David Hine
Sales and marketing manager
Sony Computer Entertainment New Zealand
How would you describe the New Zealand identity?
I love the great Kiwi roll-your-sleeves-up, ‘can-do’ attitude and I think we benefit from high level of proactivity and creativity which really sets us apart from other countries. We also tend to mix well with people in other countries – all of which helps us open doors and punch above our weight on the global stage.
What will be our next major challenge?
We’re small country on the edge of the world. The biggest challenge for us and the only way the country will grow, particularly with the current world economy, is to compete internationally by creating real points of difference in our products or services.
What do we need to do to prepare ourselves for this?
We have to be entrepreneurial, we have to be smarter and we have to focus on doing things differently. I’ve worked in range of industries and sectors and if there’s one defining feature that feeds success, it’s creating team that is truly passionate about what they do. We’ve had some great successes where entrepreneurial drive and different approach have helped carve out niche markets and taken on the world’s best – 42Below, Navman, Weta and even Wellington-based game-development company, Sidhe Interactive.
Whether it’s games or consoles, the gaming industry (worth US$48 billion worldwide) revolves around innovation, creativity and quality. Kiwis need to apply these same characteristics if their businesses are to set themselves and their products apart and compete more effectively on the world stage.
We cannot afford to fall further behind in IT infrastructure. Our current infotech and broadband development is not exactly world class. If we can crack this, it would certainly help in our global assault.
