Waikato Business News | January, 2024

JANUARY 2024

Welcome home

The first affordable housing neighbourhood has opened near Cambridge and it’s a game changer according to its developers. Senior writer Mary Anne Gill was there and talked to residents.

“

Chair Simon Perry told Waikato Business News the affordable housing initiative was a “game changer” and ensured families had access to healthy and affordable housing.

“This is all about a liveable, affordable and sustainable community,” said Perry.

“Now that we have our first runs on the board and have demonstrated what can be delivered through meaningful partnerships, we are even more determined to expand this initiative across the region.”

There will be 60-70 houses at the Peake Road site developed over four to five phases. Cambridge architect Antanas Procuta developed the master plan for the development creating community spaces to get the right density.

“Our goal is all about making these smart, making them nice, but making them smaller, not having the garages and some of those expensive kit pieces to them and being smart about the

This is all about a liveable, affordable and sustainable community

Home, sweet home: from left Jiong Xu, Jonathan and Hayley Buckley, Glen Lewis, Yan Zhung, Cynthia Watson, Audrey and Pierre Scheepers, Faye, Lyra, 5, and Brendan Walpole.

Photo: Mary Anne Gill.

developments.”

The secret to the affordable housing model – or Secure Homes as Bridge Housing has termed it – is the mixture of leasehold and freehold land.

Buyers can opt to lease the land and own the house, reducing the cost by as

much as half. The model is supported by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development’s Progressive Home Ownership fund, which provided a significant interest-free loan to Bridge Housing.

Secure Homes is underpinned by backing

from Westpac NZ, the official lender to the houses.

The model is similar to one created by the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust.

Trustee Peter Southwick, also a trustee in Bridge Housing, said he had been involved with both from the beginning.

The Waikato initiative happened because of the Perry family trust.

“They’re a very modest bunch but without them and the charitable trust, none of this would have happened,” he said.

CO NT I NU ED NEXT PAGE

Curious to know the value of your business?

All LINK NZ offices are licensed REAA 2008

L

ife changing. That’s how Yan Zhung described moving into her own house in Peake Mews west of Cambridge with husband Jiong Xu and their family.

A series of rental properties marked their new life in New Zealand since they arrived from China a decade ago but now they and seven other families have the keys to properties in a complex developed by the Brian Perry Charitable Trust.

They were guests of honour at the opening last month of the first affordable housing neighbourhood in the Waikato.

Another – Hinemoa, an apartment style development – will open in central Hamilton later this year.

Bridge Housing is an initiative started by the Brian Perry Charitable Trust which donated $4 million worth of affordable housing in Cambridge and a similar amount in Hamilton.

After years of investing blood, sweat and tears into your business you are probably curious about what it’s worth.

In just 2 minutes you can calculate an estimated value of your business with our Business Value Appraisal calculator.

Find out more at linkbusiness.co.nz/business-value-calculator Thinking of selling?

Start here with a confidential call.

0800 225 999

LINKBUSINESS.CO.NZ

2

JANUARY 2024

WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS

CONTACTS Editor Roy Pilott 027 450 0115

editor@goodlocal.nz

News Mary Anne Gill 021 705 213 Viv Posselt 027 233 7686 Jeremy Smith 022 317 9499

maryanne@goodlocal.nz viv@goodlocal.nz

jeremy@goodlocal.nz

Advertising Director Janine Davy 027 287 0005

janine@goodlocal.nz

Owner David Mackenzie

david@goodlocal.nz

Office 07 827 0005

Runga, Mockers booked in New Zealand music icon Bic Runga, Prima Facie, The Mockers, Jazmine Mary, Ridiculusmus Theatre, NZ Opera and Tom Sainsbury are just a few of the big name artists and shows featured in the Hamilton Arts Festival next month.

More than 1200 artists involved in music, theatre, dance, comedy and musical theatre are represented across 46 ticketed events from February 23 to March 3.

Runga will headline the event, performing on the Rhododendron Lawn accompanied by a live band. The singer-songwriter, who has been inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame, will be 48 by then.

She is best known for seven times platinum

admin@goodlocal.nz

Website wbn.co.nz Readers’ contributions of articles and letters are welcome. Publication of contributions are entirely at the discretion of editorial staff and may be edited.

Contributions will only be considered for publication when accompanied by the author’s full name, residential address, and telephone number. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publishers.

Waikato Business News is published by Good Local Media Limited.

album Drive, released in 1997 and spawning top-selling songs such as Sway. She followed that with Beautiful Collision which went 11-times platinum and produced Get Some Sleep, Something Good and Listening for the Weather.

She will be supported by Mount Maunganui’s Georgia Lines, who won breakthrough artist at the New Zealand Music Awards last year and was nominated for Best Pop Artist alongside Lorde and Benee.

Eighties new-wave rockers The Mockers supported by Rikki Morris will celebrate 40 years at the festival since the release of their massive hit Forever Tuesday Morning.

There is a return for the Sunset Symphony which will take place on the first Saturday with orchestral music provided by the Trust Waikato Symphony Orchestra.

The Hamilton Arts Festival is regarded as the largest regional arts festival in New Zealand with its unique point of difference being the Hamilton Gardens.

Support act Georgia Lines.

Welcome home

Also publishers of

Hamilton Arts Festival headline act Bic Runga.

Photo: Tom Grut.

“This will enable a lot of affordable housing in the Waikato.

“To those who had had the guts to buy a place here, especially those who have taken on the leasehold model, it’s a bit scary I know but it’s a proven formula and we know it works,” said Southwick.

“We’re very proud of what we’ve done here. To see eight families shift in, it really means something and I feel very privileged to be part of it.”

“Peake Mews is an example of what’s possible when affordability, security and community converge. We don’t want to lose momentum and are keen to speak with anyone who has an interest in being part of the solution to this enormous problem,” Perry told The News.

• More photos page 15.

This newspaper is subject to NZ Media Council procedures. A complaint must first be directed in writing, within one month of publication, to the editor’s email address.

If not satisfied with the response, the complaint may be referred to the Media Council P O Box 10-879, The Terrace, Wellington 6143. Or use the online complaint form at www.mediacouncil.org.nz Please include copies of the article and all correspondence with the publication.

Photo: Supplied.

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Simon Perry chair of the Brian Perry Charitable Trust with Peake Mews neighbour Pete Moore.

Hamilton City Council’s Blair Bowcott, left, with Bridge Housing trustee Leonard Gardner of Foster Construction and Cambridge architect Antanas Procuta.

Tim van de Molen

Your MP for Waikato Backing Waikato Businesses Tim.vandeMolenMP@parliament.govt.nz 0800 GET TIM (0800 438 846)

Authorised by Tim van de Molen, Parliament Buildings, Wellington.

SUBSCRIBE

NOW...

…and receive a copy, posted directly to you, every month.

Price is $119.40 + GST for a 12-month paid in advance subscription (equivalent of $9.95 + GST per month)

To subscribe email admin@goodlocal.nz

JANUARY 2024

Briefs…

Good warning

A recent warning to local authorities by the Auditor General about the double digit rate increases proposed – in Hamilton 25.5 per cent and Waipā 14.8 per cent – could be an issue of governance, says Waikato Chamber of Commerce chief executive Don Good in his recent mail out to members.

Pet projects will need to be dumped or put on the bonfire in favour of core functions, he says.

New dealership

Hamilton-founded Ebbett Group has this month opened a new Great Wall Motors pop-up dealership in Pukekohe. Ebbett Group – now based in Te Rapa - was founded in Hamilton’s Hood St in 1928 by Alf Ebbett, later joined by his brother Ron. The group represents 25 car brands at dealerships nationwide.

Fixing up

Earthquake strengthening is underway at the former Duke St Cambridge home of Inspired by 2 Florist to make way for a new tenant.

Among those completing the work earlier this week were Titan Construction’s Potiki Tupaea, left, and managing director Logan Den Hertog.

George Bettle’s farewell

By Mary Anne Gill

Taking it on the chin T

he commercial chapter of George Bettle’s career was over the day he shaved off his beard.

The founding guru of Hamilton advertising agency Bettle and Associates had his bushy grey beard and blue glasses on in the morning of Friday December 1 but then turned up for his retirement event later that night without them both.

The 52-year-old chuckles at the reaction while sitting in his 15th floor Wellington apartment, where he and wife Emma now live, having sold their Maungakawa property near Cambridge a couple of years ago.

“We’ve got a view right down the barrel of the harbour,” he says as he turns to look at it and then comments on the Dick Frizzell print of the Four Square man on the wall which hung in Bettle’s office for years.

Bettle is now non-executive chair of Bettle and Associates, the advertising agency he founded in 2002.

Then he had been working for Walker Advertising in Auckland and was headhunted to work with former Hamilton mayor Michael Redman at Grey Advertising heading the fledgling digital division.

Grey had branches in Auckland, Wellington and Hamilton and Bettle was seconded to Hamilton to work on the Economic Development Forum’s strategy on how to attract businesses to the Waikato.

“I came down to give them a hand and started to believe my own copy and thought ‘this is a pretty good little economy’.”

When Redman left the agency so too did many of his Hamilton

clients, so Bettle’s options were to either move with the multinational to Sydney or Singapore.

Then when Grey decided to shut the doors in Hamilton, Bettle offered to buy the agency agreeing a delayed deal on April 1, 2001.

“I said to them ‘You send me down for six months as general manager of Hamilton, if I like what I see I agree to pay the price we just agreed, not whatever I turn it into in the six months, I’m there, you don’t get a double hit’. It was an awesome deal for me.”

Bettle turned the agency around and 10 years later he went “mental” trying to take on the world, setting up an office in Australia.

“It wasn’t very much fun, and it wasn’t very profitable.”

Bettle found himself managing people instead of writing strategy, which is what he loved.

“We got quite big. We had big national clients, but the agency model is when you lose one, you lose a lot of people. And I didn’t like that boom and bust.”

Flying under the radar was Bettle’s community and philanthropic partnerships from K’aute Pasifika to Hospice Waikato but in his private life, he was often an anonymous donor.

He put in a succession plan in place appointing Will Peart, who had worked for Bettle as account director on the Ihug account but then gone to Australia to work at agencies.

Adam Lurman, who Bettle employed years earlier on a scholarship straight out of Wintec’s

Papal knight

Prominent Waikato businessman Paul Barnett will be conferred with the Papal Order of Saint Sylvester - one of five Papal knighthoods - at the Catholic Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Hamilton on January 16. It is typically awarded to recognise and reward members of the laity for active service in the church..

3

WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS

Succession planning: George Bettle, now chair of Bettle and Associates, with from left, managing director Will Peart and creative director Adam Lurman.

Photo: Supplied.

View from the top: George Bettle in the office of his Wellington apartment.

Photo: Supplied.

third year and who then left to go to Tauranga, came back as creative director.

Both returned as Bettle had moved into the Riverbank Lane offices in Hamilton the agency still works out of today where it employs 17 people and maintains a healthy client base.

“Probably one of the most rewarding things is actually having young guys with lots of talent go away and see the world and then come back.”

In 2020, as part of an exit strategy, Bettle sold them a shareholding in the business and told them he wanted to ease out within five years.

“I said ‘Let’s make it not about me, let’s make it about Will and Adam’. I was quite happy in the background and there was an ownership model going through that didn’t rely on me.”

One of Bettle’s clients was Swedish farm machinery and equipment company DeLaval. The Hamilton company had been DeLaval’s global agency for nearly a decade and he had the opportunity to redo its 10 year strategy.

“It was a fantastic opportunity and an awesome project. I wanted to get that done, get it implemented, lock it away. It was really rewarding, really challenging. It felt very much like a full stop. That’s about as good as it gets. I don’t think I could surpass that.”

Bettle finished that work on November 1 and left the agency a month later where he turned up to his farewell dinner beardless.

“I thought I better mark this and so I shaved it off for the first time in 10 years. It was terrifying, my dad started appearing in the mirror.”

Reaction from his family was mixed. Wife Emily, who is the co-founder of School Kit, a Hamilton-based education company that offers resource kits and learning experiences to teachers, had lobbied hard for him to keep it.

Daughters Maggie, 25, and Sam, 22, were on opposite sides.

In Wellington, Bettle takes turns picking up his six-year-old nephew from school and a friend’s child from daycare, getting out on his e-bike – cycling is so easy in the capital, he says - and swimming in the harbour where he recently got out as far as the Baring Head lighthouse.

“It will be just a gross admission and a lack of imagination from me if I can’t find something to do.

“I’m sure I will be full of plans and things, but I just want to give myself a little time to chill out.

“I think genuinely the commercial chapter of my life is over. I’ve proved to myself I can do it, I can front globally with the best of them. It’s a challenge I feel I’ve met, and I don’t feel I need to do it again.”

Time will tell.

Procuta Associates U rb a n + Arc hit ecture 07 839 6521 www.paua pauaarchitects.co.nz P Ō H U T U K AWA H O U S E , WA I H I B E AC H

4

JANUARY 2024

WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS

0800 800 935 | we-ev.co.nz

Get your business connected to EV’s the smart way.

From advice and planning to design and build, We.EV helps businesses become future-ready with their Electric Vehicle charging infrastructure.

AS SEEN IN WHO WE WORK WITH

JANUARY 2024

5

WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS

Straight teeth – and good luck Viv Posselt was in Cambridge last month when entrepreneur Diane Foreman told her story.

D

iane Foreman’s start in life was less than auspicious.

She was the unwanted child of a teenaged mother who rejected her not once, but twice. She was told all young women needed was straight teeth and an ability to type, and by her late teens, was herself an impoverished single mum.

With such odds stacked against her, there was little to suggest she would become one of New Zealand’s most successful business leaders. Diane was, however, a determined young woman with a thirst for knowledge … one who with gritty self-discipline and a fair dollop of good luck went on to lead an extraordinary life.

She told her story to the final Cambridge U3A gathering for 2023.

Now in her early 60s and married to broadcaster Paul Henry, she remains wedded to the entrepreneurial world. She has run businesses across multiple sectors, is involved in recruitment and runs a large residential and commercial real estate portfolio. She serves on private company boards, dividing her time between New Zealand and London where she consults to international businesses; has built and on-sold successful ventures, run massive teams and amassed significant wealth of her own.

In 2009, she was named New Zealand’s Entrepreneur of the Year and has since become a judge based in Monte Carlo for the World Entrepreneur of the Year. She has taken titles that include the New Zealand Manufacturer of the Year, and New Zealand Franchisor of the Year.

How she got from then to now smacks of feisty ambition meeting with good tutelage.

Diane was adopted into a working-class family who placed little value in books.

“I was told that education for girls was unnecessary and all you needed was straight teeth and an ability to type,” she said.

Against her will, she left school at 15 then worked as a shorthand typist and developed her other ‘must have’, a good telephone voice.

By age 18, the first of three seismic events occurred – she upgraded to a job as secretary to the secretary of New Zealand businessman, Sir Robert Kerridge. It was a lowly role, but as she attended board meetings and typed up minutes, she absorbed by osmosis the ideas of the top businessmen of the day.

By her early 20s, Diane was mum to two children, one of them adopted, with no marriage. To make ends meet, she worked her day job, typed university students’ theses at weekends and rented out rooms in her home.

“I know what poverty looks like, what it's like to not have enough to pay the power bill. I shared baths with the children, turned lights off three days a week. We were dirt poor.”

She and an equally poor friend purchased a purple skirt and black blouse that became a shared ensemble for important outings like dates or interviews.

New Zealand entrepreneur Diane Foreman, left, was introduced at the Cambridge U3A meeting by her C ON TIN UED ON PAGE 8

At Bayleys, we believe relationships are what businesses are built on and how they succeed.

We understand that to maximise the return on your property you need: Professional property management A business partner that understands your views and goals Contact the Bayleys Waikato Commercial Property Management team today.

former step mother-in-law, Yvonne Foreman.

Photo: Viv Posselt

Jan Cooney

Gert Maritz

Head Commercial Property Management Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Taranaki

Senior Facilities Manager Waikato, Bay of Plenty & Taranaki

027 408 9339

027 230 2514

David Cashmore

Rasa Gecaite-Vienazindis

021 943 305

021 077 7873

jan.cooney@bayleys.co.nz

Director, Bayleys Commercial - Waikato

david.cashmore@bayleys.co.nz

gert.maritz@bayleys.co.nz

Commercial Property Manager - Waikato

rasa.gecaite@bayleys.co.nz SUCCESS REALTY LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

A LT O G E T H E R B E T T E R

Residential / Commercial / Rural / Property Services

6

JANUARY 2024

WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS

ADVERTORIAL

The Waikato is the best place to live work and play in 2024

Winning with cast offs

By Mary Anne Gill

T

he new year is here and with it comes a huge amount of opportunity.

Business confidence is on the rise and the Te Waka report simply confirms what we have been seeing and hearing since September. The election has come and gone.

The Waikato turned blue with Cabinet Ministers in Louise Upston and Tama Potaka picking up very hefty roles, along with Andrew Bayly – a minister outside Cabinet in charge of commerce and SMEs. We wish them all well in grappling with everything 2024 throws at them and wish the opposition well in holding them to account with vigour.

The New Zealand economy may have some distance to go to turnaround and deliver us a softish landing, but inflation will be a difficult genie to jam back in the bottle. Price increases continue within NZ despite inflation in some economies, especially the USA, declining. However black some may view the world, others see a decade of growth prospects that await businesses. Here in NZ the new government brings opportunity for the private sector. With a huge infrastructure deficit, the country’s borrowing capacity will require private capital to join public money to get the backlog built. Let’s get on with it.

There are some big challenges in front of us. In health we need more doctors and nurses so a medical school at the University of Waikato is a no brainer. In education there is such a lot to do. Te Pukenga experiment is to be decentralised, our universities need to be properly funded as does our research sector, but the big job will be improving our primary and secondary students’ performance. We must get the basics right as the foundation for our children’s life after graduation.

For too long we have heard slogans

Don Good, CEO of Waikato Chamber of Commerce. and announcements but no action.

Ministers that dither are likely to be demoted. The country wants performance, not promises.

In the Waikato the foundations for strong economic growth are there. Our population is growing, and the median age is still young. Families are coming here attracted by the opportunities that abound. We are a growing manufacturing, tech and innovation hub that is seeing graduates staying, and new companies springing up.

If you are looking for evidence, the list of finalists at the recent Waikato Chamber Business Awards provided it in truckloads. Firms that few of us had heard of have been just smashing it. Take a look at Invivo. Its performance has been outstanding but its partnerships with Graham Norton and Sarah Jessica Parker should inspire others to innovate in their marketing.

The big land developments in the Waikato are continuing everywhere.

Ruakura just gets bigger, the Airport land development continues as does the work around Peacockes and in the north of Hamilton we see Te Awa Lakes Te Awa Lakes - The Perry Group emerging.

Cambridge is growing in all directions, as is Morrinsville, Te Kauwhata, Pokeno, and Ohinewai.

Don’t tell everyone – just the right people – the Waikato is growing and is the best place to live, work and play over the next decade.

Nicky Chilcott returns fillies Pam (Vincent’s Girl) left, and Spice (KD Creation) back to the paddocks after their workout and wash down.

Photos: Mary Anne Gill.

I

t’s 5.45am and the unmistakable smell of horse poo suggests White Star Stables is behind the hedge on Victoria Road in Cambridge.

The instructions were clear, first stables past the electric fence and there, down the back, owner Nicky Chilcott is cleaning out one of the night stables.

She has been awake nearly two hours already – catching up on paperwork in her Clare Street home before heading down the road for the daily work out.

Chilcott, dubbed harness racing’s winningest woman, runs a multi-million dollar operation over the Cambridge Raceway fence and employs, at last count, about six staff “but we need more part timers if anyone wants to join a good, fun team!”

In any other business, they would call her a chief executive.

At 52 her body screams out for attention after years of accidents and falls. Her back is shot, and she says the first 30 minutes of each day are “not pretty.”

Two days after our interview she was thrown out of the sulky at Alexandra Park by a bad-tempered horse named Milly. She landed heavily on that dodgy back – but was in the cart for the next race 30 minutes later.

Chilcott was brought up in Morrinsville

where her father Graham was a successful trainer. She did well at school and was accepted into medicine at Otago University, which she studied for two years before crossing over and doing physical education.

In her last year of the degree, she collapsed on the netball court with a brain injury and spent months in hospital. She lost her memory and went through rehabilitation before returning home to teach at Hamilton Girls High School.

“

I’ve had my trials and tribulations through the years

In 1993, she had her first win as a driver at Alexandra Park in Auckland, guiding home Local Choice, trained by her father.

Four years later, she took over the stables and in November 1997, she had her first training success with Waharoa at Cambridge.

Thirty years on from that first win Chilcott - the first woman and only the 15th ever to train and drive 500 winners - still works seven days a week running her own business.

CO NT I NU ED NEXT PAGE

Connect - Grow - Inspire - Represent

Senior writer Mary Anne Gill at Cambridge Raceway with Nicky Chilcott and Bella (Ocean Belle).

JANUARY 2024

7

WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

In the space of two hours, she rattles off the price of straps, feed, hay and medications; she pays all the bills herself. “$65 for that, can you believe it,” she says pointing to a velcro leg strap she is about to put on a horse’s lower leg.

Chilcott reached both 500 milestones in Auckland - the driving one behind Windinherhair in 2012 and the training one last year with Phoebe Majestic, which she also drove.

Her career stake earnings, at the end of last year, as a trainer were $4.363 million; as a driver $5.155 million.

She tends to get cast offs and average horses to her stables, and she is renowned at getting the best out of them for the owners who will not hear a bad word said about her.

A contact in the South Island often finds under-performing horses for her; some of which come north for a spot of Chilcott’s innovative training.

Her sole group one winner was Disprove, driven by David Butcher, in the 2001 Easter

Cup at Addington.

“I got a phone call out of the blue from a guy in the South Island who said his horse had been naughty and he thought he might try a female trainer.

“I took him to the beach, he fitted into our routine.” But Disprove was a handful so Butcher drove him and “did a great job,” says Chilcott.

A driver gets $100 for each drive. Then if they secure a win or a place, it’s five per cent of the winnings and another 10 per cent for the trainer. The owner gets the rest.

Chilcott doesn’t go hunting drives now, she only drives those she trains. She also has stable foreman and junior driver Leah Hibell who has had success on Chilcott-trained horses, including her first on Del Shannon in October last year.

“I’ve had my trials and tribulations through the years,” Chilcott tells The News as she drives three horses back from their work out.

The worst came 10 years ago when she was depicted as a drugs cheat for importing a prohibited substance.

Nicky Chilcott early in the morning at White Star Stables with three-year-old filly Spice (KD Creation).

It was a mistake – she was not importing the agricultural compound to cheat, just to save money. She was discharged without penalty and admits she lost some horses but found out who her real friends were. It is clear the experience still hurts though.

Chilcott hoses down Spice (KD Creation).

“My horses are spoilt; this is hot water. It’s like World War 3 here if the water runs out, they’re not happy.”

Chilcott has never had children, the horses are her babies, and she frets about them.

“Sometimes I go home and lie in bed at night wondering about them.”

When we speak mid last month, she’d had a few sleepless nights about Milly (Sacred Mountain), then a five-year-old eight-time winner and former New Zealand record holder over 2200m for mares from a standing start. She came back from a spell, trained well, trialled “unreal” and then raced “terrible” at her first start back in November at Cambridge.

Two nights later Milly – a starter in the Thames Members Handicap Trot at

Alexandra Park - was again on her worst behaviour and copped a warning for her barrier manner when she stood on the mark as the barriers were released.

The horse behind was unable to avoid her and both drivers were thrown from their sulkies. Chilcott was uninjured.

“She’s got me a bit baffled to be honest.”

And despite her bad behaviour, Chilcott did not give up on her attempts to solve the mystery of Milly.

On Christmas Eve at Cambridge Raceway, Sacred Mountain took out the Cambridge Xmas Handicap Trot by one and a quarter lengths in the hands of driver Andre Poutama.

And Chilcott had the best view finishing in fourth on KD Royalty.

In the lead up to the race, Matamata vet Barbara Hunter recommended ulcer medication and the trotter was a different horse.

Punters, keep your eye on Milly, because Chilcott does not give up on her horses.

That’s why they call her harness racing’s winningest woman.

Nicky Chilcott washes down three-year-old Spice (KD Creation) after the filly’s workout.

ADVERTORIAL

Elizabeth Hussain, Senior Associate

W

ith a career spanning two continents and a diverse range of legal disciplines, Grayson Clements Senior Associate Elizabeth Hussain is known for her ability to navigate complex legal issues and foster strong client relationships.

Elizabeth began her legal career in London where she was a partner in a city law firm. In the United Kingdom, Elizabeth’s career was focused on large scale property development and transactions and acting for institutional developers and social landlords who replaced councils in providing affordable housing.

“One property transaction I worked

on in the UK was $156 million. I also worked advising on board governance and compliance, so I have that background too.” says Elizabeth.

She immigrated to New Zealand with her family in 2013, looking for a change of pace, and further requalified as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand in 2019.

At Grayson Clements she has quickly established herself as a trusted legal advisor with an innate ability to find practical solutions to complex legal issues ranging from commercial and property law to private wealth and family law.

“I enjoy the problem solving involved in

Grayson Clements Senior Associate helps clients solve complex legal challenges and protect their legacy helping my clients.

Understanding their immediate needs and long-term aspirations allows us to collaborate and deliver tailored and adaptable solutions,” says Elizabeth.

Elizabeth began her New Zealand career in property law, dealing with conveyancing, wills, restructuring, and succession planning.

She says she has really found her perfect fit advising Grayson Clements’ private clients on wealth management and succession planning and working closely

with them to address issues related to trust structures, corporate entities, and familyowned businesses.

“For many of these individuals, success has been the product of a lifetime of hard work, and it’s our duty to safeguard that for future generations,” says Elizabeth.

She also handles complex family law cases, including relationship property division.

“We have some amazing clients that have become friends to me. There is a

line, however, when you represent someone over a long period of time you do become friends. It’s a consequence of the trust and confidence your clients place in you,” says Elizabeth.

Elizabeth also enjoys long-standing business relationships with several Māori Incorporation and Trust Board clients who appreciate her measured approach when negotiating contracts and her unflinching resolve to secure the best possible outcomes.

Many of Elizabeth’s clients have joined her

Grayson Clements – Design, Deliver, Protect Grayson Clements was established in 2008 by lawyers Michael Grayson and Andrew Clements, who both had a desire to grow a firm that focused on designing solutions, delivering results and protecting people. Their work and reputation have gained traction and their client base has grown organically to a point where they now have a team of 28 staff across a range of practice areas.

at Grayson Clements after personal recommendations from their peers.

“My client following is principally word of mouth. I think my clients appreciate my ability to find a way through difficult situations and negotiate settlements that are always geared towards my clients’ outcomes,” says Elizabeth.

Outside of her legal career, Elizabeth has a busy family life with her partner of 20 years and 14-year-old daughter.

8

JANUARY 2024

WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS

ADVERTORIAL

Commercial Leases ?

– Agreement to Lease or Deed of Lease

C

ommercial property lease transactions consist of formalising the relationship between Landlords and Tenants. Two key documents in this context are the Agreement to Lease and the Deed of Lease, with each serving a specific purpose.

Agreement to Lease:

The Agreement to Lease is typically the first document in the commercial leasing process, setting out the broad commercial terms of the lease – things like the length of the lease, commencement date, how much rental will be, the rent review provisions, along with any required works or conditions to be met. It is a legally binding document, albeit that it may be conditional for a period of time, providing an option to not proceed if the conditions are not met. This document is particularly useful when parties want to quickly establish the basic terms of the lease without delving into the extensive details typically found in a full lease agreement.

There are also occasions where parties may instead agree to an alternative Heads of Terms type document, that highlight the general terms, but in many instances are nonbinding.

Several Key Elements of an Agreement to Lease: Basic Terms: The Agreement to Lease covers fundamental aspects such as the names of the parties, the property details, the term of the lease, and rental amounts.

Conditions: It may include conditions that need to be met or satisfied before the lease becomes binding. These conditions might involve obtaining necessary consents, permits, or completing certain works on the property. For example, a lease may not start until the Landlord has finished building the premises. In this case the Agreement to Lease will only state an estimated commencement date. The Deed of Lease will then record when the building was finished, and when the lease started. It is always good to know exactly when your lease commenced, so you know exactly when it will end.

Negotiation Platform: The Agreement to Lease serves as a platform for negotiations through an offer and counter offering, where necessary. Once the parties agree on the essential terms and it becomes unconditional, they can proceed to finalize the more comprehensive Deed of Lease in due course.

Deed of Lease:

Once the parties have a fully executed Agreement to Lease, and all conditions have been satisfied, the next step is for the Tenant and the Landlord to enter into a formal Deed of Lease, which is usually prepared by the Landlord’s lawyer.

The most common type being the ADLS

University opens new business hub

(Auckland District Law Society) form, though some Tenants and Landlords may have their own bespoke versions or standard modifications. The latest version being the ADLS 6th Edition 2012 (5) form, with each party normally paying their own legal costs associated with the negotiation and preparation of both the Agreement to Lease and Deed of Lease documents.

Ready and waiting – inside the university’s new hub.

Other Key Components of a Deed of Lease:

Rights, Responsibilities and Obligations: Enumerates the rights and responsibilities of both the Landlord and the Tenant, including maintenance obligations, use of the property, reinstatement at the end of the lease and compliance with laws.

Termination and Renewal: Provides details on circumstances under which the lease can be terminated, as well as any provisions for renewal or extension.

Dispute Resolution: Includes provisions for resolving disputes that may arise during the lease term.

Alterations and Improvements: Governs any alterations or improvements the Tenant may wish to make to the property.

In summary, the Agreement to Lease and the Deed of Lease play distinct roles in the commercial leasing process. The former initiates negotiations and establishes initial terms, while the latter formalizes the agreement, providing a comprehensive legal framework for the LandlordTenant relationship. Both documents are integral to ensuring a clear and mutually beneficial commercial property transaction and relationship.

As outlined above, when you sign an Agreement to Lease you are bound by the terms of a Deed of Lease as well, so it makes sense to know exactly what a Deed of Lease contains.

Having a final Deed of Lease in place is important if you ever wished to assign the lease to another party.

Clause 6.1 of a standard ADLS Agreement to Lease states that the Agreement to Lease cannot be assigned.

Under REAA 2008 we (real estate agents) are required to recommend to all parties, before entering into a lease arrangement, that they should seek legal and other professional advice prior to signing any lease documentation. Engaging an experienced commercial lawyer for advice in these circumstances is very important, particularly for those who are new to leasing.

A new business precinct and co-working space at the Hamilton campus is designed to strengthen ties between the business community and the University.

Hiko hub will provide businesses with the flexibility of a co-working space and the benefits of the campus’ unique grounds and amenities. Businesses that join the hub will also have opportunities to connect with students through work experience opportunities, including work-integrated learning.

Waikato University chief operating officer Jim Mercer, said the project was a positive step for the university and the Waikato business community.

“This concept has been brewing for several years, driven by our commitment to work more closely with local industry and

make smarter use of our space. Hiko hub addresses a genuine demand from small businesses in the region seeking a vibrant and contemporary workplace while being part of a larger ecosystem.”

Tech company Resolution8 has signed on with the hub and will be moving into the space early this year. Director Peter Gilbert said the close ties to an organisation known for its strong tech credentials was a drawcard.

“From establishing New Zealand’s first internet connection in 1989 to leading the way now with their Artificial Intelligence Institute, the University has long led the way in tech. Resolution8 prides itself on innovation, so it feels like a natural alignment,” he said.

The hub gets its name from the Māori word for lightning or “to ignite”.

Straight teeth – and good luck CON TIN UED FROM PAGE 5

When she became practice manager for an ear, nose and throat specialist, she was sure it was the best job of her life. “I learned how to run people and be a boss, and having to wear smocks meant I didn’t need a full working wardrobe.”

She worked through lunch so she could pick the kids up after school and waitressed three nights a week.

The next seismic event occurred when she met established businessman Bill Foreman and his then wife, Mary Pat. Bill was running Trigon, based out of Hamilton’s Foreman Rd. A nagging hearing problem brought him into the practice and the family soon bonded with Diane over their shared experience as adoptive parents. Bill regaled

Diane telling her story to a packed U3A meeting.

Photo: Bruce Hancock

her with business chat and gave her copies of National Business Review to read.

Time passed and Diane, seeking more in life, left the practice and became a real estate agent. Later, when she dropped into her former boss to get property papers signed, she stumbled across Bill. Mary Pat had died a week earlier and conversation was awkward, but a month later, Bill invited Diane for tea. She was sure he would offer her a job as a secretary, or perhaps as nanny for his children. Several similar meetings followed until Diane asked when he was going to offer her the job…instead, he asked her to marry him.

Mary Pat, concerned at leaving young children for Bill to raise alone, had prophetically reminded him of the sharp young woman at the ENT practice. Bill conducted his own appraisal, something Diane later learned was a key component to his business success, and the two married in 1988.

She was instantly propelled into a different world. “It was the best decision I ever made … he changed my life,” Diane said. “First, I learned to be a corporate wife. We travelled the world and I’d sit in boardrooms and meet with his directors. Then the third big thing happened. Bill had a stroke and asked me to go onto the board at Trigon as a director… he wanted me to take it over.”

Despite her terror, she deftly navigated the misogynism and mastered the challenges.

When they sold Trigon in 1995, they pursued numerous other business interests that took them across the globe until Bill’s death in 2017 marked the end of an era.

“I learned so much from him,” she said.

“He taught me that people are the biggest asset to any business… through him I learned how to select and hold on to the best people.”

Diane continued to blaze her own path as a highly respected businesswoman. She reckons she was lucky to learn from the best, and in 2015 published her best-selling book on entrepreneurship, In the Arena.

JANUARY 2024

9

WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS

BUSINESS SHOWCASE

Company-X wins contract to build Flight Deck Officer training simulation for Royal New Zealand Navy Company-X, a leading provider of training simulation solutions, has been awarded a contract to build a Flight Deck Officer (FDO) training simulation for the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN).

“C

ompany-X will use virtual reality headsets and artificial intelligence (AI) technology in the simulation that will train flight deck officers already versed in theory on how to land helicopters on a frigate’s flight deck safely and efficiently.

The simulation will feature a variety of real-world training scenarios in changing sea states.

The simulation is expected to be delivered in mid-2024 and will be used to train officers for the RNZN’s Anzac-class frigates HMNZS Te Kaha and HMNZS Te Mana.

Company-X expertise includes simulation, mixed reality, system emulation, and gamified training.

“We are honoured to have been awarded the contract to build this new training simulation,” said Company-X Head of Simulation Lance Bauerfeind.

“This is a testament to our expertise in developing and delivering cuttingedge training solutions. We know that

A Flight Deck Officer (FDO) at work. Photo: NZDF this simulation will assist the Royal New Zealand Navy in providing the best possible training to their FDOs,” added Company-X co-founder David Hallett.

Company-X has previously built training simulations for DeLaval, First Gas, Independent Verification Services and WorkSafe.

Company-X’s reputation is built on creating systems that run the world better.

Company-X is a leader in the defence, infrastructure, software as a service (SaaS) and technology sectors;

innovating systems through software to tackle key challenges for businesses and government agencies.

Company-X builds highly skilled, tightly knit, self-managing, and colocated teams. Its insourced teams stay with projects throughout the development lifecycle to efficiently address complex problems with speed and specialised expertise.

Co-founded by directors David Hallett and Jeremy Hughes, Company-X is celebrating a decade of business in 2023.

Navigate the digital landscape with us

Lance Bauerfeind.

10

JANUARY 2024

WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS

Migration statistics – what are they and what do they mean?

Advertorial

T

returning from overseas holidays so their “impact” should be largely ignored. The main source countries of these arrivals were India (48,000), Philippines (35,000), China (27,000), In the year to October 2023 New Fiji (10,000), South Africa (9,000), Zealand recorded a net migration gain Australia (7,000) and the UK, USA and of 128,900 people.

Sri Lanka (all at around 6,000).

This figure is calculated from migrant The new Government has raised arrivals of 245,600, less migrant concerns at the current high level of departures of 116,700. For the net migration and indicated it would purposes of these calculations a like to see migration more directly “migrant” is a person who states on linked to the filling of skills shortages. their arrival or departure card that The fact that 60% of AEWV approvals they intend to stay in, or leave, New are for the lowest skilled roles may Zealand for 12 months or more. also be a concern. here is much hype every month about New Zealand’s net migration numbers and what these mean for the country.

This figure should not be confused with normal tourism for which there were 226,000 arrivals in the October month alone.

Within the year to October some 71,000 New Zealand citizens left long term, while 26,500 returned from an extended absence, meaning a net loss of 44,500 New Zealand citizens for the year (and a new record!).

The non-NZ citizen migrant arrivals comprised 87,000 work visa holders, 60,000 on visitor visas, 32,000 on student visas, and 30,000 on resident visas.

These statistics can be further broken down – the work visa total also includes working holiday visa holders (which could make up one third or more of the total) and also the partners of work and student visa holders.

It is difficult to reconcile the visitor visa number as visitor visas are normally only issued for 3 or 6 month stays, and the only explanation for this high number is these visas are for family members of work or student visa holders.

The student visa total is mainly international students but will also include children of work and student visa holders. Most of the resident visa holders will be migrants who already live in New Zealand and are

We are seeing the face of many workplaces change forever due to the recent surge in international migration - take for example the health and aged care sectors, and even within the corrections workforce.

However, this surge is not unique to New Zealand with Australia having experienced a net annual migration gain of 500,000 people.

The challenge, we believe, is for the Government to attract and retain the migrants that the country most desires for the medium to long term, and to be forward thinking and transparent in such policy planning.

Implementing policies “on-the-fly” in reaction to existing demands should only be considered sparingly and not as the norm, which has been increasingly the case over recent years.

It is important that migrants are not “encouraged” to come to New Zealand with unrealistic and unachievable expectations as this can only lead to disappointment, and even more migrants being open to exploitation. The current high levels of net migration will, unfortunately, only lead to such outcomes for many of the migrants who have arrived in the last year. Migration is not a topic within the Government’s 100 day plan – but it should be, based on the current migration statistics!

TECH TALK

The next frontier

By DAMIAN BARTOLOMUCCI Growing up in the eighties and nineties, I was a silent Star Trek Next Generation Trekkie.

I watched the show every day, played the video games, and dreamed of one day having a holodeck that could turn imagination into a virtual or augmented reality. In the nearly 30 years since the 1994 series finale, we haven’t yet evolved to a headset/ device free augmented state of interaction but we’re getting pretty close and the healthcare, defence and manufacturing industries are already seeing the benefits.

In 2021, the National Library of Medicine published the results on the first use of virtual reality (VR) for simulation in the paediatric cardiac intensive care unit.

Simulation continues to be a key component of training in the paediatric space and the intention of this project was to build on the simulation training opportunities for medical staff through the use of VR. According to the findings of the study, two thirds of the doctors agreed or strongly agreed that the VR experience felt realistic, and all agreed that the clinical scenarios were realistic and representative of real-life situations and nearly all agreed it could be useful for

education.

The defence industry is experiencing similar benefits and the potential for AR/ VR technologies is immense; particularly as the cost of getting it wrong in defence mechanics is exorbitant and the cost of getting it wrong with people is priceless.

Simulation in the defence industry can range from an interactive repair scenario in an engine room, to defusing landmines, to addressing the mechanical needs of a water filtration system, to driving simulations across varying terrain.

Recently, the Royal New Zealand Navy contracted Company-X to build a flight deck officer training simulation. For its project, Company-X will use virtual reality headsets and AI to train flight deck officers how to land helicopters safely and efficiently on a frigate.

With money, processes and people via health and safety at risk, in the manufacturing space, VR training is moving from “discretionary spend” to “core.” In North America, Virtual Reality simulations in the automobile manufacturing space is already an industry norm.

Major auto manufacturers like Ford and Hyundai are using VR tools to design new

vehicles and parts and Hyundai has integrated its capability into the into its design review systems to review all steps of the design and modelling process.

Educational institutions are also contributing to this surge.

In the Asia/Pacific region, excluding Japan, AR/VR spending is projected to skyrocket, with a compounded annual growth rate of 42.4 per cent from 2021 to 2026, aiming to reach $16.6 billion by 2026. Notably, training has emerged as one of the top three investment priorities, highlighting its importance in the adoption of AR/VR technologies​​.

As these technologies become more consumerfriendly and integrated into enterprise strategies, they are poised to redefine the landscape of training within the healthcare, defence, and manufacturing sectors and, with advanced and scalable VR development operations like Company-X, the South Pacific is primed to be a world leader in the space.

• Damian Bartolomucci is sales and marketing manager at Company-X.

YOUR BUSINESS

How to expand internationally

By JOSH MOORE Waikato has a long history of birthing innovative companies that take on the world.

Whether it be a small ecommerce store selling its unique product around the world, or a large multinational corporate with its head office in Hamilton, selling internationally is great for our country and our region. Exports bring in export dollars, which we need to grow our economy and help our country thrive.

If your company is already selling internationally and wants to grow further, or if you want start selling internationally for the first time, digital marketing is a very useful tool for expanding your international sales.

One of our clients sells cranes and custom-made truck trailers into the Australian market. These are big expensive items, with some tough competition. We use Google Ads and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) to get their products in front of potential Australian buyers.

Often customers looking for those products will take a long time in the “consideration” phase before they are ready

to make contact. Digital marketing can help there too.

To grow awareness of their brand, we run remarketing campaigns. This means that people who have visited their website start to see ads for this company on YouTube and millions of other sites, like news sites, blog sites and social media. This builds stronger brand awareness and increases the perceived influence of the company.

Users can think, “These guys are advertising everywhere!”, but the truth is, they are seeing the ads because they visited the website.

In addition, to help the sales team become aware of leads earlier in the buying cycle, we created a downloadable information pack on their website. Website visitors who are not ready to make contact are often in information gathering mode, so downloading a detailed information pack can be attractive. Before downloading the user needs to enter their name and email. This gives the sales team insight into which companies are interested in their product, which they can turn into sales conversations.

Alternatively, at the small

end of the scale, innovative ecommerce products or software products can achieve worldwide reach with savvy digital marketing.

If people are searching for what you offer, or are searching for competitor’s products, you can use Google Ads to insert your product into the conversation.

If people aren’t searching online for what you offer, then social media ads or email outreach are a good way to get in front of potential buyers.

For most companies a combination of advertising is best. We work with a small company in Hamilton that sells an innovative tennis product around the world.

For their marketing we use a combination of Google Ads, SEO and Facebook/ Instagram ads. The return on investment can be measured for each channel, and together the campaigns enable them to sell products globally.

If you’re wanting to grow international sales in 2024, explore how digital marketing can be part of your strategy.

• Josh Moore is the Managing Director at digital marketing agency Duoplus.

JANUARY 2024

11

WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS

�ey Toyota� what�s u�� with your used car benefits?

We've just upped everything to 5 years.

TOYOTA CERTIFIED 5 YEARS

HYBRID BATTERY WARRANTY

+

5 YEARS WARRANTY

+

5 YEARS

FREE WOF CHECKS

+

5 YEARS

AA ROADSERVICE

Toyota Certified HAMILTON 5 Kahu Crescent, Te Rapa Park Hamilton, 07 838 0499 MORRINSVILLE 85 Avenue Road North Morrinsville, 07 889 7678 TE AWAMUTU 29 Kihikihi Road Te Awamutu, 07 872 0017 Warranty, AA Roadservice, WOF Checks and Hybrid Battery Warranty available on Toyota Certified hybrid vehicles imported by Toyota New Zealand that have been first registered overseas, excluding vehicles used for fare or reward, rental, and vehicles owned by businesses and travelling more than 40,000km per year. See Toyota.co.nz for terms, conditions and exclusions.

12

JANUARY 2024

WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS

F E AT U R E

Choosing the right facility for those important pre-school years

T

he importance of the first five years of a child’s life – and how those years are lived – has been the subject of in-depth research for years.

Findings show that from birth to age five a child’s brain develops faster than at any other stage in life, and while genetics play a role, it appears that the quality of a child’s experiences during those first five years has a significant impact on shaping their brain development.

Knowing that makes it especially important for parents to ensure that the pre-school childcare they access for their child is the very best it can be.

According to the Ministry of Education website, New Zealand parents have a raft of options open to them. There are more than 5000 childcare and pre-school facilities around the country, falling roughly into two main groups.

One is teacher-led services where at least half the supervising adults must be qualified and governmentregistered ECE (Early Childhood Education) teachers. Facilities falling into this category include kindergartens, education and care services, some home-based services and Te Kura (Correspondence School playgroups).

The second group is made up of parent-led services where parents or other caregivers educate and look after

their children. These might include licensed playcentres or Kōhanga Reo (centres catering for children in a Māori cultural environment), as well as a range of other cultural playgroups which may or may not have to be governmentcertified.

Because both options present different types of early learning services, hours of operation and prices, parents need to look closely into what will best suit their family.

There are several important things to tick off when doing your research. First of all, identify your priorities as a family – is it a teaching-centred environment you are seeking or simply quality daycare for your child?

Perhaps contact the Ministry of Education for a list of suitable centres in your area, and then visit a few that you think might be a good fit. Ideally, talk to other parents of youngsters attending an early education centre to get a feel for how satisfied they are. Once you have seen a facility you like, check out their adult-to-child ratio, find out about the qualifications of their staff, look into the hours they operate and how many children they have.

Any good pre-school or kindergarten will welcome your questions … far from being intrusive, it tells them you are a caring parent who wants only the best for their child.

Although there are no formal tests

in New Zealand’s early childhood education system, a good facility will keep parents updated with the child’s progress through a whole range of initiatives that might include photos, learning books, artwork and the like.

Most early learning facilities will

also run parents’ events from time to time, working in unison with parents to ensure each child can develop its talents and interests in a safe and happy environment.

JANUARY 2024

WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS

Former Fieldays chair honoured

Providers merge

13

When Peter and Robyn Carr moved to Cambridge it was a matter of convenience, he tells Waikato Business News editor Roy Pilott.

Auckland’s loss was Waikato’s gain when in 2005 the lure of three married daughters in Wellington brought Peter and Robyn Carr south.

Tired of the bustle in the City of Sails, they looked for a new home - and got as far as Cambridge.

It was a town they knew one thing about – it was a regular rest point because it had an excellent Superloo.

Fast forward to 2024 and Peter Carr is a life member of the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, served as chair of New Zealand Fieldays Society from 2016 to 2019, received the Waipā Networks Award for services to business in 2013, served as president of the Retirement Villages Residents of New Zealand from 2020 to 2022 – and his views appear fortnightly in his “Age of Reason” Good Local column in the Cambridge News and Te Awamutu News.

And, as of New Year’ Day, he is also a Queen’s Service Medal holder.

“Extremely humbled” Carr said of receiving the award.

“And you know there is almost always a partner who get rather left behind in all of this - and in my case I have enjoyed total support from Robyn.”

When the couple decided it was time to downsize from their initial Cambridge home, “Robyn pointed out there was a new retirement village at the end of the street – there were 10 homes there,

today there are 200”.

Thirteen years ago this month they moved not to a smaller home in the suburbs, but to Lauriston Park – “and we’ve never regretted it”.

It was there in 2019 that Peter Carr invited me to speak to the residents at Lauriston about what we were doing at the Cambridge News – and later I asked “can you write?”

Enter The Age of Reason, a rightwing view of issues – although one which is influenced by having a vocal arch critic – one of those three daughters.

That’s Peter Carr, Justice of the Peace, a past Lions District Governor, Rotarian, a member of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron from 1981 to 2007 who chaired the race committee and was course marshal during the 2000 and 2003 America’s Cup, a life member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport – and now, QSM. • Honours acknowledging King Charles and using the KSO and KSM titles are expected to be announced as part of the King's Birthday Honours Peter Carr pictured when he MCed a candidates’ meeting at in June.

Lauriston Rest Home in Cambridge.

Photo: Mary Anne Gill.

John Calland

Andre Ducrot

IT platform and managed service providers Cloudland and TMG have announced a merger.

The brands will continue to operate under their established names, but the collaboration is designed to amplify services across New Zealand and Australia, especially in the healthcare and professional services sectors.

Cloudland chief John Calland said clients would benefit from the complementary strengths of the two providers.

“TMG’s impressive track record within the primary healthcare market complements our strengths, ensuring our clients benefit from an even wider spectrum of expertise."

TMG chief Andre Ducrot saw the merger as a natural evolution for his company.

“We have a lot of

similarities, including our comparable size, strong local community roots, and shareholders with considerable experience working in the primary healthcare sector. The two companies will complement one another well, and our customers will benefit as a consequence.”

The merger makes Ducrot and the existing Cloudland directors shareholders in the new entity, TMG Cloudland Group Limited. Oriens Capital, a Tauranga-based investment group, has also joined as a shareholder.

Community Living Trust, a Waikato-based provider of disability support services and a Cloudland shareholder, will continue as a shareholder in the merged entity and the merged companies will retain their regional offices in Hamilton, Whangarei, and Christchurch.

Get pitch side at the polo this summer!

• Trans-Tasman Test & Finals Matches • Family Entertainment • Food Trucks & Bar

2 & 4 February 2024 | Mystery Creek Polo Club

Tickets on sale now festivalofpolo.co.nz

14

JANUARY 2024

WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS

Director's Māori roles recognised Tania Te Rangingangana Simpson and Megan Balks have long-standing associations with the University of Waikato. The women were both honoured in the New Year’s Honours list and our staff reporters covered their backgrounds.

T

ania Te Rangingangana Simpson has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to governance and Māori.

Simpson (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngā Puhi, Ngāi Tahu) is a professional director with more than 27 years’ experience in governance encompassing a range of iwi, not-for-profit, commercial and public sector positions.

She was born in Ōtorohanga and lives in Matangi and is one of three from The News circulation area. The others are Cambridge’s Peter Carr and Puketōtara soil scientist Megan Balks.

Throughout her career Simpson has focused on projects and roles aimed at improving outcomes for Māori, iwi development and recognising Māori values within business.

She has specialised in roles focused on the environment, sustainability and climate change and has been recognised with a range of awards for her contributions to Māori business.

She was recognised in 2020 Waikato

University with a Distinguished Alumni Award.

The award is given to a small number of alumni who have achieved significant success in their career and made outstanding contributions to their communities.

Simpson arrived at the university with the intention of studying languages, however realised early on that Māori language and culture was the right pathway for her.

She graduated in 1987 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She joined the Housing Corporation the following year as Māori advisory officer in Hamilton and then as Te Kuiti office manager responsible for effective management of tenancy and lending portfolios in Ōtorohanga, Te Kuiti and Te Awamutu.

Simpson is a director of Auckland International Airport, Meridian Energy and Tainui Group Holdings and has chaired the Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge since 2016.

It has funded several innovation

projects and development of a business model to allow for the creation of small whānau-owned aquaculture farms.

She has been a member of the governance group for the Deep South National Science Challenge since 2014, deputy chair of Waitangi National Trust since 2017 and a member of the Waitangi Tribunal since 2008.

Simpson is a past director of Global Women, AgResearch, Radio Maniapoto, Mighty River Power/Mercury Energy from 2001 to 2015, Landcare Research, Ngāi Tahu Tourism and the New Zealand Conservation Authority. Ms Simpson was the first Māori director and a deputy chair of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand between 2014 and 2022.

• See Waikato Business News February for full profile

Tania Te Rangingangana Simpson.

Photo: Mary Anne Gill

Antarctic scientist returns to roots M

Megan Balks of Waikato University works in -15 degree wind chill conditions in the Wright Valley, one of Antarctic’s dry valleys. Balks’ team is drilling for ice core samples (pictured) that are believed to be thousands of years old.

Photo: Martin de Ruyter, Antarctica New Zealand Pictorial Collection.

egan Balks (pictured right) has been awarded the New Zealand Antarctic Medal for her services to Antarctic soil science in the 2024 New Years Honours list.

“It is really lovely, I don’t necessarily feel like I deserve to be singled out, in some ways I feel it is far more than I ever deserve,” she said.

Balks owns a small hill country sheep farm at the end of Pekanui Road, 18kms south west of Pirongia which includes over 20ha of QEII covenanted forest.

From there, she pursues her interests in wool crafts, landscape art, photography and geology.

She and her husband of 45 years, Errol, have lived there for the past 16.

Balks says it is somewhat of a return to her rural roots, having grown up on a Wairarapa sheep farm.

Balks completed a BSc (Hons I) in Soil Science at Massey University and worked for three years for DSIR Soil Bureau undertaking soil surveys for irrigation development in Central Otago then moved to the University of Waikato where she was employed as a “junior lecturer” and completed her PhD on “Impacts of meat works effluent irrigation on soil physical properties”.

In 1990, she joined other soil scientists beginning

research into permafrost and human environmental impacts in Antarctica, going on to complete 19 Antarctic expeditions, 12 as field leader.

Her most recent trip was in 2016.

“Every one has been the adventure of a lifetime,” Balks told The News on Tuesday. While the nature of soil research and of itself is specific and calculated, my favourite aspect is absolutely exploring the Antarctic environment.

“Soil science is obviously a very particular line of work and those fantastic experiences have led to me having the wonderful experience of making lifelong friends from all over the world.”

“Lots of people tend to perhaps glamorise the Antarctic environment, and it is wonderful, but I

just love the outdoors so walking something like the Tongariro Alpine Crossing is amazing too.

Balks’ inaugural 1990 trip, she says, was possible thanks Antarctic soil research pioneers Drs Iain Campbell and Graeme Claridge.

“They opened doors to opportunities I could never have dreamed of.”

Through this research, a series of Antarctic soil climate monitoring stations were established that contribute to an international programme to monitor the effects of climate change in polar regions.

Since retiring in 2018, Balk has written an award winning book on the soils of Aotearoa New Zealand and she has also served on the Waikato Conservation Board and the QEII National Trust.

JANUARY 2024

15

WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS

Out and about…

Waikato Business News contributors attend many events around the region and capture highlights.

This month’s contributions are from the opening of Peake Mews, the ordination of Bishop Richard Laurenson, a Destination Cambridge presentation and a new gluten-free food business. If you have photos and captions Hannah and Sabine Lang of Lang’s Little Bakery, Cambridge have opened a new you would like to wheels in motion gluten-free food business. Sabine, right, completed a business contribute, contact certificate with Open Polytechnic | Te Pūkenga and set up the business as a way of helping her daughters, including Hannah, left, who both have coeliac disease. editor@goodlocal.nz

Photo: Saul Osborne Photography.

Bridge Housing trustee Leah Gordon with Westpac’s Steve Atkinson at the Peake Mews opening.

Selfies were order of the day following the ordination of Richard Laurenson, pictured centre, as the new Catholic Bishop of the Hamilton diocese last month.

Photo: Mary Anne Gill.

It is an uncertain future for tourism in the region with the announcement

by Waipā District Council it will stop funding i-Site information centres in Te Awamutu and Cambridge and cut its annual grant to Hamilton and Waikato Tourism. Destination Cambridge general manager Ruth Crampton, pictured, explains what difference losing $157,000 a year from the council means for her Photo: Mary Anne Gill. organisation.

Photo: Mary Anne Gill.

Bridge Housing trustee Sharleen Nathan, right, with TSM Draughting Services Tala and Suria O’Brien at the Peake Mews opening.

Photo: Mary Anne Gill.

16

JANUARY 2024

WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS

“It means aa “It“It means lot to means alot lot to to means a to lot our entire team to be means a lot to our entire team to be “It“It means a lot to “It means a lot to entire team to bebe our entire team to recognised for excellence our entire team to recognised for excellence our entire team toexcellenc bebe our entire team to be recognised for excellence recognised for --recognised because itit a recognised for excellence because takes aateam team for excellence recognised for excellence because ittakes takes team because it takes a team to deliver on a project of --to because it team to deliver on aatakes project - because it on takes aa team because it takes a of team deliver on project of of deliver a project this scale...” to scale...” deliver on a project of this

to deliver onon a project of of to deliver a project this scale...” this scale...” this scale...” this scale...” this scale...”

Nigel Sun, Fosters CEO Nigel Sun, Fosters CEO NigelNigel Sun,Sun, Fosters CEOCEO Fosters Nigel Fosters CEO Nigel Sun,Sun, Fosters CEO Nigel Sun, Fosters CEO

On the back of 2023, we’re excited for 2024.

Onthe theback backofof2023, 2023,we’re we’reexcited excitedfor for2024.

2024.

On OnTwelve the back 2023, we’re monthsof ago, the future wasexcited uncertain.for Like2024. all good businesses On the back of 2023, we’re excited for 2024.

On the back 2023, excited forLike 2024.

On the back oflook 2023, we’re excited for 2024. we took aof hard atwe’re what we were doing, structuring business, and Twelve months ago, the future was uncertain. all goodour businesses

Twelve months ago, ago, the future was was uncertain.

Like Like all good businesses Twelve months the future uncertain. all good businesses equipping to work smarter. we took a hard our lookteams at what we were doing, structuring our business, and we took a hard look ago, at what we were doing, structuring our business, and and Twelve months the future was uncertain.

Like all good wemonths took a hard look at what we were doing, structuring ourbusinesses business, Twelve theto future was uncertain.

Like all good businesses Twelve months ago, the future was uncertain.

Like all good businesses equipping our ago, teams work smarter. equipping our towhat work smarter. we took aa teams hard look at we were doing, our We continued to deliver in the Fosters way - structuring focused on communication, equipping our work smarter. we took a hard lookteams at we were doing, structuring our business, andand we took hard look attowhat what we were doing, structuring our business, business, and proactive management and innovation ensure successful delivery. equipping our teams to smarter. equipping our teams to work smarter. equipping our teams to work smarter.

We continued to deliver in work the Fosters wayto - focused on communication, We continued to deliver in theinFosters way way - focused on communication, We continued to deliver the Fosters - focused on communication, proactive management and innovation to ensure successful delivery. proactive management and innovation to ensure successful delivery.

We continued to in the Fosters way -- focused on proactive management and innovation ensure successful delivery.

We continued to deliver deliver inFosters the Fosters way focused on communication, communication, We continued to deliver in the way -to focused on communication,

proactive management innovation to successful delivery. proactive management and innovation to ensure ensure successful delivery. proactive management and and innovation to ensure successful delivery.

And we exceeded our own expectations for the year.

And we exceeded our own expectations for the year.

And we ourdown own expectations we exceeded our to own for year. the year.

WeAnd putexceeded this success ourexpectations team andfor to the the solid support we have And we our expectations for the year. from Waikato businesses.

And we exceeded our own expectations fortothe year.

And weexceeded exceeded ourown own expectations for the year.

We put this success down to our team and the solid support we have We put down to our and and to the support we have Wethis put success this success down to team our team to solid the solid support we have from Waikato businesses. from Waikato businesses.

We put this success down to our and to support Thank you for your support and cheers to a prosperous New Year. from Waikato businesses.

We put this success down to our team and to the solid support we we have We put this success down to ourteam team and tothe thesolid solid support wehave have from Waikato from Waikato from Waikato businesses.

Thank you for businesses. yourbusinesses. support and cheers to a prosperous New Year.

Thank you for support and and cheers to a to prosperous NewNew Year.Year.

Thank youyour for your support cheers a prosperous Thank for support cheers aaprosperous New Year.

Thank you foryour your support and cheers to prosperous New Year.

Thank youyou for your support andand cheers to ato prosperous New Year.