Ethnic Xchange symposium

Key ministers outline how the Government is backing ethnic entrepreneurs through regulatory reform, investment attraction and innovation support. Ministers will share actions taken to reduce red tape, improve immigration and skills pipelines, and position ethnic enterprises as drivers of New Zealand’s economic growth. 

Panellists:

- Hon Nicola Willis, Minister of Finance

- Hon Mark Mitchell, Minister for Ethnic Communities

- Hon Chris Penk, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing

Moderator: Ziena Jalil, MC

Ethnic entrepreneurs share how they have scaled internationally through innovating in global trade and by building on their own cultural capital and ethnic professional networks.

Panellists:

- Sam Park, Chief Operating Officer, Park Group

- Nga Blanchard, CEO, NZiFOCUS, Business Partner, PIHMS

- Sunit Prakash, MNZM, JP, CITPNZ, Co-founder, New Zealand Centre for Digital Connections with India

- Qaiser Rashid, President, Christchurch Business Club

Moderator: Joshua Tan, Executive Director, ExportNZ| ManufacturingNZ

South and Southeast Asian Heads of Mission in New Zealand discuss opportunities for global collaboration, investment trends, and the ways ethnic entrepreneurs can strengthen bilateral economic ties.

Panellists:

- Her Excellency Ms Mazita Marzuki, High Commissioner of Malaysia

- His Excellency Mr Phan Minh Giang, Ambassador of Vietnam

- Her Excellency Ms Neeta Bhushan, High Commissioner of India

Moderator: Ziena Jalil

The heads of business councils and chambers share the highlights of the past year, including new partnerships, opportunities and initiatives that support ethnic businesses and economic growth.

Presenters:

- Simon Bridges, CEO, Auckland Business Chamber

- Kathleen Morrison, Chairperson, ASEAN New Zealand Business Council 

- Dave Ananth, President, Malaysian Business Association

Ethnic women entrepreneurs share how they overcame challenges to build successful businesses. The findings of a report highlighting the achievements and resilience of ethnic women entrepreneurs and the barriers they face are revealed.

Panellists:

- Dr Angela Lim, CEO and co-founder, Clearhead

- Bineeta Nand, Partner, KPMG

- Alliv Samson, Chief of Staff and Strategy and Co-founder, Kami

Moderator: Ziena Jalil, MC

Move to breakout rooms.

Breakout 1 – New Zealand as an investment hub

Main Room (plenary)

Industry insiders discuss New Zealand’s unique value proposition to international investors, highlighting the country’s economic strengths, innovation ecosystem, and strategic advantages.

Speakers:

- Matthew Prichard, Board Chair, KPMG

- Simon Ansley, Investment Director, Invest New Zealand

- Scott Tasker, Chief Customer Officer, Auckland Airport

- Vikram Gera, Chairman, India Oceania Business Association

Moderator: Alistair Crozier, Executive Director, New Zealand China Council

Breakout 2 – Ethnic Evidence: Unlocking the potential of ethnic businesses

Crystal Room 1

Discover what the data and evidence tell us about ethnic businesses in Aotearoa New Zealand, including barriers and opportunities they face.

Speakers:

- Amanda Reid, CEO, Business and Economic Research Limited (BERL)

- Shamubeel Eaqub, economist, Eaqub & Eaqub, on behalf of Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

Moderator: Dr Lisa Meehan, Director, New Zealand Policy Research Institute, AUT

Breakout 3 – AI insights: Using AI to power growth

Crystal Room 2

Explore how ethnic businesses are harnessing the power of AI to drive innovation, growth, and global competitiveness.

Speakers:

- Knight Hou, CEO and Co-founder, Relab

- Husain Al-Badry, Managing Partner, Seen Ventures

- Dr Ming Cheuk, Co-founder, ElementX 

Moderator: Madeline Newman, Executive Director, AI Forum New Zealand

Mervin Singham, Chief Executive, Ministry for Ethnic Communities, shares some of his key takeaways of the day’s discussions. He addresses future opportunities to support economic growth through partnership, understanding and collaboration. 

A chance to connect and reflect. The event finishes at 5.30pm.