The Influencers: Lianne Dalziel
I was in a coffee shop the other day when someone asked me if I was the Mayor. Turns out she had recently moved from Auckland to take up a job here, and it was her chance to let me know how much she was enjoying the move. The rent […]
The Influencers: Joanna Norris
A growing number of Kiwis are eyeing up Ōtautahi Christchurch as a tempting place to live. Twenty per cent of those recently surveyed said they were open to relocating to Christchurch within the next five years. This is a great indicator of the vibrancy and profile of our city. We regularly gauge […]
The Influencers: Peter Townsend
Like many of you, I am sure, I have spent time over the Christmas break reflecting on the tumultuous events of 2020 and constantly reminding myself just how fortunate we are in New Zealand to be able to live relatively normal lives compared to so many others around the world. It is […]
The Influencers: John Bridgman
This month we will take a moment to remember all that Christchurch lost on February 22 a decade ago. It’s also a natural point to consider how far we have come in that time. Responsibility for the delivery of the Crown-led anchor projects was handed to Ōtākaro Limited in 2016. While a […]
The Influencers: Marian Johnson
We have around 530,000 small businesses in New Zealand. This represents 97 percent of all commercial ventures, 28 percent of employment, and 25 percent of GDP – proving that the Kiwi entrepreneurial mindset is alive and well. Why then do we have so few start-up versus small business founders? What’s the difference […]
The Influencers: Leeann Watson
Ngā mihi o te tau hou Happy new year! As I write my first Metropol column of 2021, I strongly believe the year ahead is full of possibility. We have come off the back of a tumultuous year, our lives upended by Covid-19 heralding a new normal in the way we live, […]
The Influencers: Lianne Dalziel
This month sees the 10th anniversary of the earthquake that changed our lives and our city forever. We will always honour the memory of the lives who were lost, and we will always ensure the lessons we have learned remain embedded within our city’s way of doing things for the future. Our […]
The Influencers: Marian Johnson
I’m sure all of you – alongside every other person in New Zealand (and the world!) – are looking forward to a long-deserved break from the turmoil of what has been a very difficult year. There’s no guarantee that 2021 will be easier, but the best prescription will be recovery and rest […]
The Influencers: John Bridgman
Because Ōtākaro Limited was born out of the response to a natural disaster, we’ve never lived in a “business as usual” environment. This inherent agility has enabled us to continue to make good progress on Christchurch’s Anchor Projects in a year that ranks right up there with the most unusual the world […]
The Influencers: Peter Townsend
Christchurch is home to some real superstars who are making contributions to their communities, recognised far beyond our city boundaries. Two key players in Te Papa Hauora Health Precinct (TPH) have just received high recognition from their respective institutions. Professor Gail Gillon, a founding member of the TPH Council, has received the […]








