The Influencers

Canterbury businesses can benefit from announcements in the recent Budget. Budget 2025 makes meaningful progress where it counts for Canterbury businesses, providing a platform for growth, helping rein in inflation and beginning to chip away at our infrastructure deficit. The centrepiece ‘Investment Boost’ initiative will provide a great platform for businesses to activate […]

A big highlight for me over the last month was the ‘one year to go’ milestone until One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha opens its doors to the public in April 2026. It was great to host so many local media to mark the milestone, and the vibe was extremely positive and […]

As we move deeper into 2025, we are seeing small signs that could indicate the tide might be starting to slowly turn for the building and construction sector. The journey out of the downturn has been long, but we are beginning to see glimmers of recovery – in the numbers, in the policy […]

Ōtautahi Christchurch is known for innovation, bold ideas and a deep love of sport… our arts scene, though, is also worth shouting about. Yes we love our sport here in Canterbury but alongside the stadiums and startups, our arts scene is stepping back into the spotlight. The return of The Court Theatre to […]

Just as the ocean lifts all boats when the tide comes in, everyone benefits when housing is affordable for all. By Israel Cooper, co-founder and trustee, Home Foundation Group Over the last few months, I’ve had the privilege of attending the opening of several innovative housing developments completed by the Home Foundation Group, […]

An exciting invitation landed in my inbox last month. The Court Theatre officially opens its doors to the public on 3 May, so I’d better dust my tux off. A Christchurch institution, the theatre is treasured by so many residents. Its home in the Arts Centre was badly damaged in the 2011 earthquake, […]

Local businesses are showing resilience amid rising concerns. We’ve just released our latest Quarterly Canterbury Business Survey, revealing a complex economic landscape for local businesses. While international trade and geopolitical risks are emerging as key concerns, confidence in businesses’ ability to manage disruption has reached its highest level since we began tracking it […]

The Mainzeal case highlights the importance of board skill sets and the need for succession planning. Those points have come into sharp focus since Mainzeal because the financial situation was dire at the time. Had they reflected on whether they should have gotten expert advice, or considered stepping down, I wonder about the […]

I really enjoyed getting out and about promoting the Neighbours Aotearoa campaign last month. The theme was Let’s Celebrate, encouraging us all to reach out to neighbours, and strengthen community connections. I love nothing more than meeting the people doing great things in the community and hearing their stories. They all help make […]

What a summer we just had in Ōtautahi Christchurch. From the revitalised World Buskers Festival to Crankworx and Electric Avenue, the city was buzzing with energy. More than 70,000 people packed into North Hagley Park over two days for the annual summer festival, Electric Avenue, in February. Featuring international acts such as Chase […]