Source: Asia New Zealand Foundation
7 September 2026
Malaysian sporting icon and eight-time world squash champion Datuk Nicol David will visit New Zealand this week as part of her role at NDO (Nicol Davis Organisation) to share her learnings on how sport can be used to strengthen communities, support young people and create positive social change.
Hosted by the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono, Nicol will be joined by Mariana de Reyes, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of NDO, for a programme of engagements with New Zealand sport, education and community leaders in Auckland and Wellington.
One of the most successful squash players in history, Nicol held the world No. 1 ranking for a record 108 consecutive months, won eight world championships and was named the greatest athlete in World Games history in 2021.
Since retiring from professional sport, Nicol has turned her attention to creating opportunities for the next generation. Established in Kuala Lumpur in 2022, NDO uses sport, education and mental wellbeing initiatives to support children, families and public schools, with its community programmes reaching more than 2,700 people across Malaysia.
Asia New Zealand Foundation Deputy Chief Executive Adele Mason says the visit demonstrates the potential for sport to create connections that extend well beyond competition.
“Nicol is one of Asia’s most accomplished sporting figures, but what is equally inspiring is how she and Mariana are now using that experience to create meaningful change for young people, families and communities.”
“New Zealand and Malaysia have much to learn from each other about how sport can support participation, wellbeing, leadership and stronger communities. Bringing people together in this way creates opportunities to exchange ideas, build trusted relationships and ultimately strengthen New Zealand’s connections with Asia.”
During the visit, Nicol and Mariana will meet organisations working across community and high-performance sport, youth participation and education. Their programme includes engagements with the Blues Charitable Trust, New Zealand Rugby League, Steven Adams Pathway Trust, Warriors, Sport New Zealand, Koru School’s Healthy Active Learning programme and Sport New Zealand. They will also support an event with the Squash Foundation hosted by Dame Susan Devoy.
They will also attend the 2026 Secondary School Sport Conference in Wellington, bringing together school sport leaders from across New Zealand to exchange ideas and explore how sport can better support the next generation of sport leaders.
The visit builds on relationships established through the Foundation’s 2025 Sport Leaders Delegation to Malaysia and Singapore, including a visit by New Zealand delegates to NDO in Kuala Lumpur.
For the Foundation, the exchange is part of a broader effort to connect New Zealand sport leaders with their counterparts across Asia and create lasting professional and people-to-people relationships.
About the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono
Established in 1994, the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono is a leading provider of Asia insights and experiences in New Zealand. Its mission is to equip New Zealanders to excel in Asia by providing research, insights, and targeted opportunities to grow their knowledge, connections and experiences across the region. The Foundation’s activities cover more than 20 countries in Asia and are delivered through eight core programmes: arts, business, entrepreneurship, leadership, media, research, Track II diplomacy, and sports.
About the Sports programme
Our sports programme harnesses the power of sport to build connections between New Zealand and Asia. We do this by helping New Zealand sport leaders deepen their knowledge of Asia and build relationships with their counterparts across the region. The programme offers grants and curated delegations that support sport sector representatives to travel to Asia to learn how sport is delivered in the region and build industry connections. We also provide internships for tertiary students and recent graduates with sport organisations in Asia and bring sport professionals from across the region to New Zealand to share insights with local sport sector audiences.