Shipley Shape

 

The former PM is travelling the globe in her efforts to get more women to the top in business and politics

Words: Lorna Thornber

Becoming New Zealand’s first female Prime Minister was just the first step. The dynamic Dame Jenny Shipley is now helping women around the world to ascend to the highest echelons of the political and business realms – and a good many men as well. If she manages to give our economy a not-so-gentle nudge in the right direction while she’s at it, she’ll consider it a job very well done. Of course, she’ll need enough time to devote to her extracurricular activities, which these days include championing democracy in conflict-plagued nations and improving educational facilities in northwestern Namibia.

It seems to be all in a day’s work for a woman who at 59 is more confident than ever that an individual really can change the world – even if she happens to be from a rather remote section of it (the Southland service town of Gore to be specific). Down the line from Croatia, where she’s enjoying a short break, Jenny is keen to impress that she’s leading a very full – and influential – life post-politics.
“Leadership is in my DNA,” she states matter-of-factly. “It’s a life sentence if you’re committed. I just can’t help myself, even when it’s not entirely my responsibility.”

If you haven’t heard much about the former National Party head in recent years it’s likely to be because her activities haven’t been sensational, scandalous or localised enough to interest mainstream media. As a Minister from 1990, PM from 1997 to 1999 and then Leader of the Opposition, she was of course a prime object of its attention. Leading our first MMP-era coalition with New Zealand First’s Winston Peters, she introduced sweeping social and economic changes, many of which were highly-controversial. (not really as most were overturned by Helen Clark during her following 9 years, particularly to social welfare!!!!)  Meanwhile, the Asian financial crisis waged on, threatening to bring our economy crashing down with it. But as Jenny now proudly points out, we weathered it well.
“We got our deficits under control and returned the economy to a positive growth rate. We made some big changes – such as those to social welfare – which were hard for New Zealand, but important.
“I loved my time in public service,” she continues without pause. “I had a great opportunity to make a real contribution to the country for more than 15 years. You can’t ask for more than that.”
Her subsequent career, however, proves you can. Post-prime ministerial responsibilities, she seems to be in the prime of her life.
She and husband Burton – her chief advisor, confidante and supporter for more than four decades – still reside in the elegant apartment in Auckland’s Newmarket they moved to from their beloved South Island after Jenny left parliament. But they are very much global citizens, jetting from country to country with as much sense of familiarity as many of us travel across town.

As a director, consultant and keynote speaker with a special interest in global trends, it’s part of the job description. Jenny chairs several public and private companies based in New Zealand and Asia, including Genesis Energy, Mainzeal Construction, HR firm Momentum and Seniors Money International. She is a director of numerous others, including the China Construction Bank – the second largest lender in the world by market value and a major reason for her bi-monthly trips to China.

Locally, she is on the government-appointed Christchurch Earthquake Review Panel whose four members are controversially being paid at least $1,000 a day (more than twice the normal rate) to assess legislative changes under the new Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act.
Certainly it’s a fair fee for the work they are doing and Jenny says she doesn’t care if it makes her unpopular – and that her business is, exactly that, her business. It’s hardly a surprising stance for a woman who once infamously declared about politics, “This ain’t a damn beauty contest. If you came into [it] to be popular, you picked the wrong sport.”

She also runs her own consultancy, Jenny Shipley New Zealand Ltd, which helps companies – here and overseas – to develop high-growth strategies. She is especially enthusiastic about developing leaders and leadership teams and assisting companies to export their products and services, particularly to Asia.
She is still emphatic that Asia will be New Zealand’s saving grace – if we ever work out how to make the most of the wealth of opportunities that have been there for the taking for years she says.
“If we want New Zealand to be a place our children want to raise theirs in, we have to look to Asia. I am desperately concerned that New Zealand will slip backwards, partly because our competitors (countries of similar size and stature such as Singapore) have caught up and overtaken us.”
“But I’m optimistic things can improve. New Zealand and Australia are very well positioned to take advantage of opportunities in Asia. Their middle classes are exploding – we would be fools not to make the most of it.”
Economies of scale mean we will never be able to undercut many Asian nations on price and she believes we need to invest much more into developing a genuinely innovative knowledge-based economy.
“Our secret weapon is our amazing talent pool; we have excellent entrepreneurs, scientists, innovators and people in creative fields. What we need are ambitious and committed leaders with a real appetite for adventure, as well as a highly-productive workforce.”
Jenny attributes local companies’ general reluctance to do business in Asia to a fear of venturing into foreign territory; of having to grapple with an unfamiliar business culture. In her view such companies should be turning to existing exporters for inspiration and advice.
But she appreciates it pays to have the right connections. A natural-born networker, Jenny counts some of the world’s biggest names in business and politics among her associates and friends.
Vice president of the Club of Madrid, an exclusive network of former heads of state and government, Jenny has regular get-togethers with men and women who have played pivotal roles in shaping the world’s recent history, including former US presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Dedicated to promoting democratic values, the group helps current world leaders deal with major crises and build and strengthen peaceful democracies. 
A 2007 mission to East Timor had particular resonance for Jenny who, as PM, sent Kiwi troops to the then war-torn Southeast Asian nation.
“President Jose Ramos-Horta invited the club to help him think through how a proper democracy works. The great thing about not being in his role is that it enables me to make a real contribution politically without the onerous responsibilities of holding office.”

Jenny is also a member of a kind of girls’ own version of the club: the Council of Women World Leaders. All extraordinarily-accomplished smashers of glass ceilings, Jenny and her council cohorts, who include fellow, former Kiwi PM Helen Clark, promote and support current and aspiring female political leaders.
But it’s not all about the politics. Ironically, the 45 members of what Jenny describes as “a pretty exclusive little club” bond over the fact they have spent much of their careers feeling excluded. Jenny considers her invitation to join a “great highlight” of her working life, enthusing about how wonderful it has been to form friendships with the elite group of women worldwide who have become elected leaders of their respective nations.
“It can be a very lonely experience,” she reflects before moving hastily on to the next item on her agenda: her role as the new chair of New Zealand Global Women.
Founded in 2009, the not-for-profit, invitation-only organisation’s 120 high-powered members encourage and support female leaders in all sectors. 

Jenny is particularly proud of its Women in Leadership Breakthrough Leadership Programme, designed to fast-track the careers of ultra-promising female execs. Jenny and fellow programme leaders coach and mentor participants over a 12-month period, preparing them for executive and governance roles. The programme, which has just accepted its second intake, is helping tackle what is now recognised as a chronic problem across industries internationally: women’s underrepresentation on company boards, particularly in the private sector.
Enabling more women to take on senior roles is, in Jenny’s view, a matter of national socio-economic security. We need to draw upon all our talent she stresses, to drive our still-struggling economy forward. Plus, she points out, there is overwhelming evidence that gender-balanced boards typically outperform those dominated by either sex.
“Men and women do tend to see things differently so it makes sense that we come up with the best-rounded solutions by working together.”
While certain countries – such as Australia, France, Norway, the Netherlands and Spain – have passed laws setting minimum quotas for women on the boards of listed companies, Jenny doesn’t believe that’s the right option for New Zealand. She would rather directors take the initiative and actively seek out – or if necessary “hunt down” – women with suitable knowledge, skills and experience.
“With organisations like Global Women creating a pipeline, there’s no excuse for them not to be there,” she insists.
Jenny is equally keen to advance Global Women as an organisation and ensure it embodies its name as fully as possible. Drawing upon her own overseas connections, she hopes to help members establish overseas partnerships, entice internationally-renowned speakers to our shores, and perhaps organise a group tour to China.
Jenny firmly believes women can excel in a personal and professional capacity simultaneously, even with extremely demanding careers. Happily married and a mother to two successful adult children, she’s certainly a glowing testament to her theory.
She attributes much of her success to having grown up in an “ordinary” and loving household that encouraged hard work and healthy debate. She describes her late father, a Presbyterian minister, as an outstanding orator who encouraged his four daughters to question everything – preferably aloud. Their conversations were enjoyably heated, she says, punctuated with frequent bouts of hysterical laughter.

Graduating from Christchurch Teachers’ College in 1971, Jenny taught at a local primary school and married Burton, then a farmer, two years later. She decided to leave teaching in 1976 to focus on their farming partnership and raising a family – her children Anna and Ben are now aged 34 and 33 respectively. A National Party member from her early twenties, serious complications during Ben’s birth prompted her to reevaluate her life choices. Embarking upon her political career with fervor, she entered parliament in 1987 and rose rapidly through the ranks. Her successful challenge to Jim Bolger’s leadership in 1997 saw her become our first female PM, while Helen Clark’s election victory two years later made her Leader of the Opposition. Being replaced by Bill English in 2001, she officially “moved on” in 2002.
She admits she found public service tough going at times, particularly while raising a young family, and credits Burton with providing essential support.
“He is very capable and a terrific enabler. He’s not at all threatened by women in power and saw that, together, we had the chance to make an important contribution.”
They managed, she says, by being ultra-organised. When their children were at home, work, family and other priorities were clearly marked in family diaries.
“We divvied up the household chores and treated ourselves to something nice afterwards, like a skiing trip. We knew the time we had together was limited, so we made sure it was quality time.”
Treating Jenny’s role as PM as a family responsibility, the children pitched in wherever they could, even acting as tour guides for APEC leaders’ kids during the 1999 Auckland conference.
“It wasn’t always easy for them as young people, but they’ve become very worldly as a result and get on very well with people from all walks of life.”

These days Jenny says they are a close but independent and “genuinely borderless” family.
Anna lives with her husband, Andrew in Beijing, where she is a Director of Communications for Nokia.
After five years in Japan, Ben has settled in Sydney and works as a creative director for international communications consultancy, Hill & Knowlton. He and his partner, Chelsea recently provided Jenny and Burton with their first grandchild – a little boy named Otis whom Jenny describes as “an absolute delight”.
Naturally, Jenny overflows with praise for both her children, describing them as “extremely talented with excellent leadership qualities”.

Both help out with one of several philanthropic causes that have become very dear to their mother’s heart in recent years (another major one is the Heart Foundation). Travelling through Namibia for TV series Intrepid Journeys in 2007, Jenny encountered a school principal in a remote northwestern district who was doing amazing things for local children with extremely basic resources. Ever the pragmatic leader, Jenny spent the flight home “worrying over” what she could do to help. Two months later she established the Namibian Educational Trust to support the school and improve educational resources in the region as a whole. The Trust has already provided significant financial and practical support, as well as a new solar power system, computers, books, pens and teaching aids.

It’s proving an educational experience for Jenny too who, I am unsurprised to hear, is seizing the opportunity to learn as much as she can about African governments and enterprises.
“I see it as the next emerging continent economically and socially.”
For all her worldly interests and investments, Jenny says she remains “a very proud New Zealander”.
Approaching her 60th birthday, she is confident the second decade of her post-political career will present at least as many opportunities to contribute to the country she calls home. 
“I don’t have much to prove to myself anymore to be honest, but I am desperately keen to do all I can to ensure we continue to produce top leaders.”
Her advice to the next generation of women leaders is to work out exactly how they can use their individual talents to achieve their most important goals.  
“Be confident about who you are and take ownership of your career. Define your own role, don’t let it define you. And have the courage to continue on the right path, even if it makes you unpopular.”
That sometimes terrifying but ultimately rewarding journey is one, of course, all trailblazers must take.

www.namibiankids.org.nz