Managing director NZ, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners NZ Wendy Rayner was inducted into the Marketing Hall of Fame at the 2026 YouTube NZ Marketing Awards on September 2. This is her acceptance speech.
Introduction by Antonia Prebble, YouTube New Zealand Marketing Awards MC:
“Wendy Rayner is the 2026 inductee to the Marketing Hall of Fame. Tonight, we honour a marketing star who has gone on to lead one of the world’s most recognisable brands. Wendy has built a career combining brand stewardship with genuine commercial impact. She has helped lead some of Aotearoa’s most recognized brands in an intensely competitive market.
“Wendy is now the managing director of Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, having achieved incredible things as a marketer at TVNZ and the NZ Lotteries Commission. After training as an accountant, she went to TVNZ, first in sales, then roles in advertising and trade marketing before moving into what she describes as her true love, brand marketing. Wendy loves finding insights to create behaviour and achieve the desired outcome. That process saw her work magic as a marketer and remains a go-to leadership skill. At Lotto, Wendy revitalised the game and made an ad about a dog called Wilson.
“She turned a client into more than $250 million growth and was named Marketer of the Year at the NZ Marketing Awards 2011. She went on to complete the prestigious leadership development programme at Harvard Business School before her move to Coca-Cola. She’s worked across the business from Pump to L&P. Applying her consumer-led commercial approach, she became the strategic architect of Coca-Cola EuroPacific Partners brand portfolio. After 11 years heading strategy and brand, Wendy was appointed to managing director in 2024. She now leads a team of 1,200 people across 30 sites. She is a trailblazer for women in New Zealand business, becoming the first Kiwi woman to hold her current role. And she is always looking for ways to give back and encourage the next generation. She is a mentor and a generous and highly respected contributor to the wider marketing profession. Wendy is a leader whose influence expands well beyond marketing performance, championing people, community involvement, and purpose-led initiatives.
“She shows us that strong brands, strong businesses, and positive social impact can go hand-in-hand. Congratulations to Wendy Rayner, the newest member of the Marketing Hall of Fame.”
Wendy Rayner, Managing Director of Coca Cola Europacific Partners New Zealand:
“Thank you to John Miles of the Marketing Association and NZ Marketing magazine for this incredible honour. I’ve had the privilege of sitting in this audience many, many times as a judge, as a nominee, as an awarded person or none of the above. And I’ve always looked at the Hall of Fame recipients with a great deal of admiration and respect. To be fair, I also thought they were a little bit old. It’s my daughter’s 21st birthday today, so I’m feeling that anyway.
“But it is incredibly humbling to be in their company tonight. And as Sean [Wiggans, newly announced Marketer of the Year] said earlier, when you look back on your career, it’s not the campaigns. It’s sure as hell not those job titles that I worked so hard to get. It’s the people that I really remember. I’ve recently reconnected with some of the TVNZers from the 1990s, some incredible talented salespeople, and we had some crazy parties and crazy fun. And shout out to Jodi O’Donnell who now does an exceptional job running the organisation.
“I went to Lotto and found my love of brand marketing. And then at Coke NZ for almost 15 years. I’ve worked with the best people and the most talented people, but also some great humans. Marketing’s taught me a lot and it’s definitely made me a better CEO. It taught me to understand people and what motivates them, what matties to them, and the fact that despite what we might like to believe, human beings are generally much more emotive than pragmatic. Thank goodness!
One thing I’m super passionate about is that we can achieve commercial outcomes. Some of the campaigns I’m most proud of grew sales the most, but they did it by telling stories. They did it by really connecting New Zealanders’ hearts and minds. And so my ask, my challenge for this industry, is to keep doing what you do, keep getting commercial outcomes by telling great stories and connecting people.
“And last of all, I have to thank my family. Having a career that you love, and man, I have loved my career. I’ve had so much fun. It really can be very demanding of the people that you love. Late nights, early mornings, my husband scraped me off pavements after a very long lunch or two. Travel. And even when I’m home physically, maybe I’m not so much mentally present.
“My husband’s done more than his fair share. My kids had days where I forgot book day or crazy hair day where I pushed them back to school when they were even showing the smallest sign of being well enough after being sick. And I know that I wouldn’t have this career without their support, their understanding and the patience that they have given me at home. So a little bit of this [award] – and a whole lot of my gratitude – absolutely belongs to them. So thank you everyone who’s been part of my journey. It’s been an absolute honour. Thank you again.”
Published with kind permission from Wendy Rayner.
