ABOUT THE INSTITUTE

The Hillary Institute of International Leadership searches the globe for exceptional mid-career leaders. Our goal is to provide them a platform, a shared community of engagement and an enhanced resource base to take their efforts to larger scale. Inspired by the late* Sir Edmund Hillary, New Zealand’s most celebrated public figure, the Institute was launched by Sir Edmund from Antarctica on 22 January 2007 in the company of our patron former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark** and principal philanthropic investor Jan Cameron.

The Institute’s work is focused globally, selecting one Laureate annually, a leading social entrepreneur who also embodies the humanitarian commitment of Sir Ed. Ultimately the premiere award of the Hillary Step (valued currently at USD100,000), is presented every four years. Named after the final, almost vertical 40-foot cliff-face that Hillary and Tenzing Norgay scaled in reaching the summit of Everest, the Hillary Step is a metaphor for the challenges innovative leaders face.

The Hillary Summit, a board of renowned thinkers and strategists from five continents, chaired by David Caygill (NZ), was responsible for the selection of the initial leadership topic, Climate Change Solutions (2008-12) , and also chooses the annual Hillary Laureates and ultimately the Hillary Step recipient.

Our Laureate Programme*** finds our leaders through building a global ‘watch-list’, providing a trailblazing route that significantly increases the ability of others to follow. The Institute also holds annual Symposia both in NZ and internationally, creating integrated linkages representing latest thinking on our chosen leadership topic. The Institute maintains an operating board and a very modest staff led by Executive Director Mark Prain (NZ) and Hillary Senior Fellow Matt Petersen (LA).

* Sir Edmund passed away peacefully on January 11th, 2008 .
** Ms Clark is now the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), based in New York.
*** 2009 Hillary Laureate Jeremy Leggett (UK); 2010, Peggy Liu (China)