Top 200 : Deloitte Emerging Enterprise Award Jade Software Corporation – Remarkable re-emergence

Jade is an information technology research and development organisation with 30 years’ experience in supplying software solutions and services around the world. Established in 1978 by Sir Gil Simpson, the company flourished, finding international success with its software language and products, and planning public listing. Testing times came at the start of this decade as expenses increasingly outweighed revenue and the company went to the brink of disaster. Ex-RBNZ deputy governor Rod Carr was employed in 2003 and worked steadily with the board to shore things up. The cost-cutting and capital raising measures put in place worked and Jade is once again leading light in the sector, now employing 300 people in New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
While Rod Carr is leaving Jade now, having been appointed to the position of vice-chancellor at the University of Canterbury (from 1 February 2009), the company has been turned around and restored to profitability and growth. Over the past five years it has increased its revenue from $32.2 million in the 12-month period to 30 June 2004 to $51 million for the 12-month period to 30 September 2008. Jade has re-emerged with solid capital base, is experiencing consistent growth across all business units, and has an experienced and able executive team.

JUDGES’ COMMENTS
WINNER
Jade Software Corporation
This 30-year-old software research, development and product support company was once brilliant, then faltered and is now emerging again. It has been through something of renaissance and is now starting to show the IT world just what great minds work there and what can be done when they are properly harnessed. clever, clever company that is climbing back on top. The re-emergence of Jade is great success story. Succeed, stutter and then succeed again. It is story of innovation, ideas, commitment and the wisdom to understand the importance of adopting best practice management and leadership to bloom again.

FINALIST
Phil & Ted’s Most Excellent Buggy Company
From garage in Wellington’s Berhampore to winning international accolades for design and innovation, Phil and Ted’s Most Excellent Buggy Company is stand-out example of an emerging Kiwi enterprise that is really rattling the global kids’ and travel market. Its innovatively designed products and can-do attitude show what it takes to create world-class products and brand with attitude.

FINALIST
Next Window
Last year Auckland-based small touch-screen technology company Next Window beat off global competitors to win multimillion-dollar contract to produce optical touch screens for Hewlett Packard’s first generation of touchsmart computers. Now it is preparing to catch the wave of consumer excitement generated by iPhone. It’s just the kind of emerging enterprise this country needs.