The Influencers: Lianne Dalziel
I remember the Commonwealth Games in 1974. I was a young teenager and the city was abuzz with excitement. I can still remember the song: We’ve got to join together, let our laughter fill the air It’s time for every race and creed to throw away their every care Let sport unite […]
The Influencers: Marian Johnson
International Women’s Day just passed and I’m thinking about why it’s hard to get a long list together of female startup founders in Christchurch. The scarcity of female founders is a global issue and to appreciate the size of the problem here’s a few stats to consider: 83 percent of all venture […]
The Influencers: Lynette McFadden
A new decade and a fresh feel is evident in the Christchurch real estate market as we continue our march into 2020. I love this city, it’s my hometown and I’m excited about our future, our growth, and the variation of design that has started to occur in numerous suburbs and streets. […]
The Influencers: Leeann Watson
We all know climate change is the biggest environmental issue facing our planet, so what changes can we make locally to make a difference globally? Some people have chosen to make their contribution by switching to electric vehicles (EVs). While these aren’t a new invention, today’s versions continue to evolve due to […]
The Influencers: Paul Lonsdale
I cannot believe we are already in February with the Christmas rush and holiday now a distant memory. We are now fully launched into this new decade and I believe we, as a city and region, are ready to own it. The last 10 years were tough on our city and our […]
The Influencers: Marian Johnson
The second month of the year has almost gone and there is no better time than the present to make good on the resolutions you’ve made for yourself. Whether you’re thinking of launching your own startup, joining an ambitious new startup team, or really getting into the Christchurch and Canterbury innovation scene, […]
The Influencers: Joanna Norris
The start of 2020 has been dominated by global concern for the outbreak and spread of the new coronavirus. The situation is expected to have a significant impact on the economy. Christchurch and the South Island have a strong, warm and mutually valuable relationship with China and we hope for an early […]
The Influencers: John Bridgman
We recently completed the first quarter of Christchurch’s biggest jigsaw puzzle, which at first may not seem like a major achievement but it has 43,000 pieces! The façade on Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre is a significant feat of architecture and engineering. Each of the fibre cement tiles is placed individually on […]
The Influencers: Lianne Dalziel
This weekend we mark the ninth anniversary of the devastating 22 February 2011 earthquake that claimed 185 lives and impacted on thousands more, changing our city forever. It will be a time for us to pause and reflect on the tragedy, to remember the people and places that we lost, and all […]
The Influencers: Leeann Watson
As this is my first Metropol column for 2020, I would like to wish you a happy – and prosperous – New Year. It’s already shaping up to be an exciting year ahead. Two key milestones will be the opening of Te Pae Convention Center in October and the completion of the […]









