Reports

In the 2014 Mood of the Boardroom report we  took the temperature of the nation’s leading CEOs in our annual survey. We examined what CEOs expected from each political party in the lead up to the 2014 election; opportunities and challenges for New Zealand businesses and the policies chief executives wanted escalated for New Zealand’s future success. The report was …

Digging deep into NZ’s biggest industry, the 2014 Agribusiness report looks at how the major players fared. Examining industry structures, global supply chains and government programmes to support the industry. We considered the opportunities and constraints on New Zealand agribusiness and some of the rising star companies in agritechnology. We also looked at rapidly developing market opportunities including the Middle …

Focusing on the latest Chinese trends affecting the New Zealand economy and business, the 2014 China Business report saw us travel to China to investigate how Beijing’s innovation drive was changing the Chinese commercial landscape and creating new opportunities for New Zealand companies; how New Zealand dairy companies were faring in a more competitive environment in China and the shape …

The business community provided an upbeat reception, with rave reviews for Finance Minister Bill English and a widespread sense of renewal following the emergence from the struggles of the Global Financial Crisis and the Christchurch earthquakes. Digital technology featured strongly, and one article in the 2013 report even called for the introduction of the government chief technology officer. Divisive issues …

The NZ Herald’s report China Business 2013 profiles many of the New Zealand and Chinese companies featured during the Prime Minister’s official visit to China.  

The 2012 report saw widespread praise for John Key’s “rightward turn” following the 2011 election, with a sense that the Prime Minister was beginning to govern in the interests of the country rather than the polls. Mixed-ownership models and asset sales featured prominently, while the age-old issues of infrastructure deficits and skills shortages reared their heads once more.

After the tough economic conditions of the Global Financial Crisis, the consensus among the business community was that the John Key-led government had performed well in trying times. This approval was reflected in 98 per cent of respondents supporting Key remaining at the helm after the election that year. The economic pain of the GFC was compounded by the Christchurch …

Emerging from recession, CEOs called for ambitious economic policies, such as cuts to the corporate tax rate, mining of conservation land, and the partial privatisation of state assets. Politically, the Cabinet rated strongly, but the push for fiscal tightening to get the Government’s books under control remained, particularly with respect to schemes considered to be ‘middle class welfare’.

A restless business community responded to the 2009 survey with calls for aggressive policy to increase productivity as the country attempted to pull itself out of recession. New Prime Minister John Key rated favourably, but tensions remained between the business community and government regarding public spending and debt levels. Issues such as Public Private Partnerships, the continued movement towards Supercity …

This report provides a snapshot into the early response of CEOs as the economy fell into recession in 2008, what would come to be known as the Global Financial Crisis. Meanwhile, it was election year and John Key enjoyed some 90 per cent of the business community’s support as preferred Prime Minister – but interestingly, the CEOs rated him relatively …