future leaders in technology

Our future leaders community – FLINT

Welcome to our programme helping develop the future leaders of a digitally enabled New Zealand. FLINT is our (TUANZ) future leaders community where we are investing in the development of the next generation of leaders in digitally enabled businesses.

What would you like to do today?

Check out our events

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Join one of our regional communities and get involved.

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What is FLINT?

We started the movement we call future leaders in tech, or FLINT for short, because we wanted to explore and learn about technology and new ideas which we can implement into our lives and working journeys. Community members are in the early stages of their career working in all types of industries and are interested in learning more about this digital future.

Through FLINT we offer a platform which includes such things as networking events and online sessions where a bunch of us in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown can connect and learn with and from others. And through this we want people to have a sense of ongoing personal and professional empowerment as leaders.

We love technology but bring the human element and how it will influence the way we kiwi’s work and live. Haere mai e te whānau, let’s do this future together.

Elizabeth (Zibby) Taylor, National Lead

Our Vision

We bring together curious, driven people at the start of their digital careers to connect them with each other, industry leaders, and ideas that drive change. Through local events, leadership opportunities, and national collaboration, FLINT builds confidence, capability, and connection across New Zealand’s digital ecosystem.

Events that bring people together

We run a variety of events including our after 5 evenings on such topics as:
• Technology Expos
• Diversity of Thought and Unconscious Bias in the tech industry
• Finding technology in Unusual Places
• Strengthening Wellbeing and Resilience in times of change
• Negotiation Skills

We also engage on a less professional basis to build connections through quiz nights and other social events.

Our evolution

The FLINT programme has evolved significantly since its inception, adapting to the changing needs of the technology sector and its members. Key milestones in our journey include:

2013: The programme was founded as the “Future Leaders in Telecommunications” by four recent graduates from Chorus and Vodafone, with the goal of creating a forum for young professionals to meet, connect, and be inspired.

2014: The new group hosted numerous events for graduates, apprentices, and school leavers, building a community within the telecommunications industry.

Early 2016: FLINT officially became an integral part of TUANZ. This strategic integration combined the passion of its volunteer leadership with the resources and organizational strength of TUANZ, enabling the programme to scale and shift its focus from a narrow telecommunications lens to the broader technology sector.

2016: We changed the T in our name to Technology making us Future Leaders in Technology.

2017: FLINT Wellington was launched

Early 2018: The TUANZ Board approved a paper outlining the programme guiding principles including governance of the programme including the role of the CEO of TUANZ and the volunteer lead teams.

2018: FLINT Christchurch was launched

2024: FLINT Queenstown was launched

Our regions and their lead teams

FLINT AUCKLAND

The 2026 FLINT Auckland lead team volunteer their time to bring you events and more. The current lead team members are:

Caitlin Tennant-Brooks, Chair, Intuto
Brodie Hutton
Gavin Sukhadia, Steel & Tube
Charlotte Hickson-Matthews, Chorus
Daisy Forsythe, Air New Zealand
Eddy Brooks, Kordia
Lelaine Dela Cruz, DC Management
Shivani Goundar, Datacom

FLINT WELLINGTON

The 2026 FLINT Wellington lead team volunteer their time to bring you events and more. The current lead team members are:

Eden Robertson, Chair, Unimed
Elizabeth (Zibby) Taylor, Randstand
Ahmed Shariff
Farheen Hussain, Asia NZ Foundation
Ana Callaghan, MFAT

FLINT CHRISTCHURCH

The 2026 FLINT Christchurch lead team volunteer their time to bring you events and more. The current lead team members are:

Adil Mokashi, Chair, Foodstuffs SI
David Park
Diego Ramirez
Amie Dawson, Christchurch City Council
Jordyn Rae Brady, Christchurch City Council
Sophie Ricketts
Lachlan Maclean

FLINT QUEENSTOWN

The 2026 FLINT Queenstown lead team volunteer their time to bring you events and more. The current lead team members are:

Giovanni Stephens, Chair, QLDC
Roselle O’Brien, The Ampersand Coaching & Consulting
Pradesh Parameswaran, QRC
Jessa Swedin, QRC

Our stories

“FLINT provides the opportunity for young professionals with an interest in tech to connect with not only each other, but local, national and even international leaders. We run events both locally and online that look at a number of different topics. We try to focus on the skills to build great future leaders, while also weaving through aspects of interesting technologies that we may come across in our lives or use in the workplace. The leadership team itself has also been provided with fantastic development opportunities over the years. Personally, I’ve been offered mentoring from Craig (TUANZ CEO) and have grown my leadership skills and built confidence in my
public speaking.”
Amy Strang
Immediate Past Chair, Auckland FLINT Team
Market and Customer Strategist of the ZEROe team. Airbus, Toulouse.

“After attending FLINT and TUANZ events during my time as a graduate with Vodafone New Zealand, I realised the value of these sessions both in increasing my knowledge of the NZ tech and telco industry, and to provide an opportunity to network. The FLINT events, in particular, helped me to foster connections with other young professionals in similar industries and careers to myself. When the opportunity arose to join the lead team for FLINT Wellington, I enthusiastically said yes and in the last few years being a part of this committee has enabled me to grow my organising skills, to learn how to be an effective Chair, and to feel a sense of fulfillment by bringing these experiences to others as well!”
Zoe Udy
Client Delivery Manager, PaperKite

“I had the joy of being on the FLINT leadership team in Auckland from 2016 to 2019. I can say that hands down this team has provided me some of the best leadership exposure in my career. The trust that TUANZ has in its FLINT leaders is super empowering and the organisation creates a trusted and fun place for young people from different industries to get together, share innovative ideas and then execute them as a team. The cross industry knowledge that is shared, the team work and the leadership skills that I got to learn is priceless. I will forever be an advocate of TUANZ and FLINT.”
Saba Samiei
Founder and CEO at Comfort.AI , and MASCO

“I was privileged to be member of the FLINT Waikato Leadership team between 2017 and 2020.

The connections, experiences and friendships enabled from being a part of the team were invaluable and will last a lifetime.”
Travis Corrie
Head of Strategic Growth & Partnerships at DEFEND