This page to be updated with 2025 judges
Leone has worked in the public and private sectors in roles spanning more than 30 years, with the last 10 years managing her own business, volunteering as a Business Mentor with Business Mentors New Zealand and holding trustee positions with two local charities in North Canterbury.
Leone’s corporate experience includes the dairy, meat, apparel and arable industries; some of which have included international market development activities and managing overseas manufacturing contracts. She held several different roles within New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, one of which was managing a team of people to support companies to develop and execute appropriate international market development strategies within a variety of different countries and customs. Her time at NZTE also included a secondment as Trade Commissioner to New Zealand’s UK office located in London.
While Leone now calls herself retired, she remains very active in the community – her coaching business together with being the Chair of a local charity for the last 10 years, and volunteering as a Business Mentor ensures she is well across current trends and issues facing businesses today.
Leone has been a judge for the North Canterbury Business Awards in 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2018.
Brian brings to the panel many years of experience in both national and international sales and management within a wide range of industries.
Brian has conducted business in some 60 countries, spending five years based in both China and the UK, developing excellent communication skills and multi-cultural understanding along the way.
Having managed businesses in start-up, growth, maturity and decline phases has provided him with invaluable insight into the operational requirements of businesses of all sizes.
Living in Ohoka, Brian works as a Real Estate Agent in the commercial and industrial sector focusing on North Canterbury. Brian is also a Trustee of the Community Wellbeing North Canterbury Trust helping our people and businesses meet their full potential.
Brian was a judge for the North Canterbury Business Awards in 2021. This year he judges both the Misco Joinery Technology Award and the Totalspan North Canterbury Trades and Services Award.
Deirdre brings to the judging panel a career spanning 30 years working in senior leadership, coaching, and community development within central government, local government and social services in the NGO sector.
For the past 13 years, Deirdre has been Manager of Community Wellbeing North Canterbury Trust. Community Wellbeing offers a range of free social and community services to support the wellbeing of families and individuals in North Canterbury. The Trust employs 35 staff and over 60 volunteers and is the largest social services agency in North Canterbury.
Deirdre is also the Principal of Salta Horses, offering equine-assisted learning and development programmes for both New Zealand and international clients.
Deirdre is one of New Zealand’s leading trainers in Results Based Accountability™ which is a framework for measuring the performance and efficacy of programmes, agencies and services.
With her first-hand experience of leadership through the response and recovery phases of the Canterbury and Kaikōura earthquakes, along with the Covid 19 response, Deirdre is a specialist in leading teams through uncertainty.
Community Wellbeing North Canterbury Trust were the winners of the BDO Professional Services Award in 2016 and the PAK’nSAVE Community Enterprise Award in 2018.
Julia Hunt is a tourism professional and founder of Tourism Studio Ltd. With a passion for helping tourism businesses succeed, she has built a reputation for delivering practical and effective solutions to her clients.
Her extensive knowledge of the tourism industry and its challenges, combined with her excellent interpersonal skills, allows her to build strong relationships with her clients and understand their unique needs.
With over a decade of experience, Julia has developed a wide range of expertise, including destination marketing, product development, and sustainability. She has a proven track record of helping tourism businesses increase their visibility and grow their revenue, making her an ideal judge of the Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa Tourism Award at this year’s North Canterbury Business Awards.
Andrew Arps is a well-respected environmental professional and a well known figure at Environment Canterbury (ECAN). With over 15 years of experience in the field, he has developed a deep understanding of the challenges facing the environment and the measures needed to address them.
His passion for the environment is evident in the work he does, and he is widely recognized as a thought leader in the field. He has a strong reputation for his ability to communicate complex environmental issues in a clear and concise manner, making his expertise accessible to a wide audience. This, combined with his exceptional interpersonal skills, makes him an effective advocate for environmental protection.
Andrew is a strong believer in the power of collaboration and partnerships, and he has worked closely with a wide range of stakeholders, including government agencies, businesses, and community organisations, to advance sustainability initiatives.
Andrew lives in Waimakariri and, together with his wife, also owns and operates Harpers Homestead Wedding Venue.
