World Class New Zealand Awards Attract The Best

World Class New Zealand Awards Attract The Best

Kea New Zealand and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise announced today the Judging panel and sponsors of the highly-prestigious World Class New Zealand Awards, 2008.

Judges for the 2008 World Class New Zealand Awards are:
• Mai Chen – Partner, Chen Palmer – Public Law Specialists
• Theresa Gattung – former CEO Telecom New Zealand
• Garry Muriwai – CEO NZ Institute of Chartered Accountants, Chair Maori Television
• Peter Maire – President and Founder, Navman NZ
• Professor Paul Callaghan, Director The MacDiarmid Institute, Victoria University
• Stephen Tindall – Chair Kea New Zealand.

"Being selected as a judge for the World Class New Zealand Awards is a great privilege and an excellent opportunity to be part of celebrating the achievements of our outstanding countrymen and women. I know my fellow judges and I face a challenging task in selecting the winners whose stories and example will inspire future world-class young kiwis,” says Garry Muriwai.

Judge Professor Paul Callaghan, a 2007 World Class New Zealand award winner commented, "Kea is helping connect New Zealand to its diaspora talent around the world. The World Class New Zealand awards are a way of recognising Kiwis who make a difference in the wider world, whether from home or from abroad."

World Class New Zealand Awards 2008 category sponsors are:
• Gen-i – New Thinking
• Provenco – Information and Communications Technology
• Wellington City Council – Creative Industries
• BDO Spicers – Finance, Investment and Business Services
• Enterprising Manukau – Manufacturing
• Foundation for Research, Science and Technology – Research, Science, Technology and Academia.

The award ceremony will be held on 27 February 2008 at The Langham Hotel in Auckland.

“We’re thrilled to have the support of all our sponsors. The 2008 Awards have attracted over 100 top-level nominations from around the globe. It’s great to see nominations from all over the world reflecting New Zealand’s diverse population and the full range of industries,” said Connie Sprague, Network Manager – World Class New Zealand.

BDO Spicers is one of the top five Chartered Accounting and Business Advisory firms in New Zealand with 10 offices, more than 50 partners and over 400 employees nationwide. The company is proud of its hands-on personal approach and its partners' active involvement at all times. BDO Spicers has a strong local presence throughout New Zealand and offers businesses the support, opportunities and benefits of being part of a cohesive global network. It has the unique combination of international strength and local excellence.

Enterprising Manukau
Enterprising Manukau promotes and facilitates economic growth in the region by working with businesses to improve their management capabilities. Moreover, working to promote Manukau as the leading destination in which to live, invest and conduct business. Enterprising Manukau has a team with a wide range of vocational and business experience. The dynamics of this team environment are incredibly progressive and continue to provide businesses and individuals with the tools required to facilitate economic growth and prosperity.

Foundation for Research, Science and Technology
The Foundation for Research, Science and Technology is the largest of the public sector investment agents for research science and technology. We manage investments of approximately $450 million a year – amounting to nearly 70 per cent of the government’s investment in research and development. We work with research organisations, universities and businesses to maximise the benefits of their research for New Zealand – economically, socially and environmentally.

Gen-i
Gen-i is a leading ICT provider in New Zealand and Australia, with a capability that spans the technology and telecommunications sectors to provide clients with seamless and integrated ICT solutions. A member of the Telecom Group, Gen-i employs 1600 people across 15 locations throughout New Zealand and Australia, providing services and solutions to over 3000 corporate, government and business clients. Gen-i is at the forefront of helping clients take advantage of the convergence of IT and telecommunications, and the new opportunities this provides. Gen-i's success has seen it consistently ranked as the number one ICT company in New Zealand for both mindshare and marketshare, according to the IDC Brand Awareness survey and IDC IT Services Tracker.

Provenco
Provenco is a New Zealand-founded technology company operating globally with customers in over 20 countries. Provenco creates and delivers smart technology for business which is reflected in each of its business areas: forecourt solutions for the international retail oil industry; EFTPOS payment and retail technology in the domestic New Zealand market; and distribution of retail, barcoding and mobile & wireless technology
in Asia-Pacific.

Wellington City Council
Wellington = New Zealand's Capital of Creativity and Innovation. Wellington City Council aims to promote Wellington’s reputation as New Zealand’s centre of creativity and innovation in order to attract and retain smart, innovative people and creative, forward-looking enterprise.

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