MAS Talks: The Great Kiwi Innovator

Sir Ian has had a fascinating career, starting out as a singer for a rock’n’roll band and gaining a law degree from University of Otago before deciding on a career in television, hosting popular children’s shows Play School and Spot On. In the early 1990s, Sir Ian launched Animation Research in Dunedin, and over the past three decades, he has built a business converting dry data into captivating visuals, particularly for major sports events including America’s Cup regattas.

Sir Ian was named New Zealand Innovator of the Year in 2019 and received his knighthood in the 2021 New Year Honours. It’s a far cry from his childhood, growing up in a small East Coast village where electricity didn’t arrive at home until he was seven. The story of how he went from this childhood to his globe-trotting career will be explored during his talk. Sir Ian will also talk about the ways COVID-19 has permanently changed his business.

He’ll be joined by MC Michèle A’Court. As well as being an award-winning standup comedian, social commentator and writer, Michèle is the Patron of the Moving and Handling Association of New Zealand which cares for carers in the health sector. For a number of years she was also the Chair of The Aunties Trust, a grassroots charity for women and children in need, and is now their Patron.