Investor Conference shows New Zealand is investment ready
Auckland, 11 February 2003: New Zealand business have been urged to sell
their message more strongly to the international investment community at
the Investment Regatta which closed this afternoon.
Over a dozen top New Zealand and global business leaders - including
former head of Apple Computers and Pepsi Co John Sculley, the first
woman network president in television history Kay Koplovitz, and Sir
Anthony O'Reilly, executive chairman of Independent News and Media,
among others - cited New Zealand's innovative high tech companies and
entrepreneurial spirit as key factors in our investment readiness.
But in recognising the opportunities and talent in New Zealand, the
group also identified a number of areas New Zealand needs to further
develop to improve its investment profile.
Sir Anthony O'Reilly said that innovative businesses need to be more
forthright in publicly celebrating their successes. "New Zealand has
achieved a lot more than it boasts and understatement is the enemy in
the world of capital markets."
Kay Koplovitz suggested using New Zealand's global network of one
million expat Kiwis is essential to extolling the virtues and successes
of New Zealand business.
"For New Zealand companies it is true that the outreach you need to make
with investors is [not only about] bringing people here to see the
country and how beautiful it is, but to take the story to them to show
how [New Zealand companies] are better."
Dr Hermann Hauser, Director of Amadeus Partners and co-founder of Acorn
Computers, also believed in the importance of networking and recognised
the need to develop clusters and networks both locally and globally to
develop innovative and successful companies. "If you ask anyone in
Silicon Valley, it is the people network that counts - the ability to
ring the right person to solve the right problem."
Ross Campbell, acting CEO of Investment New Zealand said the conference
- which lasted from midday to midnight on Monday and ran on Tuesday
morning - has been an outstanding success.
"We've had a superb line-up of business leaders from New Zealand and
around the world, more than 60 potential investors and over 200
delegates. It's been so exciting to see their enthusiasm and respect for
New Zealand's innovative businesses. There will be a number of
investment opportunities which arise from this conference, but like all
good things, this will take time."
Around 60 overseas investors mingled with numerous emerging New Zealand
businesses at the two day conference. The aim of the regatta was to
bring together prominent global and New Zealand business leaders to
explore opportunities for partnership and investment in New Zealand
innovation.