Melanie Ahnau nominated for World CC Foundation’s Inspiring Women 2023
New Zealand Government Procurement’s Melanie Ahnau is the sole nominee from Aotearoa to be included in this prestigious list that celebrates women who have made significant achievements in commerce and contracting.
Melanie has been acknowledged as an Inspiring Women alongside 18 others from around the globe, such as the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine, the Chair of Transparency International and the Director - Climate Change and Sustainability Services, EY.
Melanie talks about her passion to inspire, lead and ultimately transform lives by increasing social good through the choices we make with public procurement decisions and funds.
“I am a Commercial Leader in New Zealand Government Procurement. We are mandated by Cabinet and deployed across the public service to support government agencies to deliver complex commercial projects. This could be anything from the massive redevelopment of Antarctica New Zealands’s Scott Base to a multi-year complex procurement such as the one required to rebuild Christchurch after the devastating earthquakes a decade ago,” she says,
“While many people associate procurement with big projects, we can also turn the lens onto everyday more personal projects and bake in a ‘forever approach’ to social good. For example, my speciality is to support government agencies grow their engagement with a wider range of suppliers - increasing supplier diversity. Small family-run, or whanau-run businesses can, and want to, be part of providing goods and services that may have previously been supplied by big firms. There are accepted economic and social theories linking child poverty with an absence of wealth creation – and what better way to transform lives then helping grow businesses to be part of government procurement?”
“I am humbled by the nomination but also hugely encouraged by it. I really hope it just accelerates further change!”
The nominees have all made significant achievements in the field of commerce and contracting, demonstrating the following key criteria:
- Leadership
- Inspiring and influencing others
- Innovation and entrepreneurship
- Making a positive difference (either in your organisation or generally)
- Bravery and/or moral courage
- Supporting diversity and inclusion
- Leading in technology
- Displaying resilience in the face of uncertainty
- Raising the reputation of contracting in your organisation, geography, or industry
- Social value (ethics and sustainability initiatives)
Check out Melanie's profile on the World CC Foundation website