Resilience and success is built by learning from adversity and failure.
Sir Graham Henry is one of New Zealand's most in demand speakers - having coached the All Blacks to glory in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, and going on to be awarded Coach of the Year at the IRB awards, receiving this award for a record 5th time.
Graham finished his All Blacks career as one of the most successful rugby coaches of all time: he coached the All Blacks to 88 wins in 103 Tests for a winning percentage of 85.4 percent. As well as winning the Rugby World Cup 2011, the All Blacks have held the Bledisloe Cup every year since 2003, won the Investec Tri Nations five times and achieved three Grand Slams against the Northern Hemisphere Home Unions. In 2019, Graham was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame.
Graham was in charge of the hugely successful Auckland team, which won four NPC titles in succession (1993 1996), and the Auckland Blues Super 12 team, which was the competition winner in 1996 and 1997 and runner-up in 1998.
He made his international coaching debut in 1998 with Wales, where he stayed for four years. His major achievements in that role included wins over England and South Africa. In 2001, he became the first non-British or Irishman to coach the Lions on their tour of Australia.
On his return to New Zealand, Graham joined Auckland as defensive co-ordinator and technical analyst. The effect was immediate with Auckland lifting the 2002 National Provincial Championship, a feat that resulted in the Blues, starved of success since Graham left for Wales, quickly tying him up for the 2003 Super 12 which the Blues went on to win.
For much of his life rugby coaching was very much secondary to Graham's school teaching career. His time at Auckland Grammar, where he nurtured players like Grant Fox, was followed by the headmaster's job at Kelston, from 1987 - 1996. Graham himself played Senior Rugby and Cricket in Christchurch, Dunedin and Auckland, and First Class Cricket for Canterbury and Otago.
Graham currently works with leading New Zealand companies such as Downer, Farmlands, Reckitt & Benckiser and the Giltrap Spencer Group focusing on team building, culture and leadership development and regularly speaks internationally.
Graham is a shareholder in the successful coaching website The Rugby Site and is often featured on podcasts with coaching tips. He sits on the board of The Plunket and Hillary Foundations; is an Ambassador for Coastguard; a Patron for Kiwis for Kiwi; and on the advisory board for the Pinnacle Programme.
Graham's speaking topics include - the high performance environment, team culture, motivation, team development, and leadership. His presentations are readily applicable to the business environment, as well as the sporting arena.
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Sir Graham Henry | Celebrity Speakers New Zealand
Sir Graham Henry is one of New Zealand's most in demand speakers - having coached the All Blacks to glory in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, and going on to be awarded Coach of the Year at the IRB awards, receiving this award for a record 5th time.Graham delivered on all counts. Entertaining, inspiring and delivering on all our conference key messages. A 10/10 performance ... keep reading Nova Energy
Fantastic speech! He highlighted key messages we had identified. Sir Graham has a wonderful presence and his delivery of key messages was well done and appealed to the audience. He was very easy-going, approachable and made our Volunteer Leaders evening memorable.
Some of the comments back from attendees: Excellent, nailed the spot with utilising NZ national game as a reference. I did not expect him to be as candid and as open - and I thought that he was brilliant. Loved listening to Sir Henry. His story of the part he played in turning the AB's culture around was great. He had to change himself in order for the team to change. I got immense value out of his very motivating presentation. Forthright & down to earth, with plenty of humour. A great way to wrap up the day!
He was very accommodating going over the top to assist with our day.
