Friday, 29 June 2007

Get Well Soon, Sue

One of the most difficult things about living in New Zealand is the separation from the family in the UK.

This week, my sister Sue has been in hospital. After 3 days of tests, the diagnosis has been made; Hepatitis A. So no emergency 24 hour flight back home. Get well soon, Sue.

Wednesday, 27 June 2007

Auckland Bound


I am taking to the road. I am Auckland-bound.

It's all part of the ongoing Pingar development strategy. Whilst Tauranga provides a great base, there are times when a trip to the 'big city' is required. So between now and next Tuesday, a packed diary of meetings and engagements have been scheduled in.

What's interesting about these trips though is that they are becoming less frequent. Tauranga, the fastest growing City in New Zealand, now provides many of the services that before were only available in Auckland. Evidence of this can be seen in the range of companies who have now signed up for the 'Stay in the Bay' e-marketplace. We recently relaunched this with Priority One, the Western Bay of Plenty Economic Development Agency. It is evidence of the thriving business community that now make up the economic backbone of 'The Bay'.

It can only get bigger.

The Carry-Trade Threat

Today, 1 NZ dollar buys US 76.6 cents. It could get worse.

High interest rates, with the threat of more to come, will keep the NZ dollar at these levels for some time yet. So it is a bit of a 'no-brainer' for the synonymous 'Japanese housewife'. Borrowing Japanese yen at less than 1% and investing in a currency offering a 7%-8% return, is clearly attractive.

What happens though if there is a 'shock' to the global economy. Investors would rapidly 'unwind' risky positions. Carry-Trades are one such risk. The value of the NZ dollar would collapse, negatively impacting on asset values in New Zealand. That would pose a real threat to an already finely balanced economy.

This is not of course an issue for the good ladies of Osaka. They will have cashed up and long since gone. No wonder Allan Bollard must regret having so little to play with. At the end of the day, the fate of the NZ dollar is not really in his hands.

Tuesday, 26 June 2007

BOP Polytechnic BCS Project Presentations

The Bay of Plenty Polytechnic's third year Bachelor of Computing Systems degree students will be making presentations on their final projects this Thursday in Tauranga. I had hoped to attend.

It is a great opportunity for members of the BOP ICT Cluster to support these students; to identify potential employees and analyse their take on new web-based technologies. All the projects seemed to have that theme.

Instead, I will be in Auckland for two separate business meetings. I wish them all the best for their important day.

iPhone 2 iConflict?


This is a big week for Apple.

Globally, we are hours away from the launch of the much hyped and long-awaited iPhone.

Yet it was news from New Zealand yesterday that has my attention. Apple Mac New Zealand distributor Renaissance Corporation bought the country's largest Apple reseller - MagnumMac.

17 years ago, I worked in the Apple UK Sales Channel. Then, there were two channels: Distribution and Retail. Both distinct and both completely separate. If I woke up this morning as a New Zealand Apple Accredited reseller, I would be looking at yesterday's news with real intent. And possibly, with real concern.

Monday, 25 June 2007

Planning for US80c per NZ$1


As I work my way through my spreadsheets, the New Zealand dollar has, according to Bloomberg, risen to as high as 76.86 U.S. cents today, the highest since being allowed to trade freely in March 1985.

I reckon that a very significant part of Pingar's long term revenues are going to be earned offshore. That is a core element of the Pingar business plan. With persistent high NZ interest rates, and the threat of more to come, US80c per NZ$1 is not out of the question. One does begin to ask, 'where is this all going to end?'

The Week Ahead


Team New Zealand's America's Cup second round victory in the early hours of this morning will have set many Kiwi's diaries for the next few days. That's wake up at 1.00am, watch 90 minutes of sailing and back to bed at 2.30am.

So what about the rest of the day?

Business planning is the order of the day for me this week. This will entail engagement with both clients and suppliers. It's strange how things all happen at once. It's a little like the No 528 bus in West Hampstead. You wait 30 minutes and then 3 arrive at the same time. That's a little like my diary this week. Long days and, I suspect, late nights.

Friday, 22 June 2007

FP7 Anyone?

My UK-based Pingar partner, John Beer is once again in Brussels, contracted to the European Commission as a Technology Expert, Rapporteur and Assessor for requests for funding of R&D and commercialisation projects in the European ICT sector. We spoke this morning via Skype.

I have blogged BEFORE about FP7 funding. Following the Skype call, I had a look at the Cordis funding portal to check out NZ engagement. Under 'Partners', I found 5 references to New Zealand; Under News, I found 39; Under Events, 3, Under Programmes, 0.

Digging deeper, it became clear that New Zealand was referenced in many cases only as a cluster of other country names. The key measure laid in participation in actual funded Programmes. Here, the cupboard appears to be bare.

NZ economists often comment on New Zealand's supposed disengagement from the global economy in terms of OECD reports. Perhaps they, and business leaders, should check out the Cordis Funding portal to find out how this process could be reversed.

Thursday, 21 June 2007

The View Portal Updated


Strategy Analysis Limited has updated The View Portal. Check it out HERE. We have now uploaded pdf versions of published issues. You can download them 'free of charge' from the portal.

The View Journal is 'The Journal of Information Technology Convergence'. We publish it for companies and organisations including Canon, Ricoh Gestetner and Xplor.

I am convinced that a New Zealand version should be published. It will be.

CEBIT 2008


On Tuesday, I received an email from NZTE inviting me to attend a roadshow in Auckland on 3rd July to discuss the New Zealand Pavilion at CEBIT 2008. I have accepted the invitation.

By March 2008, Pingar will have been well and truly launched. As a global ICT product, CEBIT offers a perfect platform to demonstrate its capability. In 2007, 450,000 visited the Show. That's the population of Wellington.

No problems Lionel. Pingar will be there.

Wednesday, 20 June 2007

Lionheart in Tauranga

Lionheart is an interesting initiative being launched in Tauranga. It is being supported by Tauranga Chamber of Commerce and Creative Enterprise NZ Ltd.

Six potential leaders aged between 18 - 24 will be carefully chosen and asked to take a “gap year” in their life. Within this one year period the six will live together in a house located in Tauranga and spend the majority of their time serving their community and being mentored by local community and business leaders. At the end of this one year period, it is foreseeable that a generation of young aspiring leaders will emerge and become the movers and shakers in this city and nation.

The programme is to be officially piloted in Tauranga and will become the template for other cities and regions who wish to adopt the concept of Lionheart. It sounds like a good initiative to me.

Dumb & Dumber - Office Rental


Yesterday, I complimented the New Zealand retail banking experience. Today, I focus on commercial real estate.

As part of some current business planning, I visited three separate real estate agencies in Tauranga yesterday. The request was simple: A list of current office space available for let or lease in the main CBD or Avenues areas. Not one could produce a list. Instead, each referred me to individual commercial agents.

These same real estate agents have glossy colour brochures, updated weekly, covering their residential properties for sale. They have printed listings of residential properties for rent. Why not provide the same for commercial properties? Most prospective commercial tenants are probably pretty time poor. Yesterday's experience was not a good one.

Tuesday, 19 June 2007

Engaging with HBI Software - Bangalore


I am currently putting together a proposal and budget for a major software development project to be undertaken by HBI Software in Bangalore. They are based in Sunrise Chambers on Ulsoor Road (see photo above).

Bangalore is known as IT City in India. It has a very large, well-trained army of software engineers, but quite significant infrastructure issues. The industry is very savvy when it come to understanding how business in the West operates. A large part of its output is designed for export.

I plan to visit the City again shortly and look forward to blogging on my day-today experiences. Bangalore is a stimulating and exciting environment to work in. And so are its people.

NZ - Great Banking Experience


Last night, I had a UK retail banking moment. It was frustrating, disheartening, yet strangely familiar. It lasted about 10 minutes. Eventually, I left a message on the apparently unmanned call centre ansafone. They have not yet called back. Welcome to 'Customer Support', UK banking style.

Contrast this with my first experience of NZ retail banking. In November 2003, I walked into the ASB Bank Meadowbank branch in Auckland, clutching my British passport and freshly stamped NZ Residents visa. 20 minutes later, I left the branch with a bank account, a cash card and $NZ100 in the account. I was shocked. Almost 30 years of banking experience in the UK had not prepared me for this.

In New Zealand, I have enjoyed real Internet banking, EFTPOS and 'relationship bankers' at my local branch. In the UK, the manager's authority at retail branch level is best summed up by the sketch in Little Britain that invokes the memorable phrase; 'The Computer says No'. For all my comments in blogs about telecom and other infrastructure in New Zealand, in the field of the customer retail banking experience, NZ leads the UK by a distant mile.

So tonight, it is back to the phone for another chat with that ansafone. Gritted teeth are at the ready.

Monday, 18 June 2007

Understanding XPS

Tackling a major incumbent technology is often something only the largest players can engage in. Electronic document formats is one such technology. PDF is synonymous with Adobe and is by some way the default electronic document print format of choice.

Interesting then that Microsoft is investing so much into its own electronic document format called XPS. This is being developed for its Vista operating system.

Microsoft chose Global Graphics to provide consultancy and proof of concept development services for XPS. They provided consultation on the XPS specification and developed a prototype XPS RIP for Microsoft's proof of concept development.

I am currently working my way through some of Global Graphics XPS White Papers. They make interesting reading. They illustrate how established concepts can be redefined and then improved on. This is one to follow.

Sunday, 17 June 2007

Fast OEM


I am currently going through an OEM License Agreement which has been forwarded to me by John Beer, my UK-based Pingar partner.

At its heart, is the intention to form a 'Bundled Product' with Fast Search, the leading Enterprise Search company. This represents an important step forward in Pingar's long-term marketing strategy and one which opens up a number of global opportunities.

One of the greatest challenges facing New Zealand-based ICT businesses is the ability to connect with global players who have no represenation in NZ. Pingar's presence in the UK addresses this and provides the access so often missing here.

Friday, 15 June 2007

Online Networking Anyone?


On Wednesday, I blogged about Facebook. According to Steve Clayton, CTO of Microsoft UK Partner Group, who added a comment to the blog, 'everyone' is engaged in online networking 'up north'. It made me think.

I sent out 8 invites to NZ contacts to join. Only one responded. Step forward Lionel Crawley, Regional Manager BOP, NZTE. Congratulations Lionel!

I am also a member of LinkedIn. So are some of my contacts in Auckland. So maybe there is more traction on that network here. But once people sign up, do they actually leverage off their online network?

The same is true of blogs. A number of major companies globally, including Microsoft actively encourage employees to blog in company time. It is a great way to put a human face to a company. Does the same attitude exist in New Zealand at Fletcher Building, Fronterra, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare? I suspect not. Certainly, there is no suggestion on their corporate websites.

My own guess is that because New Zealand has a relatively small population, people in the business sector do not think there is a need to engage in online networking. They view it as an alternative to traditional face to face human interaction. What of the export sector however?

New Zealand's distance to market makes online networking a total must. In all its forms. Wouldn't it be great for customers in Europe, suppliers in Asia and partners in the Americas to be able to get a daily point of view from their strategic business partner in NZ and then have the opportunity to interact with it. Suddenly online networking takes on a new meaning. One which benefits not only business relationships, but also the bottom line. In Export Year 2007, it's time, corporate New Zealand, to start blogging and start cranking up those online networks. Long-term, your business may depend on it.

Thursday, 14 June 2007

Paddy Power


I'm not talking about either Guinness or the Irish front row. It's even better than that!

HBI Software has been selected to build some interesting 'gaming' software that will be incorporated into betting sites. The contract is with Winmedia and starts immediately.

There continues to be a lot of discussion about the impact of a high NZ dollar on exporters. If they were to engage more with their overseas markets, through either direct investment or offshoring, much of that impact could be hedged.

New Zealand - Great Britain - India. Now that's global.

Wednesday, 13 June 2007

Facebook faces

I reckon that Facebook held a pretty good party in Reading last night.

This morning, I received email invites from both Claire O'Halloran and Steve Clayton, both of the Microsoft UK Partner Group to join their Facebook networks.

Being a Microsoft UK Partner, but living in Tauranga, has its moments. During Claire's recent visit, she talked about the need for Microsoft UK and Microsoft NZ to engage more closely. I believe that this can definitely be achieved through the Partner channels. Hence I have bookmarked and read both Claire and Steve's blogs regularly. It is good to know what they are thinking 'up north'.

Prompted by the two invites received this morning, I have sent out some of my own. Let's see what new faces these bring.

Pingar Comes Home



It seems strange that after recent trips to the United Arab Emirates, the USA and Singapore, much of the longer-term development activity surrounding Pingar should now be centred around Tauranga.

It demonstrates the depth of not only the ICT sector in the Western Bay of Plenty, but also of the strength and depth of the other support sectors necessary to develop a complete business package. These range from specialists in the professional services sector, through to finance, marketing, branding etc.

I have been engaged with all these sectors over the past few weeks. It is little wonder that Tauranga is New Zealand's fastest growing city. It is a vibrant centre and the perfect home for an innovative, growth-orientated business.

Tuesday, 12 June 2007

BOP Export Facilitator?

I have just read a press release issued by the Beehive, on 8th June.

Apparently, Bay of Plenty exporters will soon have added support with the recent appointment of an Export Facilitator as part of the Bay of Plenty's Export Year 2007 regional programme. It's news to me. And probably most other exporters in the Bay.

Bollard - Doomed to Fail



So Allan Bollard has decided to intervene in the foreign exchange market. It takes me back to 1992.

The then UK Chancellor of the Exchequer bet the house to keep Britain inside Europe's Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM). He failed and George Soros, amongst others, betting against the pound, walked away with a cool 2 billion GBP profit. The day became known as 'Black Wednesday'.

At 5.00pm that day, a group of friends and myself met at The Crusting Pipe in Covent Garden. By 5.15pm, interest rates had hit 25% as the Chancellor's gamble failed. We ordered what we thought might be our last bottle of champagne ever. Repossession and bankruptcy were sure to follow. By 7.00pm the nightmare was over. Britain had exited the ERM and interest rates were back to normal. We ordered a second bottle.

Central bank intervention rarely works long term. The RBNZ does not have a lot to play with and is betting in some way against its own high interest rates. These will prove more damaging to the NZ dollar long-term and with it, the hopes of exporters. Yesterday's intervention is doomed to fail.

Eating Apple Pie

I am quite excited by the latest news from Apple. It is a little strange I have not blogged on Mac-related developments, per say, before. From 1990 - 1992, I worked for Apple back in the UK.

CEO Steve Jobs was speaking at a conference of developers for Apple products in San Francisco, California yesterday when he announced that Apple has launched a version of its web browser Safari for Windows, competing head to head with Microsoft's Explorer and Mozilla's Firefox. A test version of Safari 3 for Windows XP, Vista and Apple Macs running OSX, is available for download from the Apple website.

Steve Jobs also used the conference to lift the lid on new features of its forthcoming operating system (OS) for Macs, called Leopard. Leopard is due for release in October and will cost $129.

It's exciting times right now for Apple. With the green light also being given to third-party development of new applications for its forthcoming iPhone mobile phone, life in Cupertino must be fun.

Monday, 11 June 2007

Disruptive Technologies Defined

An interesting article in today's BBC Online by the co-founder of net telephony service Skype, Niklas Zennstroem.

For him, a disruptive technology is only worthwhile if it gives people something they didn't have or couldn't do before. Sounds simple, but it hits the nail on the head. Too often, the 'hype' surrounding a new technology does a disservice to both the technology itself and its potential users.

As Niklas explains, the ones that fail tend to be too hard to use and impenetrable to the average consumer. And they fail because the benefit is often overshadowed by the hype. Many potentially great technologies disappear because, quite simply, they do not give people what they want.

Saturday, 9 June 2007

Miramar v Kilbirnie - Under 8's

I am still in Wellington.

This morning, I watched my nephew, Mr Henry Fox score three excellent tries in an Under 8's rugby match. I was there with Jacqui and other Fox family members. Both teams played with passion, enthusiasm and enjoyment.

Tonight, I am joining the family at the Westpac Stadium to watch the All Blacks take on France in the Second Test. Sadly, the result is not in doubt.

Playing against a second or third string French side hardly constitutes 'Test' rugby. The IRB's sanctioning of international 'tests' in the southern hemisphere whilst the northern hemisphere club rugby season is still on, has devalued the international game over the past three weeks.

For sheer entertainment, I suspect that this morning's game will have had the edge.

Friday, 8 June 2007

Wellington Bound with Air NZ



I have just arrived at Wellington Airport for a meeting in the City.

I flew from Tauranga on an Air New Zealand Bombardier Q300. To my relief, they still provide a complimentary biscuit and coffee. The one thing missing though was the life jacket.

Given that there was some turbulence en route and I was aware that we would spend some time over water, I decided to check the Safety Instructions leaflet. This advised that each seat came with a 'flotation cushion'. I realised I was sitting on it.

The girl in the Safety Instructions leaflet was only a drawing. Yet even she looked a tad scared, clutching her 'flotation cushion' in rolling seas. On reflection, I can now see why my Air New Zealand flight ticket was purchased from Grabaseat. It all makes sense now.

Thursday, 7 June 2007

Allan Bollard Returns

So Allan Bollard has increased interest rates again - now to 8.0%

My Blog Comments after the last interest rate rise remain pertinent today. For many companies however, such hedging is not possible.

In Export Year 2007, New Zealand is becoming distinctly chilly for many of those it is meant to assist.

Wednesday, 6 June 2007

Understanding CoREs

I have only just seen this article. According to today's National Business Review, Otago University has dubbed government processes for funding Centres of Research Excellence a “fiasco” after just one new centre was approved from 26 applications in the latest funding round.

Centres of Research Excellence (CoREs) are inter-institutional research networks where researchers work together on a commonly agreed work programme.

Tertiary Education Minister, Michael Cullen, says the CoREs will together receive about $31.4 million a year for six years and one-off capital funding of $20 million.

My previous posts on the European Research Council and the Seventh Framework Programme, put this spend into perspective. Perhaps CoREs might be New Zealand's best route to participate in these two EU-sponsored programmes.

Understanding ERC



The European Research Council (ERC) is the first pan-European funding body set up to support investigator-driven frontier research.

The main aim of the newly-established body is to stimulate scientific excellence by supporting and encouraging the very best, truly creative scientists, engineers and scholars to be adventurous and take risks in their research. The scientists should go beyond established frontiers of knowledge and the boundaries of discipline.

The ERC complements other funding activities in Europe such as those of the national research funding agencies, and is a flagship component of the 'Ideas Programme' of the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

In April, the ERC announced that 9,167 applications had been received for the ERC's first round of grants, the Starting Grants for independent researchers. So what for New Zealand?

A significant number of the Principal Investigators (PI) applicants currently live outside of the EU. And this is the relevance to researchers in New Zealand. The PIs can be of any nationality or current location, but must apply in conjunction with an institution in an EU Member State or associated country, where he or she will be based for at least the period of the grant.

Once again, it is about engaging with the global community. This is not just an ICT thing. In Research, it has perhaps even more meaning.

Tuesday, 5 June 2007

Understanding FP7


John, my Pingar partner based in the UK, is contracted to the European Commission as Technology Expert, Rapporteur and Assessor for requests for funding of R&D and commercialisation projects in the European ICT sector.

John’s work includes working with the Sixth & Seventh Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development (FP7 & FP7). FP7 is the European Union’s chief instrument for funding research over the period 2007 to 2013.

This week, he is on duty in Brussels carrying out this task.

I have been trying to work out where New Zealand and New Zealand business fits into all this. To help, I have been accessing the main FP7 portal. I have found a list of International Co-operation Partner Countries. It makes interesting reading.

There is another interesting list of ‘other’ countries missing. They are Associated Countries – countries with science and technology cooperation agreements that involved contributing to the framework programme budget. Is New Zealand one of these? I don’t know. It is important that I should.

I am presently working my way through a number of ‘Guides’ provided by the European Commission to help me understand how FP7 works. They can be accessed here. They are reasonably technical, but they are covering off some of the questions I have about how to co-operate with others in this Programme. Its scope is wide, its budget is massive. And at € 54 billion over the next seven years, I mean massive. It’s important for research and development here that New Zealand is involved. You can view the FP7 launch Press Release here to start understanding what it is all about.

BOP ICT Cluster - Wayne Hudson

With Air New Zealand now taking the strain on Friday morning (see previous blog), I can join Wayne Hudson and others at the BOP ICT Cluster meeting here in Tauranga on Thursday.

Wayne is NZ Software Association Chairperson and a partner in Bell Gully. He is scheduled to give an overview of legal agreements and issues such as IP ownership, contractual obligations and company structure.

Attendances at recent BOP ICT Cluster events seem to be growing. This reflects well on the growth of the ICT sector in 'The Bay' and provides a great forum for people working in this space to meet.

GrabaSeat

I have to travel to Wellington for a couple of meetings later this week.

Driving from Tauranga to Wellington via the Desert Road takes approximately 6.5 hours. A flight takes just over 1 hour. It is obvious which is the preferred method of transport. Air New Zealand however provide the only service on this route and this is reflected in their pricing structure. It hurts.

Recently they launched Grabaseat, an online booking service offering what they call, 'ludicrously low fares up for grabs'. Compared to their usual prices, they are not wrong.

This morning I was facing up to a long car journey on Thursday. Then 'hey-presto'. Flights at $49 dollars on Tauranga - Wellington return were offered on Grabaseat. I booked there and then. At this price, the flight is a lot cheaper than the petrol.

I have just re-checked seat availability and the Grabaseat offer is full. A more usual price of $195 each way is now being advertised. Normal service has been restored.

Monday, 4 June 2007

The Queens Birthday

Today, it's the Queen's Birthday which makes it a public holiday in New Zealand. No such luck of course in the UK, so tonight it's work as usual.

One of the odd aspects of working with global partners is trying to co-ordinate activities around different public holiday calendars. It is a little like time-zones. 12.00pm Monday here now is 1.00am Monday in the UK, 5.30am in Bangalore and 4.00pm (Sunday) in Los Angeles. Planning conference calls and Skype calls around these times makes for an interesting series of entries into Outlook. And relies heavily on a partner who understands. Thank you then Jacqui!

'Stay in the Bay' Gains Traction

Another direct email from Annie Hill of Priority One to members on Friday. Another surge of users visiting the Stay in the Bay portal.

Over 60 companies have now signed up to the Western Bay of Plenty's only corporate e-marketplace. We plan to launch some new online services soon to enhance the service offering of the Stay in the Bay portal to its users. Watch this space.

Sunday, 3 June 2007

Xero Success

Congratulations to Xero on their successful IPO, announced Friday, on the NZAX.

It's good for Xero and it's good for the NZ software community.

Auckland Review

Sometimes I find meetings in Auckland difficult to justify. Not last week.

Meeting Claire O'Halloran from the Microsoft UK Partner Group in Auckland was just great. Any support that Microsoft NZ and ICT businesses in New Zealand can get to 'globalise' their outlook is good news. I am sure Claire's visit will have helped that process for those who met her.

The Small Business Expo on Friday also delivered more than promised. Maybe that's because I unexpectedly bumped into Craig Garner, ex CEO of Tauranga Chamber of Commerce and partner, Helen Cunliffe, now of Business Mentors New Zealand. This organisation, operating with over 1,200 mentors and administered by 14 Regional Agencies provides a free, national mentor network to help any New Zealand company which has been in business for at least 12 months and has less than 25 employees. It does a great job.

And then there was the meeting on Friday afternoon. I suspect I will be visiting Auckland more often than usual over the next few months. But first there is the small matter of Wellington. That's now scheduled for later in the week ahead.