New Zealand Property Institute Launch - Speech

Speech

Conor English
CEO

New Zealand Property Institute Launch
Monday April 3 2000
Sheraton Hotel
Auckland

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Tinakoi.

Minister, Alan Ford, overseas visitors, new members and other guests, welcome

It’s an exciting time to be involved in the property sector.

Today is an important milestone in the evolution of the New Zealand property sector, and the establishment of the NZPI.

It is appropriate that we are launching here toady in conjunction with the pan Pacific Conference, because it symbolises that we are operating in a global arena, and that we need to have a broad perspective. And as the Governor General pointed out, we are very important in the economy and peoples lives.

I don’t want to take too much of your time, but I just want to outline some of my thoughts on the pathway ahead.

In the last five weeks I have had an opportunity to talk to many people about the new Institute and the world in general. The key issue that has been raised time and time again, and which has been reinforced by yesterday’s speakers at the Pan Pac conference is that the property sector is going through some massive change.

For the professionals in this important sector, this means threats and opportunities. It means facing up to the future, and perhaps developing different strategies to enhance cashflow. The way that things may have been done in the past may not be, and in fact are unlikely to be the way that things will be done in the future. The customer is the king of the castle. They are interested in solutions. We ignore them at or peril. If we look at the changes over the last 5 years, in any field of activity, we can be sure the future will only change even faster.

It seams to me that members had vision when they voted by 89% and 97% for the formulation of the New Zealand property Institute because they have realised that as a profession, they needed a vehicle, and an entity to build on the past and help the profession move forward through these changing times.

I have been asked how will I judge our success, Well its on three counts – firstly if our members wear their NZPI badge to the pub or use in on their cards, secondly if they believe they are receiving value for money from their subscription and finally if the institute can assist them as business people and as professionals to grow.

Last night someone asked me, so what are your doing with this new Institute thing? Well, to me there are a sixpac of areas of activity for the Institute.

Firstly the transitional issues of pulling three institutes into one. I would have to say that it has been pleasing the constructive and positive approach that the three parents of NZPI have worked to get things up and running. I know that those who voted for this change are impatient to see some results, to see some action. Well we are now working through the technical issues to ensure a smooth, simple and as little hassle as possible transition to the one new institute. I hope that this initial phase is completed soon.

As the Minister is here I want to thank her Government in advance for doing whatever we need of them, to get this progressive visionary magnificent entity pumping

Once we have these technical transitional issues tidied up the new institute will focus on those who really count – its members. Like them we need to be focussed on our customer, our market.

The five areas of activity to complete the six pac are
 Information provision – distribution channels and content.
 Membership skills and professional development – skills development as both professionals and businesspeople
 Professional backing – which includes advocacy, standards, discipline, registration, international relations, networking and most importantly social activities
 Marketing – Branding and communications strategies, strategic partnering, membership benefits, membership growth. Our two key assets are pour database and our brand, which we have yet to build.
 Finally Administration – secretarial secrecies, financial, technology systems, database and administration, premises and staff.

While on that topic, we have considerable resources here in Auckland. Firstly we have our Auckland CEO and Branch Chair - John Darroch, so congratulations and thank you in advance for everything you are going to do John. We also have our office in High Street with half a staff member there, and or course Katherine Fraser, currently the NZIV education officer, is based here in Auckland. Despite the outcome of the Blues, Hurricanes game, and the dopey referee, Auckland is very important, I won’t forget it. I am enjoying spending a bit more time in Auckland.

So those are some of the operational issues. I would just like to take this opportunity to than ks some people. Firstly the boards as especially the president ts of IPMV, PLIENZ and NZIV. I know it has taken a lot of work to get this far, and we still have a way to go, but I want to publicly acknowledge that work and especially the positive constructive leadership that has been demonstrated. With your support I know that we will make a lot of progress over the next few weeks.

I would also like to thank Alan Ford and my Board. I’m just new to this scene and it is great to have a board who is prepared to invest the time and energy to educate a dopey new CEO. But most importantly they a have so far, supported me when it matters. And I also want to thank them in advance for all the great things they are going to do for me in the future!

And to our sponsors today, Philip’s Fox. Events such as these take resources and today launch as been very generously supported by Philip’s Fox. Pleainz has had a very successful relationship with Philip’s Fox, and Peter Doolin, I hope we, after going through the appropriate process, may be in a position to continue and build on that relationship into the future. And to Robin Becket of AGM, don’t worry I am sure you will agree that the vision, the positiveness and the energy which we bring will be something you will not only be comfortable with, but cant do without.

Finally, I am thrilled to be here today. Thanks to you for getting up and coming along this morning. I am really looking froward to working with you as we march along on this adventure together. This is an exciting time and I wish you all well in your own endeavours. Keep in touch. Thankyou.

ENDS

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