Go boldly in business: Business Canterbury Chief Executive Leeann Watson

Canterbury is punching well above its weight right now, with the highest internal net migration in the country, record tertiary student numbers, and our region’s big infrastructure anchor projects nearing completion.

As we look to build on this momentum, Business Canterbury is taking the lead on bringing together local authorities with a group of our members from the private sector to create an ambition for Canterbury; shaping the future of our region that we choose to do business in.

We are fortunate to have bold and ambitious businesses in Canterbury and that will set the tone, with both local and central Government’s role being to support and help realise these ambitions and enable an environment that drives innovation, productivity, and sustainable growth.

This vision needs to celebrate our region’s achievements thus far, leveraging lessons from past experiences and our competitive advantages like our geography, diversified economy and talent. It should identify the critical path to sustain our momentum and build a resilient economy while also reinforcing the key role we play in the wider ‘New Zealand Inc.’ story.

There has never been a better time for the private sector to lead the charge, and the change. We will keep you posted as this work develops. For further insight, see our article What is our ambition for Canterbury? under the Opinion section on BoldCompany.com