Supplied Content
Auckland, November 27, 2020
India New Zealand Business Council (INZBC) is organising a networking event in Christchurch on December 1, 2020, as a part of its India Unplugged Series.
India’s High Commissioner to New Zealand Muktesh Pradesh and Canterbury Employers Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Leeann Watson will be among the Guests of Honour.
To register for the event, email: secretariat@inzbc.org
Strategies for better New Zealand – India ties
Focus on partnerships and collaborations to ensure business continuity in a Post-Covid world – this strong message of recovery was reflected in an insightful panel discussion at the first in-person event held by INZBC in 2020.
The event was held on November 12, 2020 at Westpac Head office in Britomart, Auckland CBD.
Scheduled to coincide with the auspicious occasion of Diwali, INZBC, hosted Mr Pardeshi, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Divisional Manager, South and South East Asia Division Andrew Needs, Velocity Global Chief Executive Carmen Vicelich and Westpac SME Lead (Institutional & Business Banking) Simon Lowe.
With an opening note from INZBC Chairman, Sameer Handa, the discussion revolved around the impact and recovery of trade and business post lockdown and Covid-19.
Enhancing engagement
Mr Pardeshi led the conversation and elaborated on the need to re-evaluate strategies to enhance economic engagement between New Zealand and India.
“A good way of looking on how to further engage with each other, is to not merely find markets, but finding partnerships, innovative partnerships. India is looking for investment, but more than investment, India is looking for collaboration in technology, innovation, best practices in areas such as ease of doing business,” he said.
Reiterating that sentiment, Mr Needs said that while India is a vast and growing potential market, it is important to understand what the country wants.
India is looking for partnerships and capability support for its development aspirations, he said.
Exploring investment opportunities
“Our High Commission in India and the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise are exploring how investment presence in India can be strengthened. MFAT is looking at collaborating with industries to develop state and sectoral specific strategies for the Indian market and will be holding trade and economic talks in 2021 to try and pursue the overall India strategy,” he said.
Ms Vicelich spoke of recognising the need to pivot and being agile, citing the example of her company. “Instead of growing our newest product in a bigger Indian market, we are currently focused on business continuity with a launch in Australia and New Zealand,” she said.
Adaptability important
“You need to recognise when you need to pivot and be agile and understand actually how to change what your plan was, to suit where you are now, because you cannot sit and wait for things. I always picture that success is like a boat in the water – if you just sit there, thinking that we will float till it all settles down, you are just going to drift with the wind and the tide,” Ms Vicelich said.
Mr Lowe highlighted the importance of partnerships and good governance during uncertain times.
“Businesses that did well during the lockdown had good existing relationships with their people but they also had good governance. Partnership is fine but you also need a good governance structure around that, regardless of the size of your business,” he said.
Pictures by India New Zealand Business Council
