CILT New Zealand has paid tribute to one of its most dedicated figures as Fiona Knight FCILT receives this year’s Sir Bob Owens Memorial Award. The honour recognises individuals who have made a lasting impact on the transport and logistics sector while giving their time to support others. Fiona’s influence reaches across all of those areas and more.
Fiona Knight FCILT has been part of CILT for over thirty years and has shaped the organisation in countless ways. She became a Fellow in 1997 and later made history as the first woman to chair a New Zealand Section. She also guided the annual awards programme for more than fifteen years, bringing consistency, fairness and a real sense of celebration to an important moment in the CILT NZ calendar.
Her professional achievements reflect the same drive. Fiona Knight FCILT has taken leading roles in policy development across shipping and land transport, advised government bodies and represented New Zealand at significant international forums. She has been central to several working groups, especially those focused on improving road management and national stock effluent practices. Her willingness to step into complex industry challenges speaks for itself.
What sets Fiona Knight FCILT apart is her commitment to people. She has supported many early career professionals, helping them find confidence in a complex and fast moving field. Her colleagues speak of her steady encouragement, her willingness to listen and the way she makes space for others to grow.
Those who have followed in her footsteps in the awards programme are quick to acknowledge the breadth of work she carried quietly behind the scenes. Fiona Knight FCILT held teams together, made sure judging was balanced and reminded members to put forward individuals who deserved to be recognised. Much of that work was unseen but deeply appreciated.
The Sir Bob Owens Memorial Award is CILT NZ’s highest honour. It recognises leadership, service and a sustained commitment to the profession. Fiona Knight FCILT embodies each of these qualities. Her recognition this year reflects not only her achievements but also her generosity of spirit and her role in strengthening the CILT community.
We congratulate Fiona Knight FCILT on this well deserved award and thank her for the decades of energy and care she has given to the Institute and the wider industry.