Lisette Reymer | Speaker | Essential Talent

Testimonials

"We were truly honoured to welcome Lisette Reymer as our guest speaker at this year’s Scenic Hotel Group, Mainstay and Golden Chain Annual Conference. Her presence was nothing short of extraordinary. Lisette captivated the room from the moment she began speaking. With a rare and completing blend of humility, humour, and raw honesty, she shared her remarkable journey from newsroom reporter to accidental war correspondent — a path shaped by courage, instinct, and a single phone call that changed everything. Drawing from her deeply moving experiences, Lisette offered a powerful reflection on
resilience, adaptability, and the human spirit. Her storytelling was magnetic. She moved our senior leadership team, General Manager and invited industry partners to both laughter and tears, reminding us of the importance of empathy, resilience, and connection — values that lie at the heart of hospitality. Lisette’s ability to find light in the darkest places and to share those moments with grace and authenticity left a lasting impression on all of us. We wholeheartedly recommend Lisette as a keynote speaker for any conference or event seeking to inspire, challenge, and connect audiences on a deeply human level. Her impact is unforgettable."

“Lisette was guest speaker at our annual BPR client lunch. From the outset Lisette was fantastic to deal with and nothing was too much trouble. From the moment she stood up she had the guests enthralled with stories from her time as a foreign correspondent with 3 News. It was a great mixture of humour combined with the realities of reporting from some of the major conflicts around the globe. Lisette also took the time to mix with the guests before and after the lunch. Post event we received great feedback from our clients about Lisette with many saying she was one of the best speakers they had heard in a long time. I would thoroughly recommend Lisette if you were looking to make your event a standout."

"Lisette spoke at the Seafood New Zealand Conference in 2024 to an audience of industry leaders. She is a compelling presenter and riveting storyteller who can make her particular experience as a war correspondent relevant to a general audience. She also prepares thoroughly and it showed. Our delegates were gripped by her presentation and the feedback afterwards was excellent."

Multi-award-winning journalist and former war correspondent

Overview

Lisette Reymer is one of New Zealand's most acclaimed young journalists — Newshub's Europe correspondent from 2021 to 2024 and one of the first NZ reporters on the ground in Ukraine after Russia's invasion. Her coverage won Best Reporting and Best Coverage of a Major News Event at the 2023 Voyager Media Awards and Reporter of the Year at the 2024 NZTV Awards. She speaks with rare clarity about war, humanity, mental health and what storytelling really demands.

Who is Lisette Reymer? Lisette grew up on a Cambridge dairy farm, the youngest of five children. She graduated from the New Zealand Broadcasting School in Christchurch in 2014, joined Newshub and rose quickly through the ranks before being appointed Europe correspondent in 2021, based in London. She spent close to three years on the road covering the war in Ukraine, the Israel-Gaza conflict, the Queen's funeral, King Charles III's coronation and Olympic Games. She now works at Stuff as Senior Journalist – International and National Affairs, and is the author of No, I Don't Get Danger Money: Confessions of an Accidental War Correspondent.

Career Highlights • Newshub Europe Correspondent, 2021–2024 • Reporter of the Year, NZTV Awards 2024 • Best Reporting and Best Coverage of a Major News Event, Voyager Media Awards 2023 • Author of No, I Don't Get Danger Money: Confessions of an Accidental War Correspondent • Covered the Ukraine war, Gaza, Tokyo Olympics, Queen's funeral and King's coronation • Now Senior Journalist – International and National Affairs, Stuff

Key Speaking Themes • Reporting from a war zone and what it teaches you • Mental health, burnout and recovery after trauma • Storytelling, journalism and finding humanity in chaos • Women in media and career courage • What's actually happening in Europe — and what NZ can learn

What Your Audience Will Gain Lisette is warm, sharp and remarkably grounded for someone who has seen what she has. Audiences leave with a clearer view of global events, a new appreciation for journalism and a personal challenge about how they show up when things get hard.

Ideal For • Leadership and women in business events • Media, communications and PR conferences • Resilience and mental wellbeing programmes • School and university audiences • Awards dinners and gala events

Frequently Asked Questions...

What does Lisette Reymer speak about? War reporting, mental health, resilience, storytelling, journalism, and what she has learned reporting from Ukraine, Gaza and major global events.

Where has Lisette Reymer reported from? Lisette has reported from Ukraine, Gaza, the UK, across Europe, the Tokyo Olympics and major royal events including the Queen's funeral and King Charles III's coronation.

What awards has Lisette Reymer won? Reporter of the Year (NZTV Awards 2024), Best Reporting and Best Coverage of a Major News Event (Voyager Media Awards 2023).

What is Lisette Reymer's book about? No, I Don't Get Danger Money: Confessions of an Accidental War Correspondent — her account of becoming a war correspondent almost by accident, and what those years on the frontline cost and taught her.

What is Lisette Reymer doing now? Lisette is now based in New Zealand as Senior Journalist – International and National Affairs at Stuff.

Is Lisette Reymer available for keynotes? Yes. Lisette delivers keynotes and panel sessions across NZ on journalism, leadership, resilience and global affairs.