EDITOR’S LETTER World Tacklers

What year it’s been. Basking in the benefits of one of the best periods of growth since the 1960s, our nation’s top businesses have collectively turned in spectacular results. So much so that it has become ever harder to join the ranks of the country’s Top 200 organisations. Last year, after hardly moving for over decade, the revenue baseline for entry to our Top 200 listing was hiked by cool $20 million to over $70 million. This time round even that wasn’t enough. Winstone Pulp International, which listed in 200th place, had reported revenue of $113 million: it was another $43 million harder to enter the Top 200 club this year.
At one point we were turning away companies that had racked up 100 percent increase in their revenue. And while we’re fully aware that percentages don’t tell the whole story, it’s interesting to note more than our usual crop of organisations reporting percentage increases calculated in the thousands for profits.
If I’m allowed one gripe, it would be that this year’s listings were marred by ludicrously late returns from some organisations – and we don’t mean the understandable delays due to the September 17 election and the consequent inability of some SOEs to release their returns until okayed by Parliament. Some companies, it seems, are simply taking longer to report their returns. Why, by early November, had growing number of organisations still not filed their June year-end returns?
That aside, behind this year’s figures lie series of fascinating examples of Kiwi entrepreneurship. Together they highlight one of the key themes of this year’s awards – the many and varied ways in which local companies are taking New Zealand success to the world.
So alongside the Top 200 listings in this issue, as always, we celebrate our nation’s business heroes. These are the individual senior executives, young executives and chairpersons whose contributions paint compelling picture of business acumen and success. We also celebrate stack of companies that are flourishing through diligent attention to improving performance, strong ethical practices or robust growth strategies. It’s rewarding too, to see companies tipped for success couple of years back, now bearing out their early promise.
It remains for me to thank everyone for their contributions throughout the year and to wish you all happy holiday season. Take break. Recharge. And come back to another year of inspirational management.