Kirsty Donbavand

Kirsty Donbavand is an experienced professional in Human Resources, currently serving as the Head of People & Capability at New Zealand Rugby since January 2022, where responsibilities include providing operational advice and leading programs to support the organization. Previously, Kirsty held the role of Chief People, Safety & Wellbeing Officer at New Zealand Rugby, focusing on the People strategy encompassing safety, health, and culture. Prior experience includes serving as a Human Resources Business Partner at Te Manatū Waka - Ministry of Transport, where strategic HR guidance was provided, and as People & Culture Manager at Farrah's, offering comprehensive HR services across the organization. Kirsty has also worked as an HR Business Partner and Advisor at Statistics New Zealand, a Senior Recruitment Consultant at Kelly Services, and an Executive Account Manager at Yellow Pages Group. Kirsty holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration in Management and Human Resource Management from Victoria University of Wellington.