BUSINESS SPEAKERS | MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKERS | LEADERSHIP SPEAKERS | WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP | INTERNATIONAL SPEAKERS
Alexia Hilbertidou
Founder of GirlBoss NZ, social entrepreneur and Gen Z speaker
Overview
Alexia Hilbertidou is the founder of GirlBoss NZ, Aotearoa's largest organisation for young women. Described by the NZ Herald as the Headmistress of Gen Z, she has spoken at the United Nations, the World Economic Forum and conferences around the world on gender equality, the Gen Z mindset, STEM and the future of work.
Who is Alexia Hilbertidou? Alexia founded GirlBoss NZ from her bedroom at age 16. It now has 17,500+ members, programmes in more than 400 schools across NZ, Australia and the Pacific, and members in 27 countries. She is a Queen's Young Leader, Forbes 30 Under 30, a National Geographic Explorer, Facebook Leadership Fellow and former Scientific Communicator for NASA. She studied Leadership for Change at Cambridge and holds a Master's in Emerging Technologies.
Career Highlights • Founder of GirlBoss NZ, with 17,500+ members across 400+ schools • Queen's Young Leader Award recipient at Buckingham Palace • Forbes 30 Under 30 and Pacific Young Entrepreneur of the Year • Most Influential NZ Woman under 25, Westpac Women of Influence Awards • Speaker at the UN Commission on the Status of Women and One Young World • Master's in Emerging Technologies and Leadership for Change at Cambridge
Key Speaking Themes • Gen Z mindset and the future workforce • Women in STEM and pathways into tech • Gender equality and inclusive leadership • Youth entrepreneurship and social change • Building a movement from a bedroom
What Your Audience Will Gain Alexia is funny, sharp and direct. Audiences leave with a clearer view of Gen Z, gender equality and practical steps to bring more young women into leadership and STEM.
Ideal For • Leadership and HR conferences • Women in business and International Women's Day events • Education, schools and universities • Technology, STEM and innovation summits • Diversity, equity and inclusion forums
Frequently Asked Questions...
What does Alexia Hilbertidou speak about? Gen Z, gender equality, women in STEM, the future of work, youth entrepreneurship and inclusive leadership.
What is GirlBoss NZ? The social enterprise Alexia founded in 2015, now Aotearoa's largest organisation for young women with programmes in 400+ schools and members in 27 countries.
What awards has Alexia Hilbertidou won? More than 30, including the Queen's Young Leader Award, Forbes 30 Under 30, Pacific Young Entrepreneur of the Year and Most Influential NZ Woman under 25.
Where has Alexia Hilbertidou spoken? At the UN, the World Economic Forum, One Young World and for corporates including Air NZ, Westpac, Vodafone, Datacom and Chartered Accountants ANZ.
What is Alexia Hilbertidou's background? She was raised in Kelston, West Auckland, by her Samoan single mother, founded GirlBoss at 16 and went on to study at Cambridge.
Is Alexia Hilbertidou available for panels and MC roles? Yes. Alexia is regularly booked as a keynote, panellist and MC for leadership, women in business and education.
Testimonials
“I’ve been going to HR conferences for over 20 years, so I’ve seen a whole generation of talks about generations. I’ve always been a bit cynical about them. But Alexia provided a practical, insightful, funny, nuanced, and original presentation about Gen Z. NASA, David Beckham, Jamie Oliver, and the Queen have all had a chat to Alexia Hilbertidou about Gen Z and her work at GirlBoss NZ - maybe you should too!"
- Alex Hagan, CEO, Kienco
“I can honestly say, if you want an inspirational young social entrepreneur to positively challenge you and your team on clarity of purpose, age, gender and getting stuff done, then you need to talk to Alexia.”
- Kerry Topp, General Manager, Innovation and Transformation, Datacom
"Alexia's vision and drive is so inspiring and she was so relaxed and positive to work with. Alexia is a fantastic ambassador for young people and we wanted to hear her perspective on the world. She is a very driven and motivated person who inspires those around her and her speech was a great conversation point when discussing what motivates the next generation. We gave our delegates a window into the world of a highly motivated woman who is doing amazing things to help other young women. Alexia is fantastic, I encourage any event organiser to use Alexia to inspire attendees.”
- Kate Olsen, Events Manager, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand
"Terrific to have Alexia’s superb youth voice, thinking, learnings and contribution at our event. Her expertise, especially of Gen Z and searing focus on building the capability of young women in STEAM, enabled the audience to build greater clarity on the “why” and “how” and acceleration required for a new mindset across our communities, and a radical re-thinking of our education ecosystem to place our learners and their whanau at the centre is needed. Thanks, Alexia for sharing your green shoots on how this new mindset is developing in Gen Z and further opportunities on which to build."
- Faye Langdon, Co-Founder & Director, 21C Skills Lab
"Alexia's is a voice that can benefit all organizations that desire to have a more equitable workplace. She started the conversation company-wide about how to support women in STEM, particularly as the pandemic has directly impacted their place in the workforce. All of our attendees commented on just how inspiring she was!"
- Elyse Maloni, EA to the CEO, Diligent Corporation
"Nothing could be more important than the work (Alexia) is doing to encourage more girls into technology and to empower girls in Leadership and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths"
- Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook
“Alexia Hilbertidou is a professional whose extraordinary hosting skills as MC have elevated the New Zealand Women in IT Security Awards to unparalleled success for two consecutive years. Her seamless blend of grace, poise, and genuine passion create an empowering atmosphere, celebrating the achievements of women in the security industry. Her command of the stage is matched only by her ability to connect with the audience on a personal level. Alexia's meticulous attention to detail ensures a flawless event, while her charismatic stage presence fosters inclusivity and community. A true luminary in event hosting, Alexia creates a lasting impact and is incredibly easy to work with, making her an ideal choice for any occasion, big or small! Her energy is contagious!”
- Source2Create