With nearly 25,000 athletes from 100 countries here for the World Masters Games 2017, Auckland’s economic growth agency is presenting business and investment opportunities to interested international visitors.
Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED), has organised a series of business events to run alongside the Games.
“We want to show visiting athletes that Auckland is a great place to work, study, invest and do business,’’ says ATEED’s general manager Business, Innovation and Skills, Patrick McVeigh.
“The business events will provide insights into Auckland’s culture of innovation and high-value growth industries. The city and its economy is transforming – and there are plenty of investment and work opportunities.
“In particular, Auckland is well placed to be a gateway to the Asia-Pacific trade markets. Leading overseas companies are choosing Auckland as a base for these markets because of its business-friendly environment and time zone,’’ McVeigh says.
“A working day in Auckland also takes in Australia, Asia, the West Coast of United States and breakfast time in Europe.
“We also have skills shortages in some key industry sectors such as tech and construction and engineering, and Auckland provides an enviable lifestyle for talented people.’’
Auckland is rated first in the world for ‘Ease of Doing Business’ by the World Bank (2017), and was named the third most liveable city globally in the Mercer Quality of Living survey (2017). Auckland was also ranked in JLL’s Top 20 City Momentum Index (2016), and in the Top 30 of the QS Best Students Cities Index (2017).
World Masters Games 2017 participants will learn about Auckland’s work, investment and study opportunities during the “Auckland – A Smart Move” breakfast seminar at Mantells On The Water in Westhaven on April 27.
BNZ’s Billy Walsh (from Ireland) and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise’s Samantha Walsh (from United States) will each tell their own story of emigrating to and working in Auckland. Billy Walsh’s story is the epitome of how welcoming and flexible Auckland and New Zealand is – where age is no barrier to emigrating and taking up a new job when skill gaps exists.
ATEED has also organised ‘Business and Innovation Highlights Bus Tours’, on April 24, 26 and 27, departing from the Lysaght Building in the GridAKL Innovation Precinct at Wynyard Quarter. The tours will take in the innovators exhibition at Motat and games participants will hear the stories of Rocket Lab, Xero, Animation Research Limited, Mind Lab by Unitec and Springfree Trampoline. This will be followed by a visit to Auckland University’s Newmarket campus to explore ground-breaking research and development into advanced materials and robotics.
On their return to GridAKL, the participants will take part in the ‘Auckland Business and Innovation Landscape and Networking Lunch’. There the Masters athletes, many of whom are successful business people, can make valuable connections and establish business relationships.
Business and innovation advisors will also be onsite at GridAKL, on April 24 and April 26-28 to meet WMG2017 participants and tell them more about Auckland’s rapidly-growing economy, and to help them make new connections with local entrepreneurs, and experts.
The Whāriki Māori Business Networking and Experience function at the Auckland Maritime Museum on April 27 will showcase Māori entrepreneurship and sector capability. Guests will experience a traditional Maori waka voyage around the Waitemata Harbour before networking back onshore. Māori businesses in Tamaki Makaurau are keen to grow relationships with potential customers, key influencers and suppliers.
Games participants will also have the opportunity to learn more about the very latest innovations from Auckland businesses focused on giving sports people a leading-edge, along with international speakers from Nike and Microsoft at the Sport Performance and Innovation Forum, held at QBE Stadium in Albany on April 28.
“Auckland is not only a world-leading city for staging major events but is also home to ground-breaking sport performance innovation designed to give teams and athletes a leading-edge,” says Patrick McVeigh.
“There have been novel technology developments in America’s Cup yachting by Emirates Team New Zealand and Oracle, track cycling by Avanti and Southern Spars, Olympic and Paralympic sports by High Performance Sport New Zealand’s Goldmine team, and global fitness programmes by Les Mills,” he says.
NOTES TO EDITOR
- Business events which will run during the World Masters Games 2017 to show visiting athletes that Auckland is a great place to work, study and do business.
- Five events have been scheduled and an Auckland business hub established at GridAKL, the Innovation Precinct at Wynyard Quarter, where ATEED’s business and innovation advisors are onsite to connect visitors with Auckland’s entrepreneurs, experts and business people.
- The WMG2017 business leverage programme includes the following events:
- Auckland Business and Innovation Highlights Bus Tour 24, 26, 27 April 9:30am- 12 noon
- Auckland Business and Innovation Landscape and Networking Lunch 24, 26, 27 April 12 noon-2pm
- ‘Auckland – A Smart Move’ seminar, 27 April, 7:30am-10:30am
- Whāriki Māori Business and Networking Experience, 27 April 2pm-6pm
- Sport Performance Innovation Forum, 28 April 7:45am-4pm
Please contact us if you would like to attend any of the events, or to arrange interviews