What are New Zealand’s major challenges for 2012?
Our major challenge is to advance. If we simply maintain the social, economic, political and cultural status quo we’ll be moving backwards. We must strive to achieve progress domestically and then, perhaps more importantly, in comparison to the rest of the world.
How well prepared are Kiwi business leaders to face these challenges?
We have the potential to tackle the challenges in well prepared manner. More than any others, the past few years have agitated conversation around the challenges, and the actions required to address them. We have the potential to work collegially towards overcoming the challenges but we need to keep our eye on the prize. There will be compromise involved, and an exceptionally positive yet realistic attitude will be required to get there. Our work ethic will need to be better and stronger than ever before and, across the board, New Zealand business leaders will need to take an intergenerational approach to business; which is to say, what can I do today that will benefit my grandchildren’s grandchildren?
What more could we do as country to thrive in the current global economic climate?
New Zealand is awash with some of the brightest minds in the world. Science and innovation is catch-cry currently in favour, yet we’ve always been in this space. We are by nature innovative people and we have phenomenal pool of scientific minds. Continued focus and increased resources in this area, coupled with smart and rapid commercialisation will be needed to thrive in the current economic climate. We have global network of stellar expatriate minds and friends of New Zealand. We need to pool the sharpest, brightest, most passionate and creative minds to lead the country’s economic renaissance. See also page 5. M
