Zion Armstrong

Roles: Keynote, Speaker

Themes: Business, Lifestyle & Wellbeing, Motivation, Sports

Zion Armstrong’s story is far from conventional. Raised in West Auckland, he went from humble beginnings to representing New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games, an experience that shaped the resilience, discipline and people-first mindset he’s known for today.

In his early twenties, Zion became Head of Footwear at Adidas New Zealand, kicking off an international career that took him from New Zealand to Germany and across Asia, before eventually becoming President of Adidas North America. During his time leading the business, Adidas North America reached record growth and delivered US$6 billion in annual profit.

But in 2022, at the height of his global career, Zion made the decision to return home to New Zealand to be closer to his children and redefine what success looked like for him and his family.

Since 2024, Zion has been CEO of Jamie Kay Group NZ, where he’s focused on building a strong culture, growing the business sustainably and leading with the same people-first approach that has defined his career.

Known for his grounded and honest style, Zion speaks openly about leadership, ambition, pressure and the realities of high performance. He shares lessons from leading global teams, navigating change and making tough personal decisions, always with a focus on values, perspective and people.

His sessions are practical, relatable and thoughtful, leaving audiences with fresh insight into leadership, performance and what it really means to succeed on your own terms.

• Topics

  
  LEADERSHIP & CULTURE

  1. People First, Performance Follows

     How high-performing cultures are built through trust, inclusion, accountability, and leadership that genuinely puts people first.

  2. Leading at Scale Without Losing Your Values

     Lessons from leading global teams across New Zealand, Asia, Europe and North America while staying grounded in purpose and authenticity.

  3. Leadership Under Pressure

     What elite sport and global business taught Zion about resilience, decision-making, and leading through uncertainty.

  
  HIGH PERFORMANCE & AMBITION

  1. Redefining Success

     A candid conversation about ambition, achievement, family, and the courage to choose a different definition of success.

  2. From West Auckland to the World Stage

     A story of resilience, self-belief, and navigating environments where you may not initially feel you belong.

  TALENT, GROWTH & TEAMS

  1. Building Teams That Thrive Through Change

     Leading transformation across cultures, markets, and high growth environments.

  PERSONAL GROWTH & INSPIRATION

  1. Home, Identity & Purpose

     A personal reflection on coming home to New Zealand and reconnection with what matters most.

  2. Choosing Courage Over Comfort

     Making bold life and leadership decisions when expectations, prestige, and pressure pull in another direction.

• Keynotes

  To be advised

---

Get to know Zion in his Between Two Beers podcast interview.