About
For you | Beside You®
Mōhau | I tō taha
Hair & Barber New Zealand (H&BNZ) represents the needs of hairdressers and barbers in business today. All our members are, or have, professional, qualified staff to meet New Zealand’s highest hair industry standards.
With multiple membership tiers, H&BNZ is a not-for-profit and the only organisation in New Zealand proudly representing the needs of hairdressers and barbers in business today.
H&BNZ offers its members an array of great benefits (including industry-only insurance), from the latest industry information, a variety of networking events, seminars/workshops, plus much more.
The Associations four Pillars of Strength are:
ADVOCACY:
Advocate for better standards in the hairdressing and barbering industries
– Liaise with government
– Qualified Professionals
– Best Practice
– Qualifications
BUSINESS:
Provide the hair and barber industries with the best practice processes to grow business capability
– Quality + Care
– Membership
– Business resources
– Policies & Procedures
CREATIVITY:
Promote and support creativity
– Live, Editorial & Online Competitions
– Hairdressing & Barbering Awards
– Seminars & Workshops
– Webinars
DEVELOPMENT:
Develop our people through education & sustainable practices
– Training
– Education
– Professional Development
Meet the Team
Executive Board
Niq James
Co-Chair
Niq has led a dedicated team to support the hair industry through the COVID-19 pandemic and a rebrand of the Association to Hair & Barber New Zealand. Niq believes in encouraging, challenging, and supporting our industry to be inclusive of ethnic, gender and social differences to achieve positive and prosperous outcomes, both socially and economically, for our owners, staff, their whanau, and wider communities.
As a business owner and international judge Niq knows the demands that face business owners and the importance of advancing your skillset to meet global standards.
Simone Jones
Co-Chair
business@hairandbarbernz.org.nz
Simone joined the H&BNZ board as she wanted to see a change in the professionalism of our industry and felt what better way than to be part of it. Simone leads the association’s ‘Business’ pillar and is passionate about “making it easy” for our members to access resources, information and support. She understands how busy it is to work full time in the hair industry, look after your team and run a business. Simone works in her salon, Headstart Total Body, with her team of 7 and when she’s not working, you’ll find her spending time with her family.
Carol Hayward
Deputy Chair
business@hairandbarbernz.org.nz
Carol lives in the beautiful small city of Whanganui, where she owns and works in her salon, Chonel Hairdressing. Carol has been hairdressing for 30+ years and has had many wonderful opportunities due to her chosen career. Carol enjoys “giving back”, so put herself forward to offer her experience and knowledge to the industry & the team at H&BNZ, and leads the association’s ‘Development’ pillar. Carol’s whanau is her everything and her 8 mokopuna fills her cup. Arohanui.
Jess Corbett
advocacy@hairandbarbernz.org.nz
Jess has wide range of experience, having been a salon owner, hairdressing tutor and now Head of Premier Institute of Education New Zealand, helping to shape the next wave of future stylists.
Jess is currently sitting on the WDC Advisory board for the Beauty therapy qualification reviews.
Her passion lies in education with a focus on helping bridge the gap between education and employment ensuring the voice and feedback from industry is always heard.
Jess is excited to have the opportunity to work alongside the other members of the executive board to create the best environment we can for hairdressers and barbers to thrive, and is incredibly interested in what the new qualification being launched will do to improve our industry and the information we can share around this topic with association members.
Wanda Menchi
development@hairandbarbernz.org.nz
Wanda has been in the hairdressing industry for 48 years, first as a qualified hairdresser then moving into education in 1997, and is currently the Programme Manager for the Cosmetology school at Weltec. Wanda is conveyor of the Te Pukenga Subsidiaries (public polytechs) Forum and sits on the Te Pukenga Steering Group for Programme Unification.
Jeremy Scarle
creative@hairandbarbernz.org.nz
Jeremy started his hairdressing career 17 years ago through an apprenticeship in his hometown of Taranaki. Mentoring and training apprentices have been a passion for many years, giving him a well-rounded understanding of the qualification and the importance of striving to be qualified and Jeremy is also an Industry Assessor. Based in Auckland, Jeremy runs his own business, Coiffed by Jeremy Stuart and his spare time is spent training in competitive Ballroom and Latin American dancesport.
Administrator
Greg Stapleton
Barber Liaison
development@hairandbarbernz.org.nz
Greg Stapleton has been with the hairdressing and barbering industry, for more than 30 years and has gained a wealth of experience and knowledge from leaders in the industry, both at home and abroad. Greg has won and been involved in competition work nationwide through his early years. He has also been involved in events such as the Olympic Games hairdressing for the athletes and has notched up a few celebrities and VIPs as clients over the years. He has owned and operated salons and barbershops, and trained apprentices to full qualification level. Greg has also been involved in tutoring and training in a teaching capacity in NSW Australia and here in New Zealand.