Internationally successful Kiwi innovators are the recently announced category winners in this year’s annual World Class New Zealand Awards.
The awards – New Zealand Trade and Enterprise initiative delivered by global Kiwi network Kea New Zealand – honour Kiwis and one ‘Friend of New Zealand’ who have greatly contributed to the country’s reputation and connectedness on the world stage.
Top performers in the global corporate sector won two of the categories. Judith Hanratty CVO OBE, barrister from Wellington and former company secretary at BP in the UK; and Geraldine McBride, former president of SAP North America, won the Investment & Business, and Information & Communications categories respectively.
Bill Buckley, who wins the Manufacturing, Design and Innovation category, has achieved international acclaim for his business, Buckley Systems, that makes components for the machines that make 90 percent of the world’s silicon chips. (See box story.)
Dr Sean Simpson, winner of the Science, Technology and Academia award, co-founded Lanzatech, which is on the threshold of solving some of the biggest problems facing the sustainable fuels industry today.
Dr Doug Cleverly winner of the Life Sciences category, is the CEO of Argenta, company that exports cutting-edge animal health solutions to 36 countries across the globe.
Two high-profile Kiwis complete the category winners. Cook, food writer and publisher Annabel Langbein won the Creative category for building global foodie business; and former Air New Zealand CEO Rob Fyfe takes the award for New Thinking.
The remaining two premier awards will be announced at gala dinner in Auckland on Thursday May 23. The World Class New Zealand Supreme Award is selected from outside the category winners, and the Friend of New Zealand is typically non-Kiwi who supports New Zealand businesses internationally and works to build global connections.
The June issue of NZ Management magazine will be World Class New Zealand special, released to guests at the awards night. It will feature in-depth pieces on the award winners and the work of Kea New Zealand in connecting Kiwi expats and ‘friends of New Zealand’ to contribute to New Zealand’s economic growth. The special issue will also profile high-performing New Zealand enterprises already delivering world-class products and services.
Geraldine McBride
Global IT high-flier returned to her roots
Geraldine McBride is global expert in corporate evolution. zoology major from Wellington, she has taken into the information business her grasp of the natural world’s imperative: adapt or die. She has risen to key roles in one of the world’s largest business software companies, SAP, by setting audacious goals and then exceeding them. In postings for IT giants on every continent bar Antarctica, her transformational leadership has repeatedly delivered exceptional results.
She was identified as one of handful of leaders exemplifying the vanguard that is forging the new global economy. McBride is now at work co-founding global next-generation technology business from New Zealand.
Bill Buckley CNZM
Laidback genius & speedway fan
Bill Buckley’s imprint is somewhere inside almost every computer, smartphone and digital appliance you own. He is the winner of this year’s Manufacturing, Design and Innovation category in the World Class New Zealand Awards, and sole owner of Buckley Systems – the maker of the electromagnets used to create around 90 percent of the world’s silicon chips. He also dominates the global market for the precision electromagnets used in everything from carbon dating to cancer therapy. Renowned in the hi-tech world as laid-back engineering genius, he’s known to many Kiwis only as the devoted promoter and benefactor of the Western Springs speedway track. M
