Expats set up Europe venture

By BRONWYN SELL in LONDON

A newly formed international network of expatriate New Zealand business people takes its first public step into Europe tomorrow with a launch in London.

The Kiwi Expat Association (KEA) is setting up networks worldwide to encourage expats to work together for mutual benefit and for the good of New Zealand.

It was set up by The Warehouse chain founder Stephen Tindall and Professor David Teece, and was launched in Silicon Valley in California in March.

Further launches are planned for Sydney, Asia and the United States east coast.

Mike Stead, who is starting KEA in the United Kingdom, said the "sheer critical mass" of New Zealanders in the United Kingdom working in a range of industries meant they could benefit from working together and the country could also benefit.

"We realise there are lots of us who may not return to New Zealand in the foreseeable future, but that doesn't mean we can't contribute to the country's welfare from a distance."

Organisers say KEA will be a non-political, non-profit networking organisation.

It is designed to help New Zealanders establish business contacts with other Kiwis around the world, break into new markets overseas or identify opportunities in New Zealand.

KEA was formed during the Knowledge Wave conference in Auckland last year.

Prime Minister Helen Clark will give a speech at the UK function in Mayfair tomorrow through a live video link, and the High Commissioner to London, Russell Marshall, will attend.

The event will be an open discussion with addresses by influential New Zealanders in business and Government.

KEA's Wellington-based executive officer, Mark Vivian, said the network now included more than 800 expatriates in 22 countries. Several New Zealand exporters had been introduced to US and UK businesses through the scheme, although it was too early to judge how much trade would result from those meetings.

"One of the big challenges for New Zealand-based businesses is to get an understanding of what is happening in overseas markets."

Kiwi Expat Association


email: uk@kiwiexpat.org.nz