Guy Ryan

Award-winning entrepreneur and leader, Founder of Inspiring Stories, passionate about making a difference for our future.

Guy is an Edmund Hillary Fellow, was awarded Young New Zealander of the Year in 2015, and has served on boards and strategic groups for business and government. From humble beginnings growing up in a tiny village on the West Coast of the South Island, Guy went on to complete double degrees in design and marketing, and then a Masters in Science Communication at Otago University. At Uni he became fascinated with entrepreneurship, and co-founded a film production company that went on to win international awards.

In 2011 Guy founded Inspiring Stories with a vision to back young people to change the world. During his tenure as Chief Executive, Guy led the team that built an impressive track record of programmes and partnerships that supported 15,000+ alumni, invested more than $2.5M into scholarship support, and provided more than $100K in funding to support some of Aotearoa’s most inspirational young changemakers. This included building a range of high-impact events and programmes including Festival for the Future, Future Leaders, and The Impact Awards.

Guy stepped back from the CEO role at Inspiring Stories in 2023, and now on the board continues to support the kaupapa and team in a governance and advisory capacity.

Speaking Themes: Entrepreneurship, education, leadership, purpose, storytelling.
Offering: Keynote Speaker, Panelist, MC, Facilitator