Business leaders share their wish lists for 2023.
A better year than the last three, lower inflation, and a return of stability to “get the economy running again” is what Bay of Plenty bosses are hoping for in 2023.
After another “chaotic” year of crisis management, uncertainty, mental toughness, and resilience as businesses “emptied their tank”, the region’s business leaders have shared what is on the top of their wish lists for the New Year.
Gartshore Group managing director Rob Gartshore summed up 2022 as “continual crisis management”.
“Despite most business owners having systems and procedures in place to avoid or mitigate the effects of crisis, I feel like 2022 continually hit us with crisis after crisis that forced us to be resilient, innovative and agile in the way we manage our businesses.
“The list of crises we faced in 2022 felt endless from labour shortages, lack of immigration, fuel price increases, material shortages, material price increases (almost weekly) gib crisis, staff off with Covid, housing crisis, immigration visa delays, etc.”
Gartshore said business owners across the board needed a break in 2023.
“It feels like it has been three years of crisis management with little reprieve. We need to get skilled migrants into the country within an acceptable timeframe, the visa processing timeframes currently are woefully unacceptable. This will somewhat curb the labour shortage and assist with economic growth that will assist with battling our way through this imminent recession.”
He said he hoped there was maybe less beat up on the recession in the New Year.
“I feel the more scaremongering about a recession the harder it is. Don’t be negligent about warning the country about it but there is no need to continually scaremonger people.
“Overall, my wish list for 2023 would be as simple as a better year than the last three.”
New World Brookfield owner and operator Brendon Good said it had been another year full of surprises “we simply couldn’t have predicted”.
“At the top of my wish list is lower inflation for New Zealanders to help with easing the stress and pressure that’s on everyone.”
Mpac & Apac managing director Brendon Lee said 2022 was a year of mental toughness, resilience and determination to endure a year of unprecedented challenges facing the entire business sector.
Lee said his wish for 2023 was to concentrate energy on building the new rather than focusing on the old.
“Mpac is deploying state-of-the-art automation and technology that will revolutionise the kiwifruit industry.”
Scion chief executive Dr Julian Elder said even as the world and New Zealand faced many challenges in 2022 for them, it was a year of “partnerships and confirmation that our mission toward resolving some of the planet’s most pressing challenges is more necessary than ever”.
Elder said 2023 could be the year governments and companies accelerated and implemented plans to transition to circular bio-economies.
“We hope to see the growth of new technologies to address climate issues and increased research science and innovation government funding for science to tackle the planet’s biggest problems.
“To continue on our journey with Māori, the government and industry to ensure that anything made from fossil fuel today can be made from a tree tomorrow.”
PMG Funds chief executive Scott McKenzie said 2022 had been a “tale of two parts”.
He said the Bay of Plenty-based funds management company celebrated a “phenomenal” 30 years in business.
The company also carefully managed its funds to see the business through the next phase of the economic cycle and responded to the changing market conditions while doing right by its investors, he said.
McKenzie said the business hoped to continue to integrate more sustainable practices within the business this year.
“It’s vital for our investors and tenants that the business sets itself up for long-term sustainability. Being able to measure our impact means we can make meaningful changes to manage our resources well and we were really pleased to receive Toitū carbon zero certification in 2022.
“We’ll also continue to support the financial futures of our investors and work hard to be a property partner of choice for our tenants.”
Another focus in 2023 was improving financial literacy for young Kiwis through its PMG Charitable Trust, he said.
On a personal level, McKenzie said he wanted to spend as much time as possible with his family, “fishing, and finishing our renovations”.
New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated chief executive Colin Bond said 2022 was extremely challenging, with the impact of adverse weather and quality issues across the supply chain likely to be felt into 2023.
“I would like to see our kiwifruit growers prosper in 2023 which will require doing the best we can with the fruit we now have on the vines.
“This means hoping for better weather over the rest of our season, being able to welcome New Zealanders and backpackers to pick our great fruit and utilising a robust supply chain to get it to market on time and in great shape.”
Rotorua Business Chamber chief executive Bryce Heard said 2022 was chaotic for most businesses, with inflation at 30-year highs, interest rates soaring, staff shortages, crime waves, rising homelessness, international instability in supply and markets, soaring fuel costs, wars, and government focus on ideology.
“For 2023, bring back some stability to get the economy running again.”
Tauranga Business Chamber chief executive Matt Cowley said everyone “emptied their tank” in 2022.
“So many people worked harder this year [2022] than previously to try to cover the staff shortages.”
No more inflation was on his wish list for 2023.
“You know you’re getting old when you start saying how expensive things are today compared with the good old days.”
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