More than 80 business leaders from home and abroad met on Wednesday April 1 in Auckland to identify practical ways talented Kiwis can use their global expertise and networks to improve the growth and competitiveness of New Zealand firms.
More than 80 business leaders from home and abroad met on Wednesday April 1 in Auckland to identify practical ways talented Kiwis can use their global expertise and networks to improve the growth and competitiveness of New Zealand firms.
The summit aimed to leverage the expertise and international networks of New Zealand’s best and brightest to find ways to make New Zealand a better place to live and work.
Chaired by Kea New Zealand’s global chairman Stephen Tindall and chair of AucklandPlus, Michael Barnett, participants focused on some of the challenges identified by last month’s Job Summit.
Summit attendees, many of whom are part of Kea’s World Class New Zealand Network, identified ways they can use their expertise and networks to help New Zealand to:
• Build more flexibility into tertiary education to help New Zealand adapt to demands for new skills and grow international education as a New Zealand industry.
• Maximise New Zealand’s international connections and profile by developing Auckland as an international city and leveraging the Rugby World Cup 2011 for New Zealand business.
• Help local firms survive the global recession and attract more international investment into the country.
Stephen Tindall says he is confident the summit has the potential to help find answers to some of the critical challenges currently facing New Zealand.
“We can all identify huge opportunities if we, as individuals, put up our hands and use our expertise, talent, networks and passion to grow our nation’s skills and help Kiwi companies compete on the world stage,” says Tindall.
The World Class New Zealand Network promotes the country's growth and development by tapping into the knowledge, expertise and networks of world-class New Zealanders and 'friends of New Zealand' around the globe.
Summit participants include:
• Chris Liddell, CFO Microsoft
• Diane McCarthy, CEO of the Royal Society
• Paul Callaghan of the McDiarmid Institute
• Craig Nevill-Manning, Director of Engineering at Google New York
• Craig Lamberton, Managing Partner for BDO Spicers
• Jane Hunter of Hunter Wines
• Andy Grant, Royal NZ Navy Commander
• Dr. Kerry Spackman, Formula One Elite Performance Coach
• John Hackett, Chair of AJ Park
• Justin Vaughan, CEO of NZ Cricket
• Ray Avery, founder of Medicine Mondiale
• Rod Drury, founder and CEO of Xero
• Mai Chen, Chen Palmer New Zealand Public Law Specialists
• Oscar Kightley, artist and film producer
The summit was hosted in partnership with Auckland’s regional economic development agency AucklandPlus.
The summit was the precursor to the annual World Class New Zealand Awards, now in its sixth year, which recognise individuals who characterise New Zealand’s success on the world stage.