United States Business Summit 2023: Accelerating Momentum

Accelerating Momentum

Accelerating momentum requires New Zealand to step up the level of ambition at both governmental and business level, and focus on and leverage fast-growing opportunities with the United States as that country itself undergoes transformative change.

The U.S. is New Zealand’s third-largest individual trading partner and a significant growing source of foreign direct investment, innovation, research and tourism. In the year ended June 2023 New Zealand exported NZ$14.05 billion of total goods and services to the U.S. and imported NZ $11.83 billion, a total trade value of NZ$25.88 billion.

There is a significant opportunity to expand the bilateral relationship into newer, high-value areas – like green technologies, high-value sustainable agricultural exports and partnerships, space and hi-technologies – but moving ahead requires a focus on this key partnership, insight into the changing business environment, and above all, ambition.

It is time also to reappraise and look at the big-picture repercussions of the ongoing global watershed, the changing trade dynamics led by a United States which is now focused on security and industrial policies – rather than a free trade agenda – and the impact of these shape-shifting policies on the business environment for New Zealand.

7.25 AM: MIHI WHAKATAU

Rēnata Blair, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei

7.30AM: CALL TO ORDER

MC: Tim McCready

7.35AM: WELCOME

Summit Co-Chair: Fran O’Sullivan ONZM Managing Director, NZ INC.
Summit Co-Chair: Simon Bridges, Chief Executive Officer, Auckland Business Chamber

7.40 AM: PRIME MINISTER KEYNOTE WITH Q&A

Christopher Luxon Prime Minister of New Zealand

The Prime Minister set out his Government’s ambition for working with business to grow New Zealand’s prosperity, strengthen our security, and invest in our relationships in the current challenging international environment.

During the Q&A, the Prime Minister reflected on the current business environment in North America where he spent a considerable time in his earlier career and shared thoughts on “how business can get its hustle on”.

Moderators:
Fran O’Sullivan, Summit co-chair
Simon Bridges, Summit co-chair

8.00AM: NEXT STEPS IN THE COMMERCIAL RELATIONSHIP

Opening remarks: United States Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves.
The Deputy Secretary was introduced by the Minister of Trade Hon Todd McClay

8.10AM: FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER KEYNOTE ADDRESS AND Q&A

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Rt. Hon. Winston Peters highlighted the various points of connection that New Zealand has with the U.S .and where the opportunities are to build on them under the Coalition Government.

He was introduced by Ambassador Rosemary Banks – Chair of the United States New Zealand Council and New Zealand’s former representative in Washington D.C.

Ms Banks announced the launch of a media fellowship funded by the NZ US Council for a New Zealand journalist to travel to the United States in 2024 and the publication of new research funded by the NZUS Council.

8.40AM: KEYNOTE ADDRESS: PROMISING NEW HORIZONS FOR BUSINESS WITH THE U.S.

Senator Tom Udall, United States Ambassador to New Zealand.

Ambassador Udall was introduced by Simon Bridges, Summit Co-chair and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber

9.00AM: KEYNOTE ADDRESS AND Q&A

Minister of Trade Hon Todd McLay outlined the Government’s approach to trade policy and what this will mean for New Zealand’s important partnership with the U.S.

Moderator: Simon Bridges

9.30AM: PERSPECTIVES ON DOING BUSINESS WITH THE UNITED STATES

Miles Hurrell,Chief Executive, Fonterra
Professor Dawn Freshwater,Vice-Chancellor, The University of Auckland
Jonathan Mason,Chairman of Vector and Chair of AMCHAM New Zealand
Traci Houpapa, Chair, Federation of Maori Authorities
The panel will be joined by Hon Todd McClay.

Moderator: Fran O’Sullivan

10.20 AM: MORNING TEA

10.40 AM: FIRESIDE CHAT: WHAT IT TAKES TO ACCELERATE OUR MOMENTUM

Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran in conversation with Fred Hochberg, globally renown business thought leader.

11.30AM: ROUNDTABLE: UNLEASHING OUR AMBITION

A delegation of U.S. business people brought to Auckland by Air New Zealand will share their insights into the current global and U.S. business environment and explore what it takes to succeed.

Matt McCooe – CEO of Connecticut Innovations
Seema Hingorani – Managing Director, Morgan Stanley Investment Management
Tom Healy – Educator.

Moderators: Simon Bridges and Silvana Schenone, Managing Director and Co-Head of Investment Banking, Jarden

12.50PM: LUNCH & NETWORKING

1.50PM: CHANGING THE DIAL ON TRADE – WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR NEW ZEALAND?

The United States is changing the dial as it reassesses and forms new international relationships with a security lens in the Indo-Pacific.

Sense.Partners’ John Ballingall, presented new research on behalf of the New Zealand United States Council that shows just where increasing gains are being made for business. He was joined by Stephen Jacobi, just back from representing New Zealand business at Apec, Penny Tucker who shared insights from a recent visit to Washington D.C. and Ben King who leant in on the impact that the challenging global context and sharper focus on economic security and resilience is having on the wider trade landscape and what it means for our relationship with key partners like the U.S.

John Ballingall, Economist and Director, Sense.Partners
Ben King, Deputy Chief Executive, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Penny Tucker, Executive Director, United States New Zealand Council
Stephen Jacobi,Executive Director New Zealand International Business Forum (NZIBF) and alternate member of New Zealand’s delegation to the Apec Business Advisory Council (ABAC).

Moderator: Fran O’Sullivan, Summit co-chair.

2.30PM: SETTING UP A BUSINESS IN THE U.S. – IS THERE HELP?

The United States is the #1 destination for foreign direct investment globally. This panel looked at what makes the U.S. so attractive to Kiwi firms and the types of support available to them. This session introduced: (1) SelectUSA, the U.S. Government agency promoting and facilitating Foreign Direct Investment; (2) Denver, a city already playing host to many Kiwi firms; and (3) Parkable.com, one of those Kiwi companies that landed in Denver.

Eric Crowley, U.S. Commercial Service, Deputy Regional Senior Commercial Officer for Australia, New Zealand, & Pacific Island Countries
Deborah Cameron, Acting Executive Director & Chief Business Development Officer for Denver Economic Development & Opportunity
Toby Littin, Co-founder and CEO, Parkable.com

Moderator: Mike Hearn, Executive Director AMCHAM New Zealand

3.15PM: U.S. CAPITAL SPURS NEW ZEALAND’S GROWTH STORY

This fireside chat took a deep and energetic dive into the positive impact US FDI has had on New Zealand, the next wave of opportunities, and how the US plays a key role as the number one target for investment for NZ growth businesses.

Jonty Kelt, Founder Fantail Ventures
Guy Horrocks, Founder and Investor

Moderator: Georgia Mills, Head of International Investment, NZTE

3.45PM: AFTERNOON TEA

4.00PM: HOW BRAND NZ SHOWS UP IN THE USA AND HOW WE CAN BUILD OUR VALUE

David Downs, CEO of the New Zealand Story, an ambitious organisation marketing New Zealand to the world presented insights from the latest U.S. research.

Moderator: Tim McCready

4.30PM: SUMMIT SUMMARY

Summit MC Tim McCready with Summit co-chairs Fran O’Sullivan and Simon Bridges.

4.35PM: PRIZE DRAW

Prize draw: Two return business class flights to New York City courtesy of Air New Zealand and a selection of meats from Silver Fern Farms.

Auckland Business Chamber event director Katy Riddell with Air New Zealand senior manager Mark Kennedy.

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