NZ New Thinking Export Breakfast

The Sebel Hotel - Tauranga

This time tomorrow morning, I will be attending the NZ New Thinking Export Breakfast hosted by NZTE and Export NZ (BOP) at the Sebel.

Jon Mayson, Chair of NZ Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) will be speaking about ‘Beyond Export Year - What do we have to DO to achieve export Growth?’ Jon will also provide a personal view on what we need to do here in the Bay of Plenty to build strong export growth.

The NZ New Thinking Export Breakfasts are a follow-up to the series of Export Year 2007 breakfasts organised last year. They provided a forum then, and provide a forum now, for exporters to share their experiences.

It was important that the framework built last year continued into this year. Whilst Export Year 2007 might have been a convenient label to focus minds, the need for the structures it spawned remain as relevant today as they did then.

Global Engagement

New Zealand - the dot, bottom right

As I prepare to depart NZ, the globe above does emphasis just how far we are based from global markets. Over the past few months, I have been to a number of presentations focused on Export Year 2007. One common thread has emerged from them. That is the need to spend time offshore to engage with and build sustainable overseas relationships.

That is why I prefer the term 'Global Engagement' to 'Export'. It more properly describes the reality of working overseas markets. It describes the whole picture, not just the sales focus.

Over the next few weeks, I intend to blog about my different experiences to help describe this approach to global engagement. It promises to be an exciting period ahead.

The Tauranga Round Table (The Report)

The Sebel Trinity Wharf hosted the Forum

I attended the Regional Business & Central Government Economic Forum as planned in Tauranga yesterday. Central government was well represented with Helen Clark leading a large delegation of senior Ministers.

I had pre-selected my two preferred workshops: Tertiary Education, research and development chaired by Dr Michael Cullen and Export Year 2007, chaired by the Hon Trevor Mallard.

Both sessions were closed so no comment possible. It was good however to meet Doug Sutton, Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Waikato and catch up with Roy Simpson of Origen Technology. It's good to see a local Tauranga ICT company doing so well.

The occasion actually lent itself to some good networking, so I obliged. As to HC, we shook hands, she looked at my lapel and said: 'Ah, a consultant'. A consultant? Gutted!

Export Year 2007 Breakfast

7.00am tomorrow morning and I will be attending an NZTE Bay of Plenty sponsored Export Year 2007 breakfast meeting here in Tauranga.

The guest speaker is Stephen LeFebvre, BioVittoria Co-Founder, Managing Director Sales and Marketing. BioVittoria Limited is a research-based, product development and marketing company that develops, markets, and sells proprietary active compounds that are naturally derived and biologically proven.

Stephen is asking the simple question. Does your desire to grow match the size of the opportunity? He is talking about the opportunities offered by the growing China, India and ASEAN markets. He is also talking about sales opportunites in the United States.

These Export Breakfasts are a 'must do'. They provide good speakers, great networking opportunities and a neat (well subsidized) breakfast. The alarm is set.

Working with NZTE

I am back in Tauranga, home to New Zealand's second largest port. In 'NZ Export Year 2007', the Port of Tauranga represents the frontline for many Kiwi exporters throughout much of North Island.

I spent yesterday in Auckland at NZTE's offices in ANZ Tower. They hosted a meeting to discuss the NZ Pavillion at CEBIT 2008. The pitch was strong and demonstrated a commitment to assist NZ ICT businesses build a presence at the world's largest IT Expo.

Driving back to Tauranga, National Radio News once again reported that the NZ dollar sat close to its 20-year high against the US greenback. Yet this morning, I am strangely optimistic that despite this perverse cost to exporters, the situation is not all doom and gloom.

Overnight, Team New Zealand finally conceded the America's Cup to Alinghi. The immediate response of NZTE, through Trevor Mallard, has been to put up NZ$10 million to keep Team NZ afloat. This is good news. It demonstrates strength in adversity, a quality demanded of many exporters in today's hostile exchange rate environment.

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.

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.