Business Trust, she contributes to leadership and governance conversations and the development of Pacific entrepreneurship across Aotearoa New Zealand.

100-word biography

Mary Los'e is a New Zealand executive leader and governance professional whose career spans media and communications, housing, banking, health systems and Pacific economic development. She has held senior roles across the public, commercial and community sectors, including serving as Chief Executive of the Pacific Business Trust. Mary participates in governance and director networks, including the Institute of Directors NZ, the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Global Women, where she serves as Rōpū Lead – Pasifika. She contributes to leadership conversations, governance discussions and Pacific economic development across Aotearoa New Zealand, bringing a cross-sector perspective grounded in community impact.

250-word biography

Mary Los'e is a New Zealand executive leader and governance professional with an unusually broad cross-sector career spanning media and communications, housing, banking, health systems and Pacific economic development. Over more than two decades she has held senior roles across the public, commercial and community sectors, building executive experience alongside a sustained commitment to governance and public contribution.

Mary's career includes work connected to journalism and Pacific media, housing and the public sector through Housing New Zealand and Kāinga Ora, banking through BNZ, and health systems through Whakarongorau Aotearoa, the national telehealth service. She served as Chief Executive of the Pacific Business Trust, an executive role at the centre of Pacific economic development, where her focus was on supporting entrepreneurs and strengthening the wider Pacific business ecosystem.

Her governance experience spans economic development, housing, health and community organisations. She participates in director and governance bodies including the Institute of Directors NZ and the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and is a member of Global Women, where she serves as Rōpū Lead – Pasifika.

Of Tongan, Māori and Pākehā heritage, Mary contributes to public conversations on leadership, governance, Pacific economic development and community outcomes.

Information

Media Resources

To support journalists and event organisers, the following resources are available on request:

  • Executive headshots
  • Biography (50, 100 and 250-word versions)
  • Speaking topics
  • Media contact

Further resources planned for future addition include a full speaker kit, a downloadable PDF profile, and a downloadable biography.

Articles

Selected Leadership Insights

Mary's public engagement connects to a wider collection of written insights across the following categories:

  • Leadership
  • Governance
  • Economic Development
  • Community Impact

Current Focus & Enquiries

Mary continues to contribute to leadership, governance, economic development, and public-sector conversations across Aotearoa New Zealand. She welcomes media enquiries, speaking invitations, leadership discussions and conference participation.

Get in touch
Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Mary speaks on leadership across sectors and in complex systems, governance and strategic oversight, Pacific entrepreneurship and economic opportunity, and community systems including public-sector collaboration. Her topics draw on cross-sector executive and governance experience and a focus on sustainable, community-centred outcomes.

Mary's featured engagements include the 11th Annual Women in Leadership Summit in 2026, the Women Leading Business Lunch hosted by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce in 2025, and Auckland Pacific Economic Insights events in 2025 and 2024. These events span leadership, business and Pacific economic development.

Mary has been featured by outlets including the NZ Herald, the Ministry for Pacific Peoples, PMN, Tagata Pasifika and Te Ao Māori News, with coverage spanning her career journey, her economic development work and health equity. She has also appeared on The Front Page Podcast. Readers are encouraged to refer to the original sources directly.

Publicly, Mary discusses leadership, governance, Pacific economic development, entrepreneurship, community systems and health equity. Her contributions reflect a cross-sector perspective and a practical, grounded view of leadership and governance responsibilities.

Event organisers can make contact through the media and speaking enquiry form on this page. Speaking invitations, conference participation requests, media enquiries and leadership discussion requests are all welcome and are reviewed and responded to directly.