INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY PARNELL INTERVIEW SERIES
Friday 8 March was International Women’s Day—a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.
Many wonderful women have had a hand in making Parnell—its success and its story, what it is today, and what it will move to in the future.
Parnell is a suburb that has undergone many iterations, from being Auckland’s first suburb to one of the most diverse and tech forward, yet traditional and uniquely quaint parts of Auckland!
On 8 March, we met at Residium with five incredible women who make Parnell what it is today, who contribute to the Parnell of the future while celebrating the past. Each woman was interviewed by Petra Bagust about their role in Parnell, their thoughts on how women are supported and represented here, and their hopes for the future of our suburb!
INTERVIEW NAVIGATION
HAYA KHAN
Haya Khan was making her own magazines in primary school by cutting up other magazines and presenting them to the class.
With a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in communications from the University of Auckland, and having been admitted to the bar after her Bachelor of Laws, Haya Khan started Masala Bazaar in Parnell to support her own business, Masala Scents, as well as other women in Aotearoa’s South Asian business community.
Haya has expanded the business to include Masala Studio, which supports other women in getting their businesses off the ground. She says the business has become a safe space for women to come together to represent themselves and their cultures authentically.
SALLY SOUNESS
Sally Souness founded The Hang Up Gallery in 1976 at age 23, and has spent the past four decades making exceptional art available to dedicated art lovers and newcomers. Her youthful business plan was to provide both international and local limited edition prints to the New Zealand art market.
As the gallery grew and evolved, she rebranded in 1996, becoming Parnell Gallery. With an emphasis on original New Zealand paintings and bronze sculpture, Parnell Gallery has a regular and varied exhibition schedule.
Not only is Sally passionate about art, she is also passionate about Parnell, and has lived and owned a business in the suburb for nearly 50 years!
ANNA HILL
Anna Hill is Principal and Interior Design Lead at Jasmax, with more than a decade of local and international experience in executing world-class interior design projects across a variety of sectors.
With a sharp eye for detail, she draws on experience in residential, recreational, commercial, and hospitality projects to support her multi-skilled design approach, which strengthens Jasmax’s fully integrated design offering.
We are lucky to have her vision and expertise in Parnell.
DEBBY ONESEMO
Debby Onesemo is the co-owner of the restaurant TALA at 235 Parnell Rd. TALA just opened in November and has quickly contributed to our dining scene, making Parnell a destination to come to in the evening.
The Samoan word ‘tala’ translates to ‘story’ or ‘tale’, and the couple behind the new fine dining restaurant definitely have one of those!
After growing up in Samoa and serving in the US military, Henry Onesemo was working as a Polynesian dancer at Florida’s Walt Disney World when he met his American wife Debby—a former lawyer.
Debby is the star on International Women’s Day—although the chef is the head of any restaurant, the woman behind the scenes is the neck, getting things done!
CHERYL ADAMSON
Cheryl Adamson began her advertising and marketing career in large multinational advertising agencies in South Africa. She worked as a senior art director before her entrepreneurial skills took hold.
For more than 25 years in South Africa, she ran her own below-the-line marketing consultancies. Her client profile was largely slanted towards retail and shopping centre developments.
In March 2011, she left South Africa and moved to Brisbane, Australia where she continued her marketing career, and in October 2013 relocated to Auckland.
Two weeks after arriving in Auckland, Cheryl was appointed as the General Manager of the Parnell Business Association, her background and experience in dealing with a multi-stakeholder retail environment being what cemented the appointment.