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AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Sept. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Corporate mentoring platform, Mentor List, recently announced the launch of its invitation-only Mastermind program in New Zealand, under the guidance of Chair Richard Umbers, former Group Chief Executive Officer of Ryman Healthcare and one of the region’s most accomplished business leaders.
Well established in Australia since 2015, Mentor List’s Mastermind program is expanding across the Asia-Pacific region, following a thriving community recently launched in Singapore. The New Zealand Mastermind will hold its first session in Auckland on Thursday, 17 September 2026, and is open to CEOs and C-Suite leaders based in Auckland and across the wider country, meeting regularly for confidential, high-trust peer sessions chaired by Mr Umbers.
Umbers most recently served as Group CEO of Ryman Healthcare, and earlier led Auckland-based Progressive Enterprises as Managing Director, capping a career of more than three decades across New Zealand, Australia and Europe that also includes his tenure as Chief Executive Officer of Myer, one of Australasia’s best-known retailers.
“The best leaders never stop learning, and they rarely learn alone,” said Richard Umbers, Group Chair, Mentor List New Zealand Mastermind. “Some of the most valuable moments in my career came from candid conversations with peers who understood exactly the challenges, brought their lived experience to bear and were able to offer unique insight and perspective. I am looking forward to creating a space for New Zealand’s business leaders to learn and grow, and to benefit from a wide circle of Mastermind guest mentors.”
Members will hear directly from a distinguished line-up of guest mentors, drawn from the most senior ranks of business across Australia and New Zealand, including Steve Vamos, former Chief Executive Officer of Xero; and Pip Marlow, a leading technology executive whose career spans Microsoft and Salesforce. Mentors go beyond the theory and share their lived experience of being an accomplished leader at the highest level. Early interest has been strong, underlining a clear appetite among New Zealand’s senior leaders for structured, experience-led peer mentoring.
“To launch in New Zealand with a Group Chair of Richard’s standing, and a guest line-up of this quality, is a real privilege,” said Jack Karikas, Co-Founder, Mentor List. “New Zealand’s business community is close-knit and ambitious, and we believe there is genuine appetite here for honest, experience-led peer mentoring. We could not be more excited about the community we are building alongside Richard and the leaders who join him.”
Membership in the Mentor List Singapore Mastermind is by invitation and application, and the community continues to welcome new members. Senior executives interested in joining are invited to visit www.mentorlist.com/mastermind/ or contact Mentor List directly.
About Mentor List
Mentor List is a membership-based organisation running mastermind peer groups for business leaders, bringing senior executives together in confidential cohorts facilitated by experienced Group Chairs. Through peer mentoring and shared experience, Mentor List helps leaders make better decisions, navigate complexity, and grow with the support of a trusted community.