Businesses going global

• CASE STUDY – KIDS RIDE SHOTGUN
• 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

Creating millions of mini mountain bikers

From a young age, Dan Necklen always had a passion for mountain biking, a passion he was keen to share with his kids. However, allowing the whole family to go mountain biking together proved a challenge, as Dan couldn’t find the right type of seat for his youngest son to ride in. After some searching, he decided to take matters into his own hands and almost by accident stumbled upon the recipe for a globally successful business. READ MORE

North America

This month we have been focusing on connections within our US market with a visit from our Global CEO Toni Truslove. This is Toni’s first visit to the US since taking up the role and our US Regional Director, Gary Fortune has insights from some of our community who attended these events. READ MORE

China

This month we would like to introduce you to our new China Regional Director, Rebecca Bao. Rebecca is originally from Shanghai but studied in Liverpool and has previously worked for MBIE. She is a long time Kea supporter and is looking forward to helping Kiwi companies better understand the Chinese market. READ MORE

UK and Europe

Inflation in the UK is reaching record levels with a 9.4% jump in the past year to June 2022. Petrol prices have risen by 18.1p per litre in June alone, while costs for milk, cheese and eggs also climbed. Our UK and Europe Regional Director Sara Fogarty looks at the effect this is having on UK consumers and what this will mean for Kiwi export businesses. READ MORE

New Zealand

July saw a continued high volume of offshore Ministerial visits with a focus on Australia and the Pacific, and the announcement of changes to New Zealand’s investor visa settings. Global Director Government and Industry Saya Wahrlich looks at the key takeaways from these efforts to reconnect New Zealand with the world. 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

Kiwi footwear company makes positive impact through sustainable shoes

Orba Shoes is a footwear company that aims to make a positive impact. Their plant-based footwear is biodegradable with no petrochemicals or plastics. Their signature shoe the ‘Orba Ghost’ has won multiple global and national awards for design. the company came to Kea Connect seeking connections with investors and the fashion/apparel industry for their expansion to the EU/UK.

Kea was able to connect Orba Shoes with several of our community in both the US and New Zealand, including a World Class New Zealander who is the CEO of a global top-level luxury brand, a creative copywriter of a well-known jewellery brand, the CEO of a sustainable apparel company. Orba Shoes secured several investments and were able to get on-the-ground insights and learnings to help with their growth journey.

Changes to offshore selling drives fashion business to engage Kea Connect

Cost Construction Consultants (CCC) provides Commercial Management Services in areas such as quantity surveying, construction cost consultancy and construction management. They have more than 30 years of experience working for building owners, funding organisations, insurance companies, contractors and suppliers. The company has recently created a product which could help solve a large scale issue around underinsured property in the US. They have also created their own systems to allow scalability.

The company came to Kea Connect seeking US connections to help them understand the best way to approach the market, as their solution is a first of its kind. Kea was able to introduce the company to two venture capitalists and three Tech company CEOs all based in the US, allowing them to grasp a comprehensive understanding of the US market.

Rewriting the scale up story for New Zealand tech

BNZ’s Head of Technology Industry Tim Wixon takes a look at Project Scale Up – a BNZ initiative which takes on two big pain points in the story of every tech scale-up. Firstly, getting the capital to grow without trading down ownership in the company, and secondly, getting the expert advice and support they need around the table. READ MORE

Helping kids across Aotearoa

Starship, New Zealand’s national children’s hospital has launched their ‘on call across Aotearoa’ campaign. The campaign aims to support the hospital during winter – the busiest time of year and spread the message that Starship is there to care for tamariki no matter where in Aotearoa they live. READ MORE

Designing the interiors of Beijing‘s buildings

Offshore Kiwi Isabelle and Tim Kwan run an award winning Beijing architecture company designing interiors for some of the city’s renowned buildings. They spoke to Kea about the opportunities for Growth in China and explain how their Kiwi upbringing helps give them the edge in the fiercely competitive market. READ MORE

Embracing Te Reo

Many of our community comment on the advances in multiculturalism New Zealand has made in recent years. For those who have been offshore during this time, it can be a learning curve for them to feel confident around the use of Te Reo in everyday language, and the experiences of Māori culture and practices in the workplace. To provide some advice we caught up with Tiaki Hunia, Director of Inclusion & Māori Strategy at one of the country’s biggest companies. READ MORE

“New Zealand casts a spell over you”

American born Jonathan Jolly came to New Zealand as part of his OE several years ago. Since moving back home the Texan found he couldn’t stop thinking about the country, the people and the lifestyle. Once borders reopened the IT professional realised the only way to satisfy his longing was to pick up sticks and move to Aotearoa. READ MORE

WORLD CLASS SPEAKER SERIES: In our next World Class speaker series, we talk to Helen Klisser During. Helen is an art advisor, curator, and photojournalist who has championed global arts projects for over 25 years. In this online event, Helen will explain how the arts world is using technology to create a stronger future, and the importance of arts in society. This online event is a must for anyone who is looking to gain a deeper understanding or wants to take the first steps into learning about the ways in which art can provide opportunities. SIGN UP

KEA MEETUPS: If you know a Kiwi in Amsterdam or Paris please let them know about this month’s networking opportunities with our CEO Toni Truslove. These meetups are a great to meet other Kiwi and build personal and professional networks.

Amsterdam – Wednesday, August 10th 5:30pm – 7pm. ATTEND

Paris – Thursday, August 11th 5:30pm – 7pm. ATTEND

China

Hi, my name is Rebecca Bao and I have been an active member of Kea for many years and I’m excited to be able to contribute to the growth of the community in an official capacity. I am a passionate ambassador for New Zealand and bring with me a good understanding of both Chinese and New Zealand local culture and ways of doing business. I have maintained a number of excellent local contacts in both China and New Zealand which I am really excited to mobilise in support of my work for Kea. I am really looking forward to getting to know the community better and helping New Zealand companies expand into the Chinese market.

I am originally from Shanghai but moved overseas to the UK to study. I have a LLM and an MBA from John Moores University in Liverpool, England. Following my studies, I worked at the biggest law firm in Liverpool before returning to China. I have worked as a Senior Immigration Officer at MBIE for four years and when the local offices closed I took up a role with the European Union Chamber of Commerce before also working for a large international human resource organisation.

Outside of work I like to go swimming and take part in rope jumping, yoga and Taichi. I also really like to read, and am currently enjoying “The Importance of Living” written by Yutang Lin, a well-known Chinese inventor, linguist, novelist, philosopher, and translator.

Rebecca Bao, China Regional Director

UK & Europe

Across the UK prices are continuing to rise at their fastest rate for more than 40 years, driven by higher petrol and food costs. In the 12 months to June, the UK Office for National Statistics says inflation has risen to 9.4%. 

The UK’s inflation rate is currently higher than the US and other countries in Europe, with the latest estimates of annual inflation for Germany at 8.2% and for France at 6.5%. Chief UK economist at consultancy Capital Economics, Paul Dales says the two main causes of inflation globally were surging energy prices thanks to the Russia Ukraine conflict and worker shortages. The UK has been hit harder by worker shortage thanks to the combination of the pandemic and Brexit.

Europe represents 30% of New Zealand’s total exports. Despite many Kiwi businesses having limited exposure to Russia and Ukraine, they have not been spared the effects of the conflict, with the most direct and tangible impact coming through higher raw material prices and increasing fuel costs which are impacting supply chain prices. While there are some obvious challenges facing businesses there is a lot of optimism in the market as well, especially for brands which are seen as premium or have a strong story to tell around sustainability and values.

Sara Fogarty, Kea UK/Europe Regional Director

North America

This month Kea’s Global CEO Toni Truslove has been in-market and we have met with a number of our community in both San Francisco and New York. There have been some great discussions and learnings around connecting Kiwi and making sure both parties get the most out of these connections. One of the common themes we saw come up among Kiwi entrepreneurs was focused around start up challenges and how to access capital and when you need it. There were also some good conversations around believing in yourself and staying true to your business’s vision. 

In San Francisco, we met with NZTE Trade Commissioner Ruth Macleod and her team. This is a busy time for New Zealand companies heading to the US. We play an essential part in helping NZTE connect with Kea members who are willing to help with their expertise and insights.

Another interesting meeting was with offshore Kiwi Ryan Everton. Ryan is the CEO of Turn, a company which eliminates single-use plastic cups at large-scale events across NZ, Australia, the US, and Europe. He has created reusable cups and reverse vending bins that collect all products post-consumer use through a customisable incentive system. He has invented fully autonomous, and mobile washing systems engineered to wash, rinse, and sanitise reusable products on-site or nearby. With the events industry in full swing globally, this is a significant growth time for his company. 

Otago University graduate Dave Ferguson is the Co-founder of tech company Nuro. He graciously allowed us to host an event at Nuro’s headquarters. The company creates driverless vehicles which deliver goods to people and has recently signed contracts with FedEx and Seven 11. Dave gave a quick overview of his business and discussed how he hopes that robotics can take on the role of more and more mundane tasks such as grocery shopping, freeing us up time to do more of what we enjoy, such as connecting with friends and family. 

Overall the mood among founders here is buoyant. Many are in the US launching their businesses, and the chance to be in the market and meet face to face with their partners really helps speed up things. 

Gary Fortune, Kea North America Regional Director

New Zealand

July saw a continued high volume of scheduled offshore Ministerial visits with a focus on Australia and the Pacific, and the announcement of changes to New Zealand’s investor visa settings in a bid to attract experienced, high-value investors, bringing growth opportunities to domestic businesses.

The new Active Investor Plus visa category is part of the government’s Immigration Rebalance strategy, which aims to attract high-skilled migrants, and aligns with the goal of building a more productive, competitive and sustainable economy. The Active Investor Plus visa uses a weighting system to incentivise investor migrants to directly invest in high-value, high-growth potential New Zealand investment opportunities. Apart from capital, businesses will benefit from the investor’s human capital, global knowledge, and market connections to keep expanding. By having a higher weighting for active investments, potential investors can qualify for the visa with a lower minimum investment amount than those who choose more indirect or passive investments. NZTE is the key point of contact for potential investor migrants and will also be responsible for aftercare services to support investor migrants play an active role in New Zealand’s investment ecosystem. Immigration NZ retains the visa processing and decision-making role.

The schedule of trade missions continued this month as part of the Government’s reconnection strategy to support export growth and the return of tourists post COVID-19. The Prime Minister headed directly to Australia from European meetings early in the month to lead a mission including over 30 New Zealand businesses to Melbourne and Sydney. Australia is our second largest trading partner and largest source of visitors, with over 1.55 million visiting in 2019 and contributing over $2.7 billion to the economy. During the mission, the Prime Minister met with tourism leaders and key Australian investors before heading to the Pacific Island Forum in Fiji.  

The Forum covered major issues affecting the Pacific region from climate change to China, the US and security, and indigenous rights movements in West Papua and New Caledonia. The Solomons Islands security pact with China continues to be a concern, and US Vice President Kamala Harris was unexpectedly invited to address the Forum where she unveiled a major package of initiatives to boost the US presence in the region, including opening two new embassies – including Kiribati – and NZ $1 billion over the next decade towards fishing and economic support.

Finally, Bede Corry has been announced as New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States. Currently New Zealand’s High Commissioner to London, he previously served as Deputy Secretary for Australia, Pacific, Middle East, Africa and Europe Group, as Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, and as New Zealand’s Ambassador to Thailand.

Saya Wahrlich, Global Director, Government & Industry

• CASE STUDY – US DELEGATION PROVIDES VITAL CONNECTIONS FOR GROWTH
• 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

US delegation provides vital connections for growth

“The Kiwi community is awesome and they are everywhere. There is a really strong sense that they want to give back.” Hear first hand the experiences of our Kea Connect business owners who were part of the Prime Minister’s trade delegation to the US and discover their message for other Kiwi businesses. READ MORE

China

Research out of China suggests Chinese consumers are entering a new phase of spending. This is marked by increased sophistication, prudence, sustainability and the pursuit of work/life balance. These changes come against the backdrop of the pandemic and accelerated digital transformation. Find out how Kiwi companies can take advantage. READ MORE

UK and Europe

Across the UK and Europe our team has been busy assisting with introductions across a variety of sectors. A particular highlight in June was the launch of the New Zealand Business Women’s Network in Ireland. Our UK and Europe Regional Director Sara Fogarty looks at the benefits these events have provided and showcases what else is coming up this summer. READ MORE

North America

If there is one thing that the pandemic has highlighted it’s the importance of global connections. Our North America Regional Director Gary Fortune shares his experiences from some key US connection events, including several Auckland University-led events which celebrated female entrepreneurs and the Prime Minister’s trade delegation which involved a networking evening with our Kea New York business community. READ MORE

New Zealand

In June the big news was the ramp-up in offshore Ministerial visits, an insightful OECD report on trade and gender in New Zealand and the exciting announcement confirming the early removal of pre-departure Covid testing for travellers heading to New Zealand. Our Global Director Government and Industry Saya Wahrlich breaks down the key takeaways. READ MORE

BUSINESS CONNECTIONS MADE IN MARKET THIS MONTH**

SECTORS KEA CONNECT SUPPORTED THIS MONTH

*Year to date reflects financial year commencing 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022
**Some businesses were provided with connections in more than one market

Software company eyes entry into UK market

Safe365 is cloud-based software that guides businesses to best practice and compliance with health & safety legislation and globally recognised standards. The Safe365 dashboard enables businesses to quickly and clearly see their strengths and areas for improvement. The programme then provides a step-by-step plan of action and tools and resources to help businesses build on their success and address areas for improvement.

The company reached out to Kea Connect to help them understand more about the UK market ahead of an in person visit. They were looking for connections with like-minded tech security teams and Kea was able to connect them with a World Class New Zealander, and co-founder of a London-based technology business that enables companies to reduce exposure to potential security breaches via mobile devices.

Changes to offshore selling drives fashion business to engage Kea Connect

Taylor Boutique designs inspired luxury fashion for every day wear. The company is an established Kiwi brand which manufactures its garments in New Zealand and also exports to markets as diverse as Norway, Luxembourg, Italy and Egypt. For the past four years they have sold to Selfridges in the UK and this year made the investment to show at Paris Fashion Week.

The company came to Kea Connect for help with a change to the way it does business offshore. This year their European clients required a change from Delivered Duty Unpaid to Delivered Duty Paid, and this combined with the added complexity of Brexit meant Taylor Boutique was struggling to understand how to address these changes and continue to successfully sell offshore. 

Kea was able to introduce Taylor Boutique to a Partner in International Trade at KPMG UK, and a fellow Kiwi with a local UK business that also holds Selfridges as a key account so they could share experiences and insights and build networks.

NZTE Sustainability Report hits market

NZTE has released their first ever Sustainability Report. the report covers support for exporters to adopt sustainable approaches, and also looks at NZTE’s pursuit of sustainability in their own operations. READ MORE

Carbon emissions calculator aims to help Kiwi businesses

A Carbon Emissions Calculator for Kiwi businesses has been launched as part of the Climate Action Toolbox. The toolbox was created by the Sustainable Business Network with the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment, and partners across the public and private sector, including BNZ. It’s designed to help SMEs identify ways to reduce their emissions and the tools to achieve it. CHECK IT OUT HERE

Kea and the Starship Foundation partner for a second year

Kea’s commitment to showcasing ways in which our offshore community can give back to New Zealand and sharing inspiring stories of Kiwi innovation will be elevated thanks to the signing of a global partnership with the Starship Foundation. READ MORE

The Kiwi duo leading the Commonwealth Games

This month’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham will have a uniquely Kiwi flavour with two of our Kea community at the helm. We caught up with Commonwealth Games Federation CEO Katie Sadleir and Choreographer and Movement Director Corey Baker to get a behind the scenes look at how the preparations are coming along. READ MORE

How the pandemic has helped businesses rethink globalisation

When Rachel and Adrian Mapp were offered an opportunity to start up European and UK fulfilment warehouses of Kiwi company Supply Chain Solutions in the middle of a global pandemic they jumped at the chance. Find out why they were so eager to help and what their advice is to businesses looking to future-proof their supply chain. READ MORE

Fizzing with success

Six Barrel Soda co-founder Joe Slater says he didn’t take the ‘traditional route’ to becoming an entrepreneur nor did the company start with a clear idea of what was to come. Despite this, the brand has just celebrated its 10th birthday and is now in five markets around the world. Joe shares his sometimes bumpy road to success and explains how the company found its niche alongside some of the world’s biggest brands. READ MORE

WORLD CLASS SPEAKER SERIES: Watch our latest World Class New Zealand speaker series with Owen Eastwood. Owen is a leading performance coach and author who has worked with some of the world’s top athletes and teams to help them succeed. He shares his methods for success and talks about the thinking behind them as well as explaining how they can be adapted to different groups and teams. Owen spoke to our community in London last month and the recording and Q&A is available now. LISTEN NOW

KEA MEETUPS: Every month Kea holds meetups to build our community of recently returned Kiwi. It’s an important way for Kea members to build their personal and professional networks and share their experiences with others. The next event will take place in Wellington on Tuesday the 12th of July. If you know someone who has recently returned to Aotearoa please encourage them to come along. ATTEND

China

A recent study out of China this month suggests Chinese consumers have entered a new phase marked by increasing sophistication and prudence, sustainability, and the pursuit of work-life balance. New research from Accenture has uncovered shifts in the spending patterns and expectations of Chinese consumers as the country moves into a new stage of growth.

The comprehensive look at the world’s second largest consumer market captures key movements against the backdrop of the pandemic and accelerated digital transformation and have uncovered five key trends

1. Me economy: Although family continues to play a central role, e-commerce platforms have shifted decision-making power from the head of the family to individuals, sparking the rise of the “me” economy. Some 69% of respondents indicated that they were not swayed by others, but considered their own preferences when making a purchase.
2. Less is more: Chinese consumers are spending more prudently, with more than 90% saying they are unwilling to live paycheck to paycheck compared to 62% in 2017. More priority is also being placed on value and quality, with more thought going into each purchase.
3. Master of time: Convenience is a growing priority for the Chinese consumer, with 62% willing to spend on services that free up time for leisure pursuits, compared to 55% in 2017.
4. Living with tech: While consumers see value in the convenience of smart devices they are concerned over excessive push communications. Almost three quarters of respondents are unsatisfied with the content delivered via push communications as the content is irrelevant or not matched to consumers’ needs.
5. Green growth: Some 98% of Chinese respondents not only recognise the “value of environmental protection and sustainable development” but say it influences their choices.

Also This month million of students across China have taken the gruelling Gaokao. This notorious nine hour exam determines which university students get into. A record of 11.93 million students took the test this year – 1.15 million more than last year. This is positive news for New Zealand universities hoping to welcome back foreign students.

Many Chinese are still very cautious about the safety of travelling abroad and are unlikely to all bee-line it across the borders any time soon. Yet Chinese students will be trailblazing travel abroad before tourists. It is much easier to justify China’s minimum 14 days re-entry quarantine after a year of study as opposed to a 5-10 day holiday.

This China insight was written with the help of China Skinny.

UK & Europe

This month we have been busy with brining our UK & Irish based community together with series of in person events. Kicking off with our World Class New Zealand Speaker Series breakfast with Owen Eastwood & Angela Kearns in London. Following this we were fortunate to bring together two great kiwi sporting organisations by hosting the New Zealand Cricket/ Blackcaps at McLaren with a tour of their facilities, generously hosted by Kea member Piers Scott, Global PR Director for McLaren and proud Kiwi.

Heading to Dublin, we were proud to support the launch of New Zealand Business Network in Ireland. Connecting Kea members in Ireland to the network and welcoming Speaker of the House, Trevor Mallard and a delegation from home with Ambassador Brad Burgess from the New Zealand Embassy and his team, provided us with invaluable time to reconnect with our community in Ireland and we look forward to building and nurturing these links.

Finally, we hosted 60 people in London this week for London Tech Week with NZTE and DIT. Including Iona Thomas, British High Commissioner Designate to New Zealand. A delegation of 12 New Zealand tech companies are in market and we were fortunate to host and to introduce them to the broader Kea tech community here alongside Kiwi business and service providers. The room was a buzz of ideas, conversation and connections.

It has been great to assist with introductions across all sectors and get back to reconnecting in person with our community. Looking ahead it’s going to be a busy summer with the Commonwealth Games and various UK events hosted by our visiting Kea CEO Toni Truslove. Keep an eye on our events page for details of what’s happening near you.

Sara Fogarty, Kea UK/Europe Regional Director

North America

It’s been a busy month here in New York with visits from the University of Auckland, Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, the Minister for Trade and Export Growth, Damien O’Connor, and the rest of the New Zealand trade delegation.

If there’s one thing the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted, it’s the importance of global connections. Entrepreneurship, with its ability to transcend borders and inspire people
wherever they live, plays a key role in creating the relationships that tie Aotearoa to the rest of the world.

Representatives from Auckland University, including Dr Christine Woods met with inspiring Kiwi business women, including members of the Kea community in New York and San Francisco this month to discuss the many challenges female entrepreneurs face. The events follow last year’s appointment of Dr Woods as the inaugural Theresa Gattung Chair for Women in Entrepreneurship. Dr Woods will head the Centre for Enterprising Women, based at the University of Auckland Business School. The centre aims to play a crucial role in empowering women to access the knowledge and networks necessary to become successful entrepreneurs and these US events were a great place to start. Hearing the stories of these women makes you realised there is still a long way to go when it comes to tackling the gender imbalance in business.

As businesses start to travel again, many have the US in their sights. During her recent trade delegation the Prime Minister was busy facilitating introductions, exploring business opportunities, and letting the world know New Zealand is open for business. As part of the trip, Kea hosted New Zealand’s Minister for Trade and Export Growth, the Honorary Damien O’Connor, and New Zealand’s ambassador to the United States, Rosemary Banks, to meet members of our New York Kea community.

Guests heard from a compelling panel of inspiring Kiwi including Tessa Gould (Made by Nacho CEO), Craig Marris (Coretex founder), TimSharp (KREWE), and serial entrepreneur Guy Horrocks. (Flat White host, Solve Co-founder). Our panelists offered many insights based on their experience including the time it takes to break into the market, the challenges that you come up against and current problems around staff retention. With a red-hot job market creating more opportunities, employees have greater control over their career paths.

If you would like to hear about the trade delegation, from our Kea Connect business owners who were invited along, see our article here.

Gary Fortune, Kea North America Regional Director

New Zealand

This month the big news has been a ramp-up in offshore Ministerial visits, an insightful OECD report on trade and gender in New Zealand and the exciting announcement confirming the early removal of pre-departure Covid testing for travellers heading to New Zealand.

Off the back of successful trade missions in May to Singapore, Japan and the United States, this month Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern held a first bilateral meeting with new Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Sydney. Discussions focused on cooperation and engagement in the Pacific region, in particular the importance of working together to support Pacific partners facing a complex and growing array of challenges, including climate change and an increasingly contested strategic environment.

Also in June Trade Minister Damien O’Connor attended the Twelfth World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference (MC12) in Europe. The MC12 provides a forum for New Zealand to work with WTO members on meaningful trade responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and the global food supply crisis. Minister O’Connor met with counterparts to discuss bilateral and regional trade and economic issues, and to progress New Zealand’s ongoing EU-NZ FTA negotiations. Ahead of the MC12 he also joined an informal Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) ministerial meeting in Paris.

Earlier this month Minister O’Connor teamed up with Trade Ministers of the European Union, Ecuador, and Kenya in an agreement to work jointly to forge an inclusive Coalition of Trade Ministers on Climate. The agreement reflects a shared commitment to bringing the fight against climate change to the forefront of trade policy. The Coalition is expected to enhance international cooperation on the links between trade and climate and its contribution to sustainable development and environmental sustainability.

In a first in advancing the interests of women in trade, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and New Zealand have published a review on trade and gender in New Zealand. The ‘Trade and Gender Review of New Zealand’ sheds light on the outcomes of trade for New Zealand women in three economic roles—as workers, business leaders, and consumers—and examines trade policy settings that affect them. The main findings of the review show that over the past two decades the number of women in export employment in New Zealand has increased, and these women tend to be higher earners than women in non-exporting employment. However, it also outlines the work still to be done, as gender disparities in the export sector persist and tend to be larger than in the non-exporting economy. 

Learn more about the Government’s Trade for All agenda here. 

Finally, travel is about to get easier, with the announcement of the early removal of pre-departure Covid testing in time for the peak of ski season and Australia school holidays. Originally planned to halt by 31 July, testing is now no longer required from 21 June.

Stay up to date on travel requirements to New Zealand here. 

Saya Wahrlich, Global Director, Government & Industry

• CASE STUDY – THE KEEPER OF TREASURES
• 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

The keeper of treasures

“To be in charge of all these treasures, these taonga, carries a huge weight. I feel like I’m a kind of portal, a bridge to access.” Offshore Kiwi and World Class New Zealander Maia Nuku talks to us about her mammoth role overseeing the Oceania collection at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, and how the museum’s brand new purpose built galleries are going to allow people all over the world to connect with Pacific art in a completely new way. READ MORE

China

This month’s announcement that the Chinese Government will “strictly limit” overseas travel for “non-essential” reasons, is the latest initiative to support China’s unwavering Covid policy. Despite China’s population overwhelmingly supporting lockdowns, cracks are beginning to show with the latest figures registering a spike in those considering migration. READ MORE

UK and Europe

Europe is celebrating the arrival of summer with some big plans including the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and a number of Tech events across the continent including London Tech Week. Our UK Europe Director Sara Fogarty has a wrap of all that’s going on and looks at the New Zealanders who are involved in the events and celebrations. READ MORE

North America

The skills shortage in the tech sector is in the spotlight in North America, with the competition for the nation’s brightest talent heating up, and big companies looking to New Zealand for expansion plans. Our North America Regional Director Gary Fortune looks at what this means for Kiwi tech companies searching for talent. READ MORE

New Zealand

The big news last month was the release of Budget 2022. Health was the major winner with $11.1 billion being allocated across the next three years. Our Director of Government and Industry Saya Wahrlich looks at the other big winners and finds out how the business sector and more specifically the tech sector will benefit. READ MORE

BUSINESS CONNECTIONS MADE IN MARKET THIS MONTH**

SECTORS KEA CONNECT SUPPORTED THIS MONTH

*Year to date reflects financial year commencing 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022
**Some businesses were provided with connections in more than one market

Kiwi software helps agri-food businesses tackle consumer trends

Webtools Agritech are specialists in technology that supports agriculture and the agri-food value chain. Right now their primary focus is supplying software products which enable companies to tell food and provenance stories through data. The company aims to equip businesses with the most up to date tools to tackle issues like traceability, sustainability and origin.

The company is currently looking to grow its presence offshore and came to Kea for connections which would help the founder better understand the primary food industry in key markets. Kea successfully connected Webtools Agritech with the business director of a large food flavouring company and founder of a food safety foundation in the US, the commercial manager of a large frozen ready meal company and the GM of an international food and ingredient corporate in the UK. This enables Webtools Agritech to better understand the primary food industry overseas in their target markets and have the possibility to extend their services offshore.

Ground breaking healthcare app eyes up Australian market

Celo is a platform designed by clinicians for clinicians. It was created after one of its founders realised that everyday medical conversations were fragmented across a multitude of different platforms, none of which were designed to address the very specific needs of healthcare roles. Celo lets medical professionals securely chat one on one, or in a group and safely and securely share confidential patient information, allowing them to connect with each other and provide better outcomes for patients.

The business is now looking to expand into the Australian market and approached Kea looking for connections with senior experts in the Healthcare/telecommunications sectors. We were able to connect Celo with a director of one of the largest telecommunications companies in Australia, a senior sales manager at a workplace mental health platform and a founder of a pre and post natal maternity services provider. Cleo’s founder was then able to meet all three of these connections during his recent trip to Australia.

How to succeed selling enterprise SaaS in UK

New Zealand SaaS companies in the UK have adapted their approaches during the pandemic, just as their customers have changed the way they make buying decisions. NZTE’s team based in London look at tips to sell SaaS to larger customers in the UK post Covid-19. Read more

2022 New Zealand International Business Awards

Entries and nominations are now open for the New Zealand International Business Awards (NZIBA) 2022. The NZIBAs celebrate the global success, vision and determination of New Zealand businesses, and over the past two years, the resilience and innovation of New Zealand’s export community have mattered like never before. For more details visit the website

Is the answer to NZ’s supply chain challenges to be found in green hydrogen?

Forbes recently published that the shipping time frame from Asia to the U.S. has increased from an average of 40-50 days to effectively double that at 80-90 days. Getting goods across oceans is holding us up almost everywhere, so how could NZ do things differently? BNZ’s Head of Export Business Development, Jason Reeves looks at how green hydrogen could help. Read more

Snap decision pays off for offshore Kiwi

Rebekah Campbell lived offshore for more than 20 years and had no immediate plans to move back to New Zealand. Then at the end of 2019 she returned home for a Christmas holiday and decided to tackle one of New Zealand’s Great Walks, what she found along the way led to a life changing decision for her and her young family. READ MORE

Sharesies celebrates Aussie launch amid lockdowns

Investment platform Sharesies first landed in New Zealand in 2016. Today, the platform is valued at more than half a billion dollars and has just launched Sharesies Australia. So what have they learnt about hopping over the ditch and launching during a pandemic? And what’s their advice for others? READ MORE

Extension to Voting right for offshore Kiwi

The Government is considering extending voting rights for offshore Kiwi who were unable to return home during the global pandemic. The change comes following an interim report released by the Justice Committee for the Inquiry into the 2020 General Election and Referendums. READ MORE

WORLD CLASS SPEAKER SERIES: Our next World Class Speaker Series is an online event featuring Simon Walker CBE. Simon started his career in journalism in the 1970s and has worked in communications across multiple Government and private sectors both in New Zealand and Europe. In the 1980’s he played a pivotal role in the reformation of New Zealand’s Labour Government before moving into the business sector. Simon will discuss how good communication can make a huge difference when it comes to delicate situations. His career has often focused on the co-dependent relationship between Government and business and he will share his insights into the evolution of this relationship both in the UK and New Zealand. If you know someone who would like to attend please direct them to SIGN UP.

KEA MEETUPS: Every month Kea holds meetups to build our community of recently returned Kiwi. It’s an important way for Kea members to build their personal and professional networks and share their experiences with others. The next event will take place in Wellington on Tuesday the 12th of July. If you know someone who has recently returned to Aotearoa please encourage them to come along. ATTEND