Sir John Kirwan

One of the All Blacks super, super stars

Sir John Kirwan, or JK as we know him, is a globally recognised mental health advocate, author, entrepreneur, and a rugby legend. He's the co-founder of Groov, a leading workplace wellbeing platform. Groov's mission is to improve the wellbeing of 100 million people and save 100,000 lives by ingraining wellbeing into the DNA of a workplace and supporting people to feel good and function well.

In 2012, JK was knighted for his services to mental health – an honour he strives to live up to every day. He’s long been at the forefront of public campaigns about mental wellbeing. JK began sharing his personal story of depression at a time when there was a lot of stigma. His vulnerability paves the way for people to talk about their own experiences.

Many people also know JK as a sporting legend. He played 63 test matches for the All Blacks from 1984 to 1994 and was part of the winning 1987 Rugby World Cup team. He also played for the Warriors and had success as a rugby coach, including on the international stage with Italy and Japan.

JK is a family man who likes nothing better than to surf, cook, and make a perfect cup of coffee. He lives in Auckland with his wife, Fiorella. They have three children, now grown and pursuing their dreams throughout the world.

Coach Rugby League Rugby Union

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Key Points for Sir John Kirwan

Sir John Kirwan received a Knighthood in 2012 for his contribution to rugby union and for his services to heighten public awareness of depression.
In 1988, John scored a tally of 10 tries in five tests, against Wales and Australia.
John retired from the All Blacks in 1994, his 63 tests having brought him 35 tries, which was then the New Zealand record.
He is an his ambassador for Westpac and ATEED (Auckland Tourism) and continues raising the profile and assisting with the mental health initiatives.
He is also a member of the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust Board.

Topics for Sir John Kirwan

Rugby union and sports
Mental illness and health

Testimonials for Sir John Kirwan

Professional Conference Organiser

The team at ICMI offer a fantastic and professional service that allows us (event organisers) to focus on the delivery of our events

Corporate Client

I was very happy with the whole process from initial call through to performance, every question or detail was explained in a professional friendly manner. I will definitely be in touch with ICMI again.

Insurance Client

All ICMI staff I dealt with were exceptionally efficient, collaborative and responsive to ensuring our talent was informed.

Government Client

ICMI were flexible and accommodating, this year finding a speaker for your event that would work in a virtual setting was a challenge, but we ended up with a very successful event and the perfect speaker! Always patient and responsive to my calls or emails.

Corporate Client

Association Client

We were impacted by a COVID-19 outbreak in South Australia that threatened to de-rail our Northern Territory based event, but the ICMI logistics team made it happen when the window of opportunity arose.

NFP Client

ICMI listened to our needs and were very supportive with the change of plans with dealing with the pandemic. They gave great advice and helped us secure the right talent for our event.

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