The first ever gathering of Kellogg Alumni is being organised for May but it also notes the retirement of programme leader Dr Patrick Aldwell who has been involved in 21 courses since 1999.
The former Dean of Commerce at Lincoln University, Aldwell has been replaced by former Beef and Lamb NZ chief executive Scott Champion.
The chairwoman of the rural leadership consortium, Juliet Maclean, said Champion would bring a fresh approach but he also had strong industry connections.
“Scott has worked in research and development roles in both the private sector and academia, experiences that will add value to the programme and its participants.”
The coming month was shaping up as significant for the programme, with the nearly 700 alumni who have completed the course since 1979 invited to a summit, the first ever organised in its 38 year history.
Maclean said it was a chance for alumni to renew acquaintances, but the summit would also provide a forum to refresh passions and discover opportunities by sharing experiences and developing ideas.
It was also an opportunity to bid farewell to Aldwell and acknowledge his contribution to 21 courses over 19 years.
Alumni from the 1979 course, the first ever held, had enrolled for the May 18 summit in Wellington and Maclean said registrations were being received daily and there was still time to register.
"The summit is a fantastic occasion to reconnect our alumni and an opportunity to continue the leadership challenge that the Kellogg programme has been so successful at initiating for participants over the past three decades.”
She described the speakers as world class.
They include Mint Lab founder Francis Valintine (CRRT), the Ambassador of Singularity University Kaila Colbin, All Black mental skills coach Gilbert Enoka, Animation Research founder Ian Taylor and Ruth Richardson, a former Minister of Finance and a director on a number of boards.
Registrations close on May 11.
