Businesses going global

Rosie Bosworth has always been passionate about food, growing up she says she spent more hours in the kitchen than anywhere else in the house. She is also passionate about science and sustainability, so when she discovered research into alternative proteins during a stint studying  in Holland, she realised she had found the perfect way to combine her passions. 

“I became really focused on alternative proteins and options like vertical farming systems and other ways food can be grown. I got onto a trajectory of how tech and innovation can change the paradigm of sustainability, and I was lucky enough to follow that passion and have since worked for several future food companies in the United States, and am currently working for a think tank in NZ which is looking at the future of food. 

Rosie says the biggest challenges New Zealand faces is the country’s reliance on agriculture and the ability to communicate how fast changes around food production are taking place. 

“The challenge is how do we position our food production system in the future so that as new future foods and alternative proteins become increasingly more mainstream, we create a more resilient food sector in New Zealand and ensure existing sectors don’t take a significant downfall or become overshadowed  by these new technologies. The other challenge is getting that message across in a really urgent way. New Zealand is quite laid back and we have been a bit cut off for a few years, and we don’t really see the pace of changes that’s happening elsewhere and because of that we are not moving at the pace we need to to keep up. There is this belief here that there will always be a strong demand for meat and traditional animal products on the global market and the psyche around this sort of thinking can create a problem when it comes to moving forward and developing complementary offerings for NZ.

One business which is moving forward to embrace the alternate based food production industry is Angel Foods. Founder and CEO Alice Shopland adopted a vegan lifestyle in 2004 and several years later her and husband Colin Woods developed their own vegan cheese recipes. Last year Angel Foods produced over 150 tonnes of vegan cheese which can be found in mainstream supermarkets and pizza chains around New Zealand. 

Alice says Angel Food customers aren’t just vegans but also those who are dairy intolerant, on plant-based diets and even those who continue to eat animal products but want to cut back. She credits an awareness around environmental impacts of dairying as having a big effect on markets.

“That awareness of how dairying was contributing to our water quality and the swimmable rivers campaign created a big shift. Before that it was hard to get people to understand why you would be making a dairy-free version of dairy cheese. There was also the point where one of the major petrol stations added a vegan pie to their regular offering and in that same year you could get vegan ice creams which was amazing to see.”

Another player in the Sustainable food space is Jade Gray. Jade’s family are  4th generation grocers and he has worked on various farms and at a variety of food and beverage businesses across China. In 2003 he launched his own F&B business in China and later launched the  country’s first B Corp certified pizza chain in Beijing. Since moving home Jade has launched Off Piste a company which creates plant based meats using pea protein. The business goal is to replicatice, mimic and ultimately supersede the nutritional value of red meat. 

Off-Piste has teamed up with Massey University and also the Callaghan institute to increase their R&D. Jade says his company isn’t aimed at vegans, but rather at people who want to reduce meat in their diet. He says one of the problems plaguing the industry is this idea that it’s one or the other. 

“The biggest myth I think, is the myth that there is a massive vegan movement happening, this is not the case. There is in fact a huge flexitarian movement happening. The changes are seeing are not going to move the dial to people abstaining from animal products, rather we will see a big movement of people reducing animal products. There is this myth that it is one or the other, this isn’t true. Alternate proteins won’t knock out meat, they will both exist together.”

Last year $4.9 billion was invested last year in alternate proteins and while that may sound small it’s three times the amount of the last three years combined. Jade says New Zealand’s extensive understanding of genetics and breeding should be seen as a real asset to position the country as a world leader. 

“New Zealand has been a leader in genetics and breeding of animals and plants for decades and all this knowledge can be used as we look to increase plant based alternatives and in particular cellular meats. We also have an abundant amount of resources, some of which are really unique which we could put into alternate proteins, but currently it would be fair to say we are not leveraging those as much as we could.

Rosie agrees it is time for New Zealand to step up and says the country’s food producing heritage will stand us in good stead.

“New Zealanders are exceptional food producers and we have managed to change food production systems in the past and we can certainly shift again. I think the fact that we do have a number of open and entrepreneurial farmers out there is a great start. We need to look at the premiumisation of products and create a shift towards products which are regenerative. We have such a rich diverse country here where we can grow many things and grow them well, we are really only just scratching the surface of what we can achieve.”

Katie Sadleir’s whole life has revolved around sport, it’s not so much a job but part of who she is. She took up synchronised swimming at age eight, and after moving to New Zealand in her teens, she went on to represent Aotearoa in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh where she won a bronze medal. 

After she retired from synchronised swimming in her early 20’s, Katie became involved in the governance and leadership side of sport, taking up a board position with the New Zealand Swimming Federation. She was not only the youngest member of the board but also the only woman. 

“Taking that board position was definitely challenging. As an athlete I had been more or less immune to gender bias because I was competing in a traditionally female sport and also I was so focused on my own training and competitions. When I took the role on the board I was suddenly very conscious of the fact that my approach to leadership was very different, both because of my age and my gender. I do remember feeling that I was probably a bit more in touch with some of the people I was there to govern, after all I was the only woman on the board but I represented around 50% of the population.”

For former Football Ferns captain Bex Smith, her first realisation of gender bias within sport came around the time she signed her first professional contract. Growing up between New Zealand and the US, Bex had always played football and never thought of it as a sport for one particular gender, however when she moved to Europe she realised that wasn’t the case everywhere. 

“When I moved to Germany to play my first professional contract, I found out they had two different names for football, fussball or football which was the men’s game and frauen fussball or women’s football which was the women’s game. It was the first time I ever heard it separated like that and I thought it was ridiculous. You don’t ask people if they play women’s football you just ask if they play football, it’s the same game! This was a country that had the best women’s team in the world, they had just won the World Cup, but the sport was still seen as a game for men.”

During their respective careers both Katie and Bex have gone out of their way to try and break the bias for those who have come after them. Before her becoming the first female CEO of the Commonwealth Games Federation, Katie held the position of General Manager for Women’s Rugby at World Rugby where she often found herself calling out unconscious bias. 

“At the end of the day there are perceptions of what skills and capabilities people bring into organisations based on who they are and yes based on their gender. We all have a responsibility to work to remove that unconscious bias that exists in people’s minds. During my role at World Rugby I did a lot of work mentoring women around the world, and there still exists this idea that while women may have a place in boardrooms or other management areas, their responsibility is to still look after women’s stuff. When I was working for World Rugby I worked hard to change that perception. I think it’s still our responsibility to call that out.”

For Bex the prevalence of bias within women’s football and the opportunity to change that is one of the driving factors that has kept her involved in the sport. During her playing career she captained the Football Ferns to two Olympic Games and played for a number of international teams. She has since worked for FIFA, UEFA and COPA90 across marketing, media, strategy and event planning roles. Most recently she started her company Crux Sports, which supports athletes by helping them understand their brand and marketing opportunities. She also works to share stories and news about female athletes in a bid to raise their profiles. She sees huge opportunities for growth within women’s football.

“Fans are waking up and people are starting to understand the injustices in sport. It’s become not ok to ignore these topics that are really important to women. There is a lot of social pressure to change. But this change has to take place at the top, within the governing bodies. The money has been pumped into men’s sport, has made it bigger and better, and that in turn has attracted more money. That same attitude needs to be applied to women’s sport. We need to grow the support and break the cycle of women’s teams being treated so differently to men’s teams. It’s time to invest in women and it’s a really good business investment because at the end of the day it’s 50% of the population.”

Both Katie and Bex agree that things are starting to improve and feel that as leaders they have a responsibility to pave the way for those who come after them. For Bex, it’s about sharing the stories of female athletes, coaches, managers and leaders to give the next generation inspiration and role models to look up to. 

“Role models are so important, it’s how we give people the belief they can do it as well. There is a lot of hard work and effort that comes with breaking biases. It’s draining and demeaning and frustrating and tiring. Women that head down that path make a lot of sacrifices and I take my hat off to each and every one of them. It’s so important to have those role models though, people need to see someone do it ahead of them, and then that gives them the belief that they can do it as well and that is how we will create real change.”

After more than thirty years in leadership roles Katie says she’s seen a big evolution of women in sports leadership positions and she’s happy to see a female appointment become the norm rather than the exception. 

“When I look at the evolution of women in leadership positions, say for example in rugby, there are now far more chief executives of rugby and it’s no longer a big story when a woman is coaching a mens team. I’m absolutely committed to paving the way for others and I’m happy to be in that kind of position but I always want to make sure I bring people with me, whether that’s women who work with me or women who govern with me. I’m happy to break down barriers to make sure that other people can come with me on this journey.”

And Katie says part of bringing people with you is being able to show them that it’s okay to call out biases, no matter how small, even if it doesn’t always make you popular.

“I have been in many situations when I have had to call out bias and it can be awkward. Just recently we were doing a big piece of work for women and the company coming in to do it assembled a team of all men. I had to say ‘look I’m sorry guys, you have women who work for you in these roles they need to be on this team.’ There are still these situations where people don’t realise where they have gone wrong. I am the person who comes into the room and points it out and questions it and some men roll their eyes at that. However I believe when you are in a leadership position, it’s really important to not let those things go unsaid, so I will continue to ask those questions no matter how many eyes roll.”

Katie and Bex were both part of a panel discussion to mark International Women’s Day. The event, was hosted in London, by Kea and the New Zealand Business Women’s Network, also featured Olympic equestrian Jonelle Price and Rugby star Sene Naoupu.

Dr Michelle Dickinson – Co-Founder and CTO, Nanogirl Labs Ltd

I’ve always loved being an engineer, being able to build solutions and problem solve brings me so much joy. When I started work I was the only female engineer in my company. This has meant I’ve come up against some challenging stereotypes through my career and have felt lonely and isolated. I’ve attended many meetings as the only female in the room where the assumption was that I was there to take minutes for the meeting and make the tea rather than being the engineer there to lead it! 

However over the last decade there has been an increasing number of female engineers graduating and joining the workplace, which is helping to change the perceptions around engineers and gender. My advice to other female engineers would be to actively seek out the support and mentorship of other women in your industry.  Building a network of people around you can help to build confidence, find new opportunities and create a safe space to problem solve any issues.

It’s interesting to note that research shows gender stereotyping starts from birth, with some studies showing how toddlers are spoken to and picked up differently, based on their gender.  One of the reasons why I work so much with young people is that I see society is still setting these biases and limiting beliefs early, not realising that in doing so we might already be deterring girls from thinking about careers in science and engineering.

Chelsea Winstanley – Film Producer and Director

It is an exciting time to be a female filmmaker right now because we see the balance of power in the decision making of what gets made changing. The generation before me paved the way, they fought very hard for me to be where I am and I do not take that for granted. In fact I use that as a driving factor in every decision I make. I want to carry on their legacy so that my daughters have it easier than me. 

In the filmmaking industry if you do something well you are an exception. The biggest misconception is just that, you are only an exception because there has not been fair representation. We make up 50% of the population but that is not represented across the industry of ‘makers’ so you are singled out. We wouldn’t be an exception if we had the same opportunities as men because we would be represented just as fairly. Therefore the exception only exists because we have been shut out for so long. If men were willing to share the power there would be no bias. It is on them to change this situation, not us.  

My advice to others would be that you deserve to be exactly where you want to be. Find a community of people who share your same dreams because no one makes a film as an individual, it just cannot happen. You need good people in your life, find the people who want to champion you. The only bias that exists is the bias men have towards women. It’s their problem, they need to fix it. 

Jessica Mutch-McKay – Political Editor, 1 News

When I first started in politics it was definitely more of a man’s world. In 15 years that’s changed dramatically, and now the Political Editors of TVNZ, Newshub, RNZ, The Herald and Newsroom are all women. I think strong people still struggle with women being strong and challenging and confrontational but that’s changing too. 

I remember when I was working as the Europe Correspondent for 1 News and I had to cover the Northern All Blacks tour. On that tour I was the only woman and the only non-specialist rugby reporter, and I felt I had a lot to prove. I did a lot of reading and researching to show that I could hold my own with all the experts. Nowadays you see a lot more women covering all aspects of news and sport including Rugby. 

The ability to be a Mum in this industry has changed over the years too. It’s still not easy but Parliament is a lot more family friendly. Being a Mum adds a whole other layer to things. Gosh it’s a juggle. I have become the Queen of picking my battles and saving problems to deal with later. I think like a lot of women I feel a lot of pressure to do it all and maybe that’s something that we need to work on changing.

My advice to other young women looking for a career in journalism or politics would be to work hard. Set your own standards and make them high. Be prepared. Do your research. Be fair. Be considerate. Manage your stress. Hold your ground. Make your voice heard. Ask for what you want, after all nothing changes if nothing changes. But at the end of the day it’s such a fun industry, so soak it all up.

Laura Scampion – Managing Partner, DLA Piper

Law has historically been a male dominated profession – particularly in leadership roles.  It certainly was when I started out from University. With so many more women entering the profession now from law school, there is a duty on female leaders in the legal field  to open more doors to more opportunities for those young women. I’ve been given an opportunity as a leader to reshape the profession (or at least part of it). Importantly, when I entered the profession most of the buyers of legal services were men. That’s not the case now. A huge proportion of my clients are organisations run by women or with a significant number of women in leadership roles. 

In the early days when I was a junior solicitor in my first firm, I recall one incident at reception where the client refused to believe I was a lawyer because I was a woman. The partner I was working for asked him to leave the building after he requested a ‘real lawyer’ work the file (a man).  

My advice to other young women wanting to work in Law is that if even for a moment you are being held back or treated differently at a workplace because of your gender – get out of there as soon as you can. There is no place for that in the profession now and there are plenty of firms that celebrate female leadership and in fact recognise that it is instrumental for success. 

Successful progressive workplaces are constantly reviewing, monitoring and checking in on bias (in whatever form that takes) in order to own any flaws and ensure improvement where it is needed.  A lot of this stuff can’t be measured though, it doesn’t always work to operationalise it. So we need to keep swapping stories about any bias we encounter. Measurements won’t change bias in our culture. Stories must be told as well – that humanises it.  

Chantelle Nicholson – Chef and Restaurant owner

Being a female chef is still somewhat of a minority. For me, this means an emphasis on supporting those who are in the industry, and also encouraging young females to join. The perception that it is not a role for a female has changed considerably in the last 10 years, and the younger generations have a much more open view.

For me personally it has been mostly unconscious bias and not necessarily in the kitchen, but more in terms of media and business opportunities, also leniency on certain behaviours from male counterparts. On the flip side, there are opportunities that I have been consciously considered for due partly to the fact I am a female. 

My advice to other young women is to just do it, and try not to overthink it all. Do what feels right, trust your gut, and challenge yourself to get a little out of your comfort zone in terms of taking opportunities you may feel you’re not experienced or skilled enough for. I think it is important to stand up for what you believe in, and to show yourself due respect and care. There are times when we take more time and effort with other’s thoughts and feelings, and sometimes forget to give the same to ourselves, so we need to keep this front of mind.

North America

The big news this month has been the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature bank, with authorities moving quickly to stabilise the banking system. The collapse of SVB sent shockwaves around the world, forcing tech investors and start-ups to check on their financial exposure at a time when many businesses were already having to lay off staff. New Zealand company Rocket Lab had around US$38 million ($62 million) or 7.9% of its cash with SVB and a number of other New Zealand tech companies were also tied up with the bank. 

The damage to the banking sector has not been limited to the US, with Swiss bank UBS a week later agreeing to spend $3.25bn to rescue its rival Credit Suisse. Although some bank stocks had taken a beating, most experts agree that financial markets more broadly have taken the US bank collapses in their stride. What effect this will have long term are yet to be seen but 

Elsewhere in the economy recent data and revisions point to inflation easing more slowly than previously expected, and stronger than predicted data from January data has led some economic experts to revise their Q1 GDP growth forecasts. However most agree that overall the economy will see a downturn this year.

NZ radio station ‘The Rock’ will be in town at the end of March, bringing their award-winning breakfast team to the city to broadcast back to NZ from non-other than the Rockefeller Center. The team has been busy connecting with New York-based Kiwi, so NZ listeners will enjoy a few surprises and a glimpse of what life is like for our kiwi explorers living in one of the world’s biggest cities.

Gary Fortune, Kea North America Regional Director

UK and Europe

Great news for those Kiwi heading to the UK on their OE and also Brits looking to explore and help with talent shortages at home and to enjoy New Zealand, with changes to the Youth Mobility Scheme / Working Holiday Visa. New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced that from July this year the visa increases to 3 years with age applications being extended to 35 years old. This also affects those already in market who will be able to apply for an extension to their two year visa. We look forward to welcoming those coming this way. More details and links can be found on our Kea Website or via the MFAT and New Zealand High Commission in London directly.

This month we have had a number of events around the UK including community meet ups in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Bath. A wonderful opportunity to catch up with those from our offshore community and to help build professional and personal connections. In London we have hosted our annual event with the NZ Business Women’s Network, which saw almost 70 members of our community come together to celebrate International Women’s Day and to discuss this year’s theme ‘embrace equity’. Our panel, which included Kea members Sarah Smart, Angela Kearns and Jo Manawa Fletcher and was moderated by the wonderful Mary Fenwick.

This month the New Zealand community in London will present the New Zealand Cyclone Relief Variety Show on the 31st March to raise money for those affected by cyclone Gabrielle. If you would like to support this event more details can be found on our events page.

Sara Fogarty, Kea UK/Europe Regional Director

China

March has always been a month to hold important meetings in China. From March 5 to 13, the 14th National People’s Congress was held in Beijing. The congress passed a series of new legislations as well as completing the election of new leaders. The national government set 5% of GDP growth as the target of 2023 which is welcomed by the international society. On March 15, China fully reopened visa systems to foreign visitors, including tourists after three years of border restrictions. China’s Embassy resumed issuing all categories of visas for foreigners with further relaxation. As a result, Kea in China has received growing visit requests from New Zealand entrepreneurs recently. Kea is ready to receive business and personal visits from New Zealand and will carry on making crucial business connections to help kiwi business strive.

The relaxing of restrictions has seen in person events take off in China. On March 8, Kea NZ co-hosted the IWD event with the International Professional Women’s Society (IPWS) in Shanghai. As a reflection of this year’s UN IWD topic “Embrace Equity”, the event topic focused on professional women’s psychological safety. The discussion covered personal and professional experiences, recommendations and advised action plans to serve the topic. This was followed by an enthusiastic networking session where people enjoyed meeting new friends and sharing a glass of Kiwi wine. We were also honoured to receive Mr. Ardi Barnard, the newly appointed Consul General of New Zealand in Shanghai, and Ms. Erina, Consular of New Zealand in Shanghai. On March 10, the first Kiwi drinks of 2023 saw 70ish kiwis and friends of New Zealand meet in downtown Shanghai. After such a long period of lockdowns and Covid restrictions it was lovely to get out and meet so many of our community at these two events.

Rebecca Bao, China Regional Director

New Zealand

This month the Government has been focused on Cyclone Gabrielle recovery, including a $26 million grant extension supporting growers and farmers to help protect future production. Cost of living has also been top of mind, with a second tranche of Government programmes being stopped or slowed to deliver $1 billion in savings which will be reallocated to support New Zealanders.

The Advanced Manufacturing Industry Transformation Plan (ITP) was launched this month. It is one of eight ITPs created to increase productivity and performance in key sectors of the economy and will strengthen regional New Zealand – including regions severely impacted by recent extreme weather. Advanced manufacturing accounts for 10% of our economy and jobs and 73.5% of goods exports. Almost half of these jobs are in regional New Zealand. The sector has significant untapped potential to increase productivity and high wage jobs, and to support New Zealand’s transition to a globally competitive, low emissions economy. The plan sets out how this transformation will take place by increasing innovation and productivity, and driving higher wages and living standards.

The new eagerly anticipated three year NZ UK Working Holiday Visas (WHV) will now be delivered earlier than expected, coming into force by July this year in time to support businesses through the global labour shortages. The improved WHV was successfully negotiated alongside the NZ UK Free trade Agreement in 2022 and will give more UK travellers open work rights in New Zealand for longer, and New Zealanders an extension to their OE. There are around 4,200 visa holders from the UK in New Zealand currently able to extend their right to remain and work for at least one year longer, and the annual cap will be extended to 15,000 visas per year. The extension in eligibility from 30 to 35 years was also celebrated by visa holders on both sides. 

Finally, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has made the first visit by a New Zealand Minister to China since 2019. The Minister is meeting with her counterpart Foreign Minister Qin Gang in Beijing and will discuss issues of commonality including trade, climate and environmental issues. China is New Zealand’s largest trading partner, and 2022 saw the celebration of fifty years of diplomatic relations between our two countries.

Saya Wahrlich, Global Director, Government & Industry

• CASE STUDY – KEA CONNECT 2022 RETROSPECTIVE REPORT
• INSIGHTS FROM OUR GLOBAL COMMUNITY
• THIS MONTH IN NUMBERS
• GROWTH THROUGH KEA CONNECT
• NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
• TRENDING AT KEA
• UPCOMING EVENTS
• HOW KEA CAN HELP

Kea Connect 2022 Retrospective report

Join us in reflecting on a year of Kiwi helping Kiwi via Kea Connect. In 2022 Kea Connect connected more than 400 businesses to almost 700 offshore Kiwi to provide free in-market advice and insights. This valuable information helped our export business community make key decisions and grow their businesses. We hope you enjoy the insights, case studies and global perspectives contained in this report and we would like to offer a huge thank you to everyone who continues to support our Kea Connect service. Read more

North America

The US economy is continuing to twist and turn post Covid. The good news is that economic commentators are now offering a more positive outlook around a possible recession. Our US Regional Director Gary Fortune has the latest details for those looking to engage with customers in market. READ MORE

UK and Europe

This month’s earthquakes in Turkey and Syria have been dominating headlines across the UK and Europe. Our UK/Europe Regional Director Sara Fogarty looks at how the Kiwi expat community is supporting those affected by the disaster and what effects this tragedy will have on those doing business in the region. READ MORE

China

With the lifting of the zero-covid strategy, the 7-day Chinese New Year break resulted in a huge lift in domestic consumption. 308 million domestic tourism trips were made during this period, an increase of 23.1% year-on-year. Our China Regional Director Rebecca Bao looks at how China’s economy is faring as the country returns to normality. READ MORE

New Zealand

In February the Government has been busy dealing with the destructive weather which affected many parts of the country destroying homes and businesses and leaving many cut off. Our Global Director Government and Industry Saya Wahrlich looks at some of the measures which have been put in place to help people affected by recent events. READ MORE

BUSINESSES ASSISTED MADE IN MARKET THIS MONTH**

SECTORS KEA CONNECT SUPPORTED THIS MONTH

*Year to date reflects financial year commencing 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023
**Some businesses were provided with connections in more than one market

Sustainable supply chains a big focus for Kiwi business

Platform8 is focused on helping companies optimise their supply chains to identify cost savings, meet ESG compliance and offset negative impacts. They are currently in a market testing phase and wanted advice and validation from others working in this area. Kea introduced them to the CEO and Co-founder of a company in a similar space – producing solutions to help companies transition to high value and sustainability, addressing increasing compliance and challenges of a global food supply chain.

Healthcare diagnostics company working to prevent blindness

Toku Eyes is developing a multi-modal artificial intelligence platform for instant healthcare diagnostics . The platform uses retinal images to screen for preventable blindness and cardiovascular disease risks. They are seeking advice on how they might monetise this product and sell it to other partners. Kea connected Toky Eyes to the National Technology Officer at an American multinational technology corporation and also the Executive Councillor at an AI Forum in New Zealand.

DLA Piper podcast series – UK merger control on wider corporate transactions

DLP Piper London-based competition partner, Alexandra Kamerling, speaks to corporate lawyers Karin Kirschner and Chris Arnold about the impact of UK merger control on wider corporate transactions. This podcast explores the various ways in which merger control concerns are reflected in private and public deals. LISTEN

Flying the Fern

Hear from 24 businesses using their ‘Kiwi-ness’ to break into offshore markets. New Zealand Story Group’s podcast features the tales of successful Kiwi businesses that have achieved international sales success, with a focus on storytelling that embraces country of origin and provenance values. Business profiles include Ecostore, Ārepa, Book Me Bob, Hybrid Bikes, FarmIQ and Trust Codes. LISTEN

Embracing Equity – Celebrating IWD 2023

To celebrate International Women’s Day, Kea spoke to five Kiwi women at the beginning of their careers to see what IWD means to them and where they see the opportunities for positive change in the future. Jane Fasavalu and Nancy Vuni are students at the University of Auckland and part of DLA Piper’s Headstart Programme, Ella Dobson is based in New York and is an Associate Creative Director, Hayley Nisbet is a registered nurse in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Starship Children’s Hospital and Jemma Jackson is a Policy Advisor for the New Zealand High Commission in London. READ MORE

Caretakers of culture

This year Ngāti Rānana the London Māori club celebrates its 65th anniversary. The group regularly performs around Europe and plays an important role in educating offshore communities about tikanga or Māori customary practices and behaviours. We caught up with Ngāti Rānana Kaiāwhina (tutor) and Kea member Ben Appleton to talk about the group’s purpose and values and how becoming involved has played an important role in his own cultural journey. READ MORE

Phil Goff outlines priorities as he steps into new role

After nearly 40 years working as an MP, a Cabinet Minister and most recently as Mayor of Auckland, Phil Goff has just started his new role as New Zealand High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. He spoke to Kea about the business opportunities between the two countries and what he hopes to achieve in his latest post. READ MORE

World Class New Zealand speaker series – Taking to the seas

World Class New Zealanders Veronica Lysaght and Nigel Jollands are about to embark on a two year journey, sailing in their ice breaker sail boat from Dover, UK to Wellington, New Zealand. Their planned route will see them stop at dozens of islands along the way to work with communities affected by climate change. Join us for our next World Class New Zealand speaker series on Tuesday March 21st to hear Veronica and Nigel talk about how they turned their idea into reality, the challenges they expect to face and how they plan to connect people to the effects of climate change. SIGN UP

Kea Edinburgh meetup If you are aware of any Kiwi in the Edinburgh area please invite them to join us for a coffee on Monday, March 13 at 8.30am.Kea’s Global Director, Government & Industry, Saya Wahrlich, will be on hand to talk about Kea and discuss how the network operates to support its members across the world. This is a great opportunity to meet other Kiwi in your area. SIGN UP

Guled was born into the height of the Somali Civil War. The fifth of eight children, he was just two years old when his mother decided that Somalia was no place to raise her family and so she packed up and fled to neighbouring Kenya. Unable to leave the only life he knew behind, Guled’s father remained in Somalia, he was later killed when a mortar shell hit their family home. 

Guled’s family lived in the refugee camp in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi until he was six years old when they were resettled in Hamilton, New Zealand. For a six year old with little to no grasp of the English language, Guled says landing in Hamilton was quite the culture shock. 

“I remember at the time it felt like a big adventure. We arrived in Sept so it was cold but not super cold. The biggest difference was what you could see, the surroundings and the landscape, and of course the change in demographics.”

Guled started primary school where he was able to start picking up the language. He was lucky enough to have an understanding teacher who went out of her way to help the family, especially when seemingly normal things like school camp came across as totally alien. 

“I remember when my teacher told us we were going on a camp, she gave me this permission slip to give my mother and it had a list of things on it that we had to pack. I remember going home and handing it to my mother and it had things like a sleeping bag on it. We didn’t know what a sleeping bag was, let alone own one. Eventually the teacher realised that we had no idea what was going on, and walked us through it.”

While Guled has good memories of primary school in New Zealand things got more difficult when he entered High School. After being kicked out of his first high school at 14, he enrolled at another before eventually dropping out altogether at just 16.

“I had a rough time at secondary school, I didn’t fit in, I didn’t have any sort of mentors or teachers who guided me. Teachers told me again and again that University wasn’t for people like me and I wouldn’t amount to much, these were the messages that were relayed to me over and over again. I don’t think the teachers meant well, they would say things like maybe you should go into a trade, which I always found odd as I wasn’t remotely good with my hands.”

After leaving school Guled travelled for a while before he started to find his place. He began reflecting on all the things his mother had given up for his family in order for them to have a new life in New Zealand.

“When you come from a refugee background, your parents have restarted their whole lives just for you. It really motivates you to make the best of this. This was what eventually drove me back to New Zealand and back to study. My mother was my biggest driver. I really wanted to show her that all she has sacrificed is worth it. My mother has become a catalyst for everything I do.”

Turns out Guled’s teachers were wrong and University was exactly the place for people like him. He enrolled in Public Policy at AUT and after passing with flying colours, he then spent the next seven years working for the New Zealand Government in various areas including Diversity and inclusion and pay equity. Then he was awarded the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship which allowed him to study towards his Masters in Public Administration, specialising in Human Rights and Social Justice at the Ivy League ranked Cornell University, in New York.

Along with his studies, Guled is also a passionate advocate for refugee rights and an advocate for muslims in New Zealand. He became something of the spokesperson following the Christchurch Mosque attacks and has spoken at the UN twice and chaired conversations with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. He has also appeared on Sesame Street, alongside Grover in a special programme about refugee children. 

“For me I really see an opportunity for Aotearoa to play a world leader in the space of crafting and implementing more humane and welcoming social economic policy settings for refugees and minority groups. This is something I am passionate about and I will continue to use my voice and my platform to help spur and influence change in this space.”

In around two months time Guled will graduate from Cornell and return to New Zealand, bringing with him the international experience, thinking and ideas that he has gained from his peers and public policy experts during his time offshore. He wants Kiwi to better understand the value that refugees and others with offshore experiences and diversity of thought can bring to New Zealand. 

“The overall objectives of the Fulbright programme is to build up all this knowledge and experience and then return home and use that to New Zealand’s advantage, to help give back to the country. My end goal is to continue working in the public policy space to create a better experience not just for marginalised communities but also for everyone else as well.”

“With Graduation coming up I have been reflecting a lot on my path. Defying expectations has been the theme of my life. I have had to work really hard to prove my contributions and my value. It’s nice to be able to say, look at me now and look at what I have achieved. I want my story to be a message of inspiration to other young Kiwi, to show that they can not only achieve great success in New Zealand but also take that success to the global stage. It’s a good feeling to look back and see how far I have come.”