World changing Kiwi

Michael was at home in New Zealand and 24 hours into lockdown when a recruiter from London called with a unique opportunity, an opportunity which at that point had never been offered to someone outside the British Military.

“Since 1950 the Edinburgh Military Tattoo has been directed and overseen by a retired senior officer from the British Military, mostly a General or a Brigadier. However, this time around the Tattoo Board decided to split the role of the person that oversees the event into two roles – a CEO and a Creative Director. They decided that this Creative Director should be someone from the Entertainment industry. I immediately realised what a unique and big opportunity this was.”

Michael and Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni

Michael’s always been involved in live productions and entertainment. He credits his success to pure determination and never giving up.

“During my early years in the industry, I was always focused on saving enough money for a plane ticket. I would head over to LA, New York or London and pester people to give me work. I figured that one day I would be able to open a door. It was during one of these trips that I was invited to attend the New York Commercial Theater Institute, to take part in an intensive course called Producing for Broadway and the Road. After that I headed up to London, managed to talk my way in the door of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop and took a job as a producer in their live entertainment division.”

That break paved the way to a number of big opportunities, including working on two of the Harry Potter films, the Belfast Arts Festival, as producer MusicWorks in Scotland, producing The Mayor of London’s Outdoor Festival for the 2012 London Olympics and as Senior Creative Director for Merlin Entertainment – a global company operating in 23 countries. Michael had just recorded an album in Los Angeles with his band Down in Splendour and returned to New Zealand, ahead of the covid pandermic when the call for the Tattoo role came in.

“It was the most incredible timing, literally nobody was getting any work. Our whole sector just dried up overnight. The opportunity was a real lifeline. It was also really brave and forward looking from the Edinburgh Tattoo Board because no one else was hiring or even thinking about holding live events right then.”

For Michael one of the most important things to understand was the appetite for investment and innovation, two things he needed in order to meet the brief of keeping all the traditions and beloved parts of the show but to raise it to a new level by adding production values and creative expertise.

“If I was going to do this, I didn’t want to play it safe. The Board assured me they were up for some big changes, and I have to say they have been incredibly supportive. That doesn’t mean I don’t have creative constraints, but I also have a lot of freedom.”

Since taking on the role in 2020 Michael has had to come to grips with his new working environment and overcome a number of challenges due to the very nature of the location of the event.

“The design of Edinburgh Castle makes it so challenging. We’ve got 9000 seats and one way in and one way out; it’s a logistical nightmare that only the military could handle. The castle is heritage protected so you can’t have people coming down walls because they might damage them, you can’t put pressure on the structure, you can’t use drones because they might fall down and hit the castle, it really challenges you to think. Also, the wind up there is cataclysmic and when it rains it pours… and you can’t put a kilt in the dryer.”

Edinburgh Castle is an integral part of The Royal Military Tattoo

“After Covid when we were looking at a socially distanced event, we considered the idea of moving it from the Castle. But you can’t take away the Castle; it’s a big part of what makes the event so spectacular. There are Tattoos all around the world but the Edinburgh Tattoo is so special because of its location.”

Despite the challenges Michael has brought a number of new elements into the show as well as increasing the cultural diversity, both moves which have been well received by fans.

“Each year the military groups will come with their own innovations. In 2022 we had the New Zealand Army Band, who are currently one of the rockstars of the Tattoo circuit – everyone wants them because they are such great entertainers. I really pushed them to bring more New Zealand flavour to their performance. Before they came on we had the Highland Divas, who were singing in Scots Gaelic. For their final song we used a song called Āio Ana by Kiwi, Moana & The Tribe where they went from Scots Gaelic into Te Reo and then the New Zealand Army band came out with Tarakihi, also in Te Reo. So we had a real merging of cultures.”

“One of the biggest numbers last year was a section called Electro Pipes, where we had EDM dance music with bagpipes. There were fireballs going off, video floors, DJs out there with bagpipes and huge projection mapping on the castle. I had great fun with it, but thought it might generate complaints. The reality was we had people online trying to find out where they could book the band, when it was just a number of our in-house performers that I put together six days before the show opened.

Michael says being Kiwi has helped him bring a unique flavour to the Tattoo, partly because the job is largely that of a storyteller.

“Kiwi understand the art of storytelling because we are travellers, and journeys, at their heart, are made up of stories. It wasn’t until I left New Zealand that I really appreciated that part of me.”

With sold out performances in 2022 and planning for the 2023 show nearing completion, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo looks to be wowing crowds for decades to come. Michael says he would love to bring the show back to New Zealand one day and is always looking ahead to see how he can continue to raise the bar.

“I still have some ideas of how I can make the Tattoo bigger and better, and there are also things I would like to do over and above the Tattoo. Right now, I’m keen to spend more time in New Zealand and look at ways in which I can use my experiences to help others in the sector. I think it’s important for New Zealanders to go offshore and have these experiences, but also to come back and share their talents with others.”

In this edition of our World Class New Zealand speaker series, David Skilling talks to Kea about how the economic and political trends he is seeing both in New Zealand and globally, the ongoing impact of Ukraine, and provides insights into opportunities for global economies in the future.

David Skilling is a University of Auckland Alumni, and the founding Director of Landfall Strategy Group, an advisory firm in the Netherlands that provides advice and insights on global economic, policy, and political dynamics to governments, firms, and financial institutions.

David writes a widely-read note on global economic and political developments from a small economy perspective available here.

Watch the full webinar below.

The aim of our speaker series is to highlight the incredible stories of our World Class New Zealanders and inspire other Kiwi to push the boundaries of their own business goals and expectations. Our World Class community are keen to use their insights and learnings to help others achieve the same heights of success that they have experienced.

These days sport has a new meaning for Rebecca Scown. Gone are the days of intense training and gruelling Olympic schedules, and in their place is a focus on sharing the benefits of sport with the next generation of kids.

“Taking on the CEO role for YES has been an opportunity to give back. We work with kids from East London who are growing up in lower income areas and it’s easy for them to end up on the wrong path. Creating opportunities to take part in sport means they have access to coaches, role models, are part of a supportive community and this all has such a positive impact on their lives and their aspirations. Participation in sport in the UK is quite different to New Zealand. For Kiwi kids sport is very much part of growing up. But here in the UK it’s not a given, and a lot of kids just don’t get the opportunity or are encouraged to be involved.”

Rebecca was part of Rowing New Zealand’s competitive team for 12 years

Sport has always played a big role in Rebecca’s life, she was part of the New Zealand rowing team for 12 years and won bronze at the 2012 London Olympics, and then silver at Rio 2016. She’s also picked up two World Championship titles and was part of the team who won New Zealand’s first ever Women’s Eight to medal to qualify for the Olympics. When she retired from rowing she took some time out to travel before deciding to move to the UK.

“I always knew I wanted to live overseas someday. I had been to London many times, on a gap year and with rowing and I just really love it. I didn’t really have much of a plan, I just headed over to meet as many people as possible and make as many connections as I could.”

It was through the power of Kiwi connection and her rowing networks that Rebecca met Tony Mallin, the founder of YES.

“Tony is also a rower. He grew up in London and wanted to offer other children the opportunities he himself had received through participation in sport. The charity has been around for a number of years but I’m the first CEO and we’ve been through an evolution. In the past YES was putting money into supporting various projects, but more recently the focus has been on creating a more self sustainable charity which can have a greater long term impact.”

Rebecca at one of the sports clubs YES sponsors.

Rebecca says the role as CEO was a huge jump for her, but a number of the skills she learned as an athlete have been able to help her in the business world.

“As an athlete you become really resourceful and process orientated and that’s definitely something that has come in handy, you are used to handling feedback, and that’s helped to speed up my learning process. A lot of the basic skills have come in useful as well such as knowing how to set and reach a goal, and then being able to trust that if you do the small things right it will all add up in the end. Also in competitive sport things don’t always work out as you had planned, but you know you just have to relax, look at what went wrong, and then look to find a new way forward, all of that mental strength is something I have been able to carry over.”

She says her advice to other Kiwi explorers is to make sure they make the most of the offshore networks.

“I would recommend talking to as many people as you possibly can. Connect with the New Zealand network, through groups like Kea, there’s lots of really helpful people around. Everyone I spoke to was great at answering my questions or connecting me with people that could provide insight. The New Zealand network is a really powerful thing.”

And Rebecca herself is now becoming an active part of that network – welcoming Kiwi whenever she can.

“I love being a Kiwi over here, we have such a great reputation and I really like to fly the Kiwi flag. Plus it’s great when Kiwis come over. We’ve just had some of the New Zealand team visit, following their World Championships in Prague who are now on their way to Wales to compete in the Coastal World Rowing Champs.”

As for future plans Rebecca says her role at YES is still very much her focus right now and she feels there is still a lot of scope to continue to increase the charity’s impact. She also appreciated how her job allows her to reflect back on her rowing career.

“The most rewarding part of my role is being able to get out and visit the clubs we support. The kids are so engaged. It makes me appreciate even more how much rowing gave me and just how privileged I was to have those opportunities. Sport took me to places I never would have dreamed were possible, and so to be able to give that back, on another level, is really rewarding.”

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SUPREME AWARD WINNER

Miranda Harcourt

Miranda Harcourt is an acclaimed actor, director, writer and leading acting coach, whose clients include Nicole Kidman, Melanie Lynskey, Erik Thomson, Miriama McDowell and her own daughters Thomasin and Davida McKenzie. Her career spans more than 30 years and during that time she has been responsible for using her vast global network of writers, actors, producers and directors to place Kiwi talent into roles and experiences all over the world. She was head of acting at Toi Whakaari for seven years and during this time was credited with accelerating the connection of the performing arts scene in New Zealand with the wider global community.

Kea World Class New Zealand Friend Of New Zealand Award winner Kaila Colbin

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FRIEND OF NEW ZEALAND AWARD WINNER

Kaila Colbin

Kaila is originally from the US but moved to Christchurch in 2005. Just before the first earthquake she was responsible for bringing TEDx to Christchurch and immediately following the second quake she organised a further event which focused on the city’s rebuild – this event was attended by global speakers including people who had been instrumental in rebuilding quake damaged cities such as San Francisco.

A few years later she used her international connections to bring a panel of silicon valley experts to New Zealand for the country’s first Singularity University summit – a three day conference aimed at starting a conversation about our shared future, attended by top CEO’s business leaders, start-up entrepreneurs and school children.

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WORLD CLASS AWARD WINNER

Katie Sadleir

Katie Sadleir is a former Olympic and Commonwealth Games athlete, and the first female CEO of the Commonwealth Games Federation. Prior to this, she was the General Manager of Women’s Rugby at World Rugby, where she was responsible for promoting, growing and commercialising the Women’s game. She’s a passionate advocate for gender equality in sport and during the first year of her role at World Rugby she oversaw the appointment of seventeen women to the World Rugby Council, a council which had previously been made up entirely of men.

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WORLD CLASS AWARD WINNER

Zion Armstrong

Zion Armstrong is a former Commonwealth Games athletics champion who represented New Zealand in Kuala Lumpur. His first job was unpacking boxes at a Converse distribution centre at age 16. At 21 he joined the global brand Adidas where he worked his way up to become the President of Adidas North America. He is seen by his peers as a renowned leader and during his two decades offshore has used his Māori and Pacific values to connect and empower teams, foster a diverse and inclusive culture and grow talent. Zion didn’t finish high school and never attended university.

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WORLD CLASS AWARD WINNER

Guled Mire

Guled Mire was a former refugee who came to New Zealand at age six. He is a passionate human rights advocate and has been recognised for his leadership and contribution to public policy and his efforts to better connect ethinic and minority communities into Aotearoa. He is a Fulbright Scholarship recipient who spent time at Cornell University in New York and is using the lessons learned during his time in the USA to help inform public policy in this country. He’s twice spoken on behalf of New Zealand at the United Nations and chaired conversations with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Kea World Class New Zealand Award winner Dave Ferguson

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WORLD CLASS AWARD WINNER

Dave Ferguson

Dave is the co-founder of a technology company Nuro which is focused on accelerating the benefits of robotics in everyday life. He graduated from Otago University and went on to study his PhD in robotics in the US. He was a principal engineer on Google’s self-driving programme and one of his algorithms is currently being used for long-range autonomy on NASA’s Mars rover. During the pandemic Dave volunteered Nuro’s technology to enable contactless delivery of supplies to heath and essential workers in order to help slow the spread of the virus and allow those in high risk jobs to limit their contact with the general public.

Kea World Class New Zealand Award winner Arama Kukutai

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WORLD CLASS AWARD WINNER

Arama Kukutai

Arama is a global leader in the agritech industry. He is of Ngāti Tipa, Maniapoto, Te Aupouri, Parihaka descent, and started his career in finance at a time when Māori organisations were beginning to actively develop forestry, farming, and fishing assets. He served as executive chairman of PKW farms and also worked for the Government’s Trade & Investment agency in North America. Arama is a co-founder of, and partner at Finistere Ventures, one of the pioneering venture capital firms dedicated to agritech. He was responsible for the company’s global portfolios and used his connections to create a global agritech community to allow people to better share ideas and inspiration.

WORLD CLASS AWARD WINNER

Geoff Andrews

Geoff moved from New Zealand to the US in the 1980’s to coach the New York Rugby team, and loved the city so much he never really left. He served in the Royal New Zealand Navy for many years as well as working for a food import business in the US. He was one of the original instigators of the Kiwi community in New York and was one of Kea’s former US directors. Early on in his US tenure he organised an annual Kiwi picnic for NZ expats involving pavlova and lolly scrambles which is still running to this day.

And thanks to

In this edition of our World Class New Zealand speaker series, Helen Klisser During talks to Kea about how the art world is using technology to create a stronger future, she will also discuss the importance of curating community and how “arts can trigger a conversation” This online event is a must for anyone who is looking to gain a deeper understanding of the art world or wants to take the first steps into learning about the ways in which art can provide opportunities.

Helen is an art advisor, curator, and photojournalist who has championed global art projects for over 25 years. She is the Ambassador of AUT and co-founder of the AUT ArtLAB, a cross-disciplinary group of creatives, academics and developers working at the intersection of art, technology and science. She is passionate about creating, documenting and fostering cultural exchange to promote understanding and address issues of social justice.

Watch the full webinar below.

Geoff was born in New Zealand and grew up in Auckland and Wellington as his father was in the Air Force. At 16 years old he joined the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) serving for a decade on the HMS Rotoiti, Taranaki, Philomel, and Blackpool. Following this, he farmed in the Waikato for a decade before moving to New York to coach the New York Rugby Club. He also held a number of business positions in the US including representing the export division of Wrightson NMA, Fletcher Fishing, the Fishing Co-Op of Iceland, the NZ Lamb Co-op, and was the US Regional Director for Kea New Zealand.

But his wife Nancy Gallagher says the true love of his life was rugby.

“When Geoff was little he used to sleep with a rugby ball. He used to say that all his opportunities came from rugby. It was a big part of his Navy career and he played for a number of different clubs and then it was rugby that brought him to the US. Rugby was what he was good at and what he understood and what allowed him to connect.”

Former All Blacks coach Graeme Henry knew Geoff for 20 years and says he was a man that just ‘collected Kiwi’.

“I first met Geoff when he rang my wife when we were in Wales asking for rugby tickets. He was a marvellous guy. He just collected New Zealanders from all around the world and supported them and helped them and it was fantastic. I had about three trips to New York and he looked after us each time, organising events and bringing other Kiwi along, he had a fantastic way of just bringing people together.”

World Class New Zealander and friend Kirstin Neville-Manning remembers Geoff as the ‘most amazing connector.’

“Soon after meeting Geoff for the first time he emailed me asking if we would host Josh Emmett, himself and other Kiwi in our home to hear about Josh’s career and aspirations. This was the first of many events over the years with Geoff. Any prominent Kiwi that was coming to New York, ranging from Helen Clark to Karen Walker, to John Henry, Sean Fitzpatrick, Kirsty Graham, and Sarah Robb O’Hagen, he would convince them to speak and spend some time with the community and inspire them and let them know what was happening back home in New Zealand or beyond. The other thing Geoff was amazing at was connecting people that weren’t known in their careers yet and who were just starting out and hitting New York. He would try and connect them with people that had been in the city a little bit longer to help make inroads.”

Geoff was a convenor or co-convenor of a multitude of New Zealand events in New York City over many years, building a large database of Kiwi in the USA and publishing a regular newsletter. He hosted tables at Irish pubs in New York for Saturday morning All Black matches and was the instigator of the New York City Dawn Service on Anzac Day at Battery Park. He also started a traditional Kiwi picnic that included lolly scrambles and tug-of-war and still runs to this day. Nancy remembers frequently coming home to find her living room strewn with travelling Kiwi.

Nancy Gallagher accepting 2022 WCNZ Award

“I would come back from work on Friday night and there would be all these Kiwi in the living room for the weekend. We would take them out to dinner one night and then make the roast lamb the next. I would say over the years we’ve probably had several hundred Kiwis who slept in our one bedroom apartment in Manhattan, including Graham Henry’s son and daughter on separate occasions. We’ve had people who, I think someone’s third cousin’s mailman knew Geoff or something. It’s like, his name was out there and everyone knew he was the person to come to.”

“He got his sense of community from his mother. She would meet tourists on the bus in New Zealand and invite them to dinner at her house. When she stayed with us in New York, we had to explain that ‘one really didn’t do that in New York’ but she ignored us and brought someone back once anyway, a lovely young man who offered to walk her home. It was just what his family did.”

Geoff met Nancy, who works in television, in a bar in the US in 1984 and the couple were married at Lake Tahoe and spent most of their time in New York. They were married for 34 years before Geoff’s death last year.

“We would have these get-togethers with all the Kiwi men and their American wives and I remember one of the favourite topics was complaining about the men leaving vegemite in the butter! Geoff was so outgoing and he loved everybody. I remember this one time he went out to have a drink in a pub in Scotland and I stayed behind because I was unwell. After a while, he came back and told me he met this guy in the bar who has been stationed on the ship next to his in Hong Kong. I just thought how does this even come up in conversation? But that was Geoff, he connected with everyone in about 5 minutes.”

Another Kiwi Geoff was a big supporter of, was racing car driver Scott Dixon. The two first met in 2008 after Scott won the Indianapolis 500. Scott says Geoff was always ready to rally the expat community to support a fellow Kiwi.

“Part of the Indianapolis 500 tour was going to New York and, and hitting some of the media outlets, and Geoff was kind enough to put on an event at a local pub with a bunch of Kiwis and then later he went on to organise a big dinner for the whole team in upstate New York. What he did for the expat community was just amazing. He was a dear friend and someone that I definitely miss.”

Geoff’s desire to connect and support people never stopped and Nancy says even during the pandemic he continued to do what he could to lift people’s spirits, including posting a joke each day on his local community webpage.

“When the jokes stopped a man from the page got in touch to ask what happened and I had to explain that Geoff had passed away. This man put a little message out on the community page saying what had happened and more than 50 people, all of whom Geoff had never met in his life, got in touch to say they were sorry and how the jokes really got them through Covid and the lockdowns and how they had looked forward to his bad jokes every morning. And I thought that was a lovely testament from people who wouldn’t have known him if they sat next to him.”

Nancy says Geoff would have been both embarrassed and proud to receive a World Class New Zealand Award and that despite all the wonderful things he did he wasn’t a man who liked the limelight. Geoff’s legacy to connect the Kiwi community and to support our offshore Kiwi will no doubt live on for a long time to come.