Sir Ashley Bloomfield
Ashley Bloomfield
Sir Ashley Bloomfield is one of New Zealand's most recognisable faces, whose name became synonymous with leadership, resilience, and effective crisis management.
As Director-General of Health for New Zealand, Sir Ashley helped to navigate the country through one of its most challenging times—the COVID-19 pandemic. His calm demeanor, clear communication, and decisive actions earned him widespread admiration, not just within New Zealand but globally.
Ashley's career spans decades in public health and the public service, where he has been a catalyst for change and progress. His dedication to promoting health equity, disease prevention, and public safety has led to tangible progress in improving the health of New Zealanders.
What sets Ashley apart is his ability to effectively communicate complex information in a relatable manner. His transparency and empathy resonated with millions, establishing a blueprint for effective crisis communication and leadership in the face of uncertainty.
In his keynote speech, Ashley shares lessons on life and leadership from his career, including his time as Director-General of Health. He covers:
Leading through uncertainty and complexity
Building and maintaining trust through open communication
Developing organisational and team culture
Values-based and authentic leadership
Resilience and looking after your and your team’s mental wellbeing
As a speaker Ashley is engaging and honest, sharing both the highs and lows of his experience. Ashley shares both serious and funny stories and anecdotes to highlight key points. Much of the talk is about self leadership so there is something of relevance for everyone.
Current role
In 2023, Sir Ashley began a new role as a professor at the University of Auckland where he is teaching public health and leadership and establishing a new Institute to strengthen the impact of the University’s world-class research and teaching. He is also working on global health with the World Health Organization and is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors, having recently been appointed to the Board of ESR.
Accolades
Ashley was appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (KNZM) in the 2023 New Year Honours for services to public health.
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Behind the Scenes of the Pandemic & Lessons in Leadership
Episode 95
Sir Ashley Bloomfield was New Zealand’s Director-General of Health during the Covid-19 pandemic and during this time became one of the most recognisable faces in the country.
We chart his journey from through medical school, clinical medicine, public health, NGO health, DHB leadership and all the skills learnt along the way that served him during those unprecedented times.
He has a warm and empathetic style, sharing his learned insights on leadership and resilience. But we also explore the anxiety of facing the media and nation every day at 1pm and the affect it had on his personal life.
Sir Ashley is brilliant company and an exceptionally articulate communicator – with so many valuable lessons to share. This was an opportunity to probe away at the other side of such a high-profile public figure – and he didn’t disappoint.
