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2025 Full Conference Programme


8.00am

Registration - tea and coffee 

8.45am

Mihi with Ngāti Whātua

Welcome with Will Goodwin, INFINZ Chair
MC - Miriamo Kamo

9.00am

Ministerial address
What are the broader economic and policy settings to take NZ forward?  How can NZ navigate a turbulent global geopolitical environment?
What policies will enhance NZ's productivity growth?  What collaboration is the Government seeking with the private sector?

9.45am

International/Domestic Economic perspective:

Carl Tannenbaum, Chief Economist, Northern Trust (USA)
Hon Tim Groser, former NZ Minister of Trade, and former NZ Ambassador to the USA 


Carl Tannenbaum, and Hon Tim Groser, will discuss the big picture economic and geopolitical issues facing the global economy and the implications for the NZ economy. This session aims to provide attendees with a comprehensive understanding of the economic challenges and opportunities facing the global and New Zealand markets to provide context for their own decision making.

10.30am  

Break

11.00am 

AI & Big Data:

Greg Davidson, CEO Datacom
Hamish Rumbold, Non-executive Director LIC, NZ Super Fund and former CIO Kiwibank 
Further speaker to be announced

AI presents significant productivity opportunities for NZ business but what are the best initial use cases and how should the technology be rolled out? Big data presents opportunities for obtaining more granular customer insights and therefore tailored offerings, but how are privacy issues to be managed?

11.40am

Entrepreneur – Technology Panel:

Hear from leading entrepreneurs and directors on how to grow a technology business from NZ - the challenges and the opportunities. Scaling the business, capital raising and channels to market are issues facing many growth businesses. What will be the best opportunities going forward and what role will AI play in this?

12.30pm

Lunch

1.30pm   

Infrastructure:

Tracey Ryan, MD Aurecon, and Chair Infrastructure NZ
Malcolm Johns, CEO Genesis                               
Further speaker to be announced

Infrastructure is an enabler of wider growth in the economy. How can we get better value for our capital spending both in terms of focussing on the best opportunities and securing more efficiency from our spend. How can infrastructure be financed given constraints on both local and central government balance sheets? Can we secure bi-partisan support for an infrastructure pipeline to provide more certainty to the market going forward?

2.15pm 

Role of Māori economy in building Aotearoa’s future:

Hinerangi Raumati-Tuúa, TGH Board Chair
Juliet Tainui-Hernanadez, Director ASB Bank, Whai Rawa Fund

The Māori economy in New Zealand has seen remarkable growth and diversification in recent years. As of 2023, its contribution to New Zealand's GDP had grown to $32 billion, up from $17 billion in 2018. And the Māori asset base has also expanded significantly, reaching $126 billion in 2023, compared to $69 billion in 2018. What is the role of the Māori economy in activating NZ’s future economic growth and how can the financial services sector facilitate and support this?

3.00pm   

Break

3.30pm

Major Bank CEO Panel - The financial services sector as an enabler and catalyst:

Antonia Watson, CEO, ANZ NZ
Catherine McGrath, CEO, Westpac
Dan Huggins, CEO, BNZ
Steve Jurkovich, CEO, Kiwibank
Vittoria Shortt, CEO, ASB

A panel discussion featuring the CEOs from major banks will explore how the financial services sector can act as an enabler and catalyst for economic development. Business and farming loans are around $200bn but lending to housing and personal loans approximates $380bn – what more can be done to support the productive economy?

4.30pm

Debate: The Government should pursue asset recycling:

Dr Oliver Hartwich, Executive Director, The New Zealand Initiative
Silvana Schenone Managing Director, Co-Head of Investment, Jardon
Kirk Hope, CEO Financial Services Council NZ
Craig Renney, Economist and Director of Policy, NZ Council of Trade Unions
Rob Campbell CNZM, Professional Director

NZ has a significant infrastructure deficit – which is serving to constrain economic growth - and a shortfall in funding for that pipeline.  Should central government consider selling some existing assets to fund the development of new assets? Hear from our esteemed panellists who will debate the pros and cons of asset recycling.

5.15pm

Thanks/wrap up

MC - Miriama Kamo

5.20pm

Cocktails

Every endeavour has been made to make sure this programme is as accurate as possible it is subject to change.

Click here for registration details






8.00am

Registration - tea and coffee 

8.45am

Mihi with Ngāti Whātua

Welcome with Will Goodwin, INFINZ Chair
MC - Miriamo Kamo

9.00am

Ministerial address
What are the broader economic and policy settings to take NZ forward?  How can NZ navigate a turbulent global geopolitical environment?
What policies will enhance NZ's productivity growth?  What collaboration is the Government seeking with the private sector?

9.45am

International/Domestic Economic perspective:

Carl Tannenbaum, Chief Economist, Northern Trust (USA)
Hon Tim Groser, former NZ Minister of Trade, and former NZ Ambassador to the USA 


Carl Tannenbaum, and Hon Tim Groser, will discuss the big picture economic and geopolitical issues facing the global economy and the implications for the NZ economy. This session aims to provide attendees with a comprehensive understanding of the economic challenges and opportunities facing the global and New Zealand markets to provide context for their own decision making.

10.30am  

Break

11.00am 

AI & Big Data:

Greg Davidson, CEO Datacom
Hamish Rumbold, Non-executive Director LIC, NZ Super Fund and former CIO Kiwibank 
Further speaker to be announced

AI presents significant productivity opportunities for NZ business but what are the best initial use cases and how should the technology be rolled out? Big data presents opportunities for obtaining more granular customer insights and therefore tailored offerings, but how are privacy issues to be managed?

11.40am

Entrepreneur – Technology Panel:

Hear from leading entrepreneurs and directors on how to grow a technology business from NZ - the challenges and the opportunities. Scaling the business, capital raising and channels to market are issues facing many growth businesses. What will be the best opportunities going forward and what role will AI play in this?

12.30pm

Lunch

1.30pm   

Infrastructure:

Tracey Ryan, MD Aurecon, and Chair Infrastructure NZ
Malcolm Johns, CEO Genesis                               
Further speaker to be announced

Infrastructure is an enabler of wider growth in the economy. How can we get better value for our capital spending both in terms of focussing on the best opportunities and securing more efficiency from our spend. How can infrastructure be financed given constraints on both local and central government balance sheets? Can we secure bi-partisan support for an infrastructure pipeline to provide more certainty to the market going forward?

2.15pm 

Role of Māori economy in building Aotearoa’s future:

Hinerangi Raumati-Tuúa, TGH Board Chair
Juliet Tainui-Hernanadez, Director ASB Bank, Whai Rawa Fund

The Māori economy in New Zealand has seen remarkable growth and diversification in recent years. As of 2023, its contribution to New Zealand's GDP had grown to $32 billion, up from $17 billion in 2018. And the Māori asset base has also expanded significantly, reaching $126 billion in 2023, compared to $69 billion in 2018. What is the role of the Māori economy in activating NZ’s future economic growth and how can the financial services sector facilitate and support this?

3.00pm   

Break

3.30pm

Major Bank CEO Panel - The financial services sector as an enabler and catalyst:

Antonia Watson, CEO, ANZ NZ
Catherine McGrath, CEO, Westpac
Dan Huggins, CEO, BNZ
Steve Jurkovich, CEO, Kiwibank
Vittoria Shortt, CEO, ASB

A panel discussion featuring the CEOs from major banks will explore how the financial services sector can act as an enabler and catalyst for economic development. Business and farming loans are around $200bn but lending to housing and personal loans approximates $380bn – what more can be done to support the productive economy?

4.30pm

Debate: The Government should pursue asset recycling:

Dr Oliver Hartwich, Executive Director, The New Zealand Initiative
Silvana Schenone Managing Director, Co-Head of Investment, Jardon
Kirk Hope, CEO Financial Services Council NZ
Craig Renney, Economist and Director of Policy, NZ Council of Trade Unions
Rob Campbell CNZM, Professional Director

NZ has a significant infrastructure deficit – which is serving to constrain economic growth - and a shortfall in funding for that pipeline.  Should central government consider selling some existing assets to fund the development of new assets? Hear from our esteemed panellists who will debate the pros and cons of asset recycling.

5.15pm

Thanks/wrap up

MC - Miriama Kamo

5.20pm

Cocktails

Every endeavour has been made to make sure this programme is as accurate as possible it is subject to change.

Click here for registration details




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