Home-grown come through in Top 200 business finalists

Immediate release

9 November 2012

Home-grown come through in Top 200 business finalists

Some of New Zealand’s best home-grown businesses and individuals are amongst the finalists in the 2012 Deloitte/Management magazine Top 200 Awards, with organisations such as Trade Me, Ryman Healthcare Group and Port of Tauranga up for the highly valued Company of the Year title.

The winner of the company of the year award, as well as other categories including the country's top executive, most improved company, best growth strategy, chairperson of the year, young executive of the year, and most responsibly governed enterprise will also be awarded on the night.

The finalists are taken from NZ Management magazine's annual ranking of New Zealand's largest corporations. The ranking is produced from a robust data-gathering and auditing process and finalists are then determined by an independent panel of judges working to strict criteria.

Judging convenor Reg Birchfield says over the past few years there has been an emerging trend of New Zealand based companies dominating the Top 200 Awards, and this reinforces the movement of Kiwi companies competing with global businesses.

“The best performing companies clearly represent the future-focus of successful New Zealand businesses, with organisations supporting the export sector featuring prominently. Finalists also include a technology company and a re-engineered manufacturing business.

"The judges believe that the finalists this year are of a very high standard, and they represent companies that are all market leaders. We have a very strong pool of New Zealand companies dominating their fields, reinforcing the world-class standard of many of these businesses,” says Mr Birchfield.

The finalists for the coveted title of Deloitte/Management magazine Executive of the Year are Dean Bracewell (Freightways), Mark Cairns (Port of Tauranga) and Simon Challies (Ryman Healthcare).

Mr Birchfield says the judges had the hard task of selecting three finalists for this award from a very strong field of respected candidates.

“The individual finalists are inspirational and respected leaders, and continuously strive to make their mark on their industry and raise the profile of their business– we are delighted to be awarding and recognising their outstanding leadership,” says Mr Birchfield.

Deloitte CEO Thomas Pippos says the Top 200 Awards represent the pinnacle of corporate recognition in New Zealand, with past winners making up the who’s who of the business community.

“We look forward to celebrating New Zealand’s business success and acknowledging the vital contribution this year’s finalists and winners make to our country’s economy,” says Mr Pippos.

The other category finalists are:

• QBE Chairperson of the Year: Joan Withers, Dr. David Kerr, Sir Henry van der Heyden.

• ilume Best Growth Strategy: Auckland International Airport, Datacom, Mainfreight.

• Marsh Most Improved Performance: Skellerup, Port of Tauranga, Kiwibank.

Other special awards – Institute of Directors Responsible Governance Award, NZIM/ Eagle Technology Young Executive of the Year, and Designworks Visionary Leader will be made on the night.

The 2012 winners of the Deloitte/Management magazine Top 200 Awards will be announced on Thursday 29th November at an exclusive event at the SKYCITY Auckland Convention Centre.

For more details about the 2012 Deloitte/Management magazine Top 200 Awards, please see www.management.co.nz/top200/.

ENDS

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