Getting to know... Priyani de Silva-Currie

A tireless advocate across many sectors, Priyani Therese de Silva-Currie was acknowledged as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for her services to netball, multicultural communities and civil engineering in the 2025 New Year Honours.

At the weekend you’ll find me... either watching a good Netflix movie, or out on our boat fishing with my husband Rob, and, unfortunately, sometimes working to catch up before the week ahead.

I will never shut up about... doing more for empowering women and connecting with my love of netball. These two passions really drive my purpose and who I am.

I’m a real nerd about... science and maths. I analyse such things as asset performance, economics, demand and geopolitics in my role as an asset manager. It’s always interesting to know the science behind everyday things like baking the perfect sponge, or how to help my plants grow well, or how to optimise the performance of my V8 Clubbie. I think that encouraging women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) is a cause worth dedicating my time and effort to.

My real-life superpower is... energy. I surround myself with things and people that give me positive energy. For example, a walk on one of our beautiful Nelson and Tasman coastlines on a windy day really activates my energy, as does travelling fast on my e-bike! I try to avoid negativity and negative energy, whether it be at work, or within my communities, and in my day to day interactions with people. In order to be the person I want to be, I require lots of good energy.

The world would be a better place with more... respect and tolerance of people’s differences, we are a world of many colours, religions, cultures and races – I wish that people wouldn’t judge others so harshly because of these outward differences. Together, collaborating and sharing in our differences we are stronger and better as a world. I have always thought that once we think in a global way, we lose those barriers and walls we have created between ourselves. Idealistic I know, but I truly believe in that.

My most irrational fear is... clowns, I clearly have read too many Stephen King books. Once, my son as a baby was gifted a beautiful clown mobile. I could not go into the baby’s room without freaking out when I looked at that clown. It came down. Same with the clown cookie jar which now hides in the bottom cupboard, and never do I like the clowns at circuses and kids birthday parties.

A family tradition I’ll never give up... making Sri Lankan Christmas cake each year for my family, friends and workmates. My mother did it when she was alive, and I do it every year, in part for her, but also to continue the tradition. It’s a whole family affair, spend all day making the cake, then we cut it up into small squares, wrap them nicely, and gift them. It is the most beautiful, spiced, moist and fruit-filled cake you will ever taste.

I hope in ten years Nelson will... be thriving, have its own hum. Prosperous with an abundance of economic development balanced with a rich heritage. Have its own unique cultural ecosystem and a place everyone wants to be part of. Nelson will be known as a place that respects diversity and inclusion. We have a stunning natural environment which we should protect the mana of. People want to live here and it is my hope that we never stop welcoming newcomers to our town, show manaaki, that we treat everyone with respect and that we are able to share all that is good about Nelson with the world.