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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Explore these themes in more depth through the related hubs: Leadership Hub, Governance Hub, Pacific Economic Development Hub, or Insights.
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 touchFrequently 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.