ATEED travel costs

The information below provides details of the travel expenses for the staff and directors of ATEED in the 2017/18 financial year, with comparative figures for the previous two years.

ATEED Leadership Team travel

ATEED’s chief executive and general managers are periodically required to travel for their roles. Detailed information on the costs and strategic purpose of journeys undertaken by ATEED’s leadership team are outlined in the document below.

Flights and accommodation are – wherever possible – booked through Auckland Council’s travel agents to take advantage of preferential customer rates. The staff members incur expenses (both overseas and domestically) such as taxis and meals. The costs below are those recorded in ATEED’s financial system and are part of ATEED’s overall audited financial statements.

View details about the ATEED Leadership Team’s travel here*.

*Please note, ATEED Leadership Team travel costs included here are also included in the ATEED organisation-wide totals listed below.

Staff travel costs

Domestic

International

Analysis of total ATEED international travel – by staff

ATEED’s annual expenditure for the 2017/18 financial year was approximately $66 million. With this expenditure, the organisation was responsible for delivering against five key priority areas on behalf of Auckland Council:

•   Build a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship
•   Attract business and investment
•   Grow and retain skilled talent
•   Grow the visitor economy
•   Build Auckland’s brand and identity.

Some of the targets for these priority areas included: continuing to expand the more than $8 billion annual visitor economy including attracting major sporting and business events; a target for 2017/18 of attracting $292 million of international deals through business and investment including the screen sector; and a target of $2.3 billion annual value from international students based in Auckland.

To achieve its publically stated targets, ATEED staff were required to travel offshore to do business in our key markets. This travel includes being part of multi-agency trade delegations, and attending key global conferences or trade shows to grow connections and secure deals for Auckland’s key growth industry sectors which include international education, food and beverage, ICT and digital media, screen production, high-value tourism, marine and advanced materials. They are also required to travel to present bids for major sporting events.

ATEED staff also travel domestically, mainly for national industry conferences, and for crucial national policy meetings held in Wellington with government agency partners to ensure Auckland’s economic growth policies align with the Government’s economic agenda.

The annual spend by ATEED on international travel in 2017/18 equates to less than 1 per cent of ATEED’s annual operating expenditure.

Directors’ travel costs

All directors’ travel costs are approved by the ATEED Chair or acting chair.

ATEED directors Mike Taitoko and Glenys Coughlan are based outside of Auckland. That was the case when they were appointed by an independent Council panel due to their high level of relevant expertise in governance, specialist sectors, and their unique skill sets. Both fly to Auckland to attend crucial ATEED governance meetings and represent ATEED at important business events.