Brett O’Riley is adamant that innovation will be a key element of Auckland ‘s new global brand narrative. The chief executive of Auckland’s economic development agency Ateed has set a goal for Auckland to be  world-leading advanced industries city by 2020 as measured by the Brookings Institution. A key element in that strategy is the agreement Ateed’s O’Riley forged with …

By Fran O’Sullivan New Zealand is on a winning streak with China despite the perception of setbacks, says China investment strategist David Mahon. But cautions Mahon, who is chief executive of Beijing-based investment advisory firm Mahon China, NZ has to box clever to retain its pole position. Mahon who is a keynote speaker at the forthcoming China Business Summit forecasts …

Lisa Owen: Well, it reportedly came down to the wire, but after years of negotiations and a few dead rats, the Trans-Pacific Partnership was finally agreed this week in Atlanta. But the full text is still weeks away, and the only detail we have now is Government-released fact sheets. It’s trumpeting the 260 million we’ll save in duty and tariffs, …

As the sun set in Canberra today, another Shakespearean-worthy political plot was thickening. Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s colleagues in his Liberal Party rallied around a former Goldman Sachs banker and the member of parliament from Wentworth, Malcolm Turnbull. Members caucused and voted 54-44 to oust an increasingly unpopular Abbott and replace him with the country’s top polling politician, Turnbull. Turnbull …

Property For Industry, the listed industrial landlord, nearly doubled its first-half profit on a valuation uplift for its portfolio and said it will tap investors for $49.5 million for acquisitions and developments. Profit rose to $36.4 million, or 8.85 cents per share, in the six months ended June 30, from $14.4 million, or 3.5 cents, a year earlier, the Auckland-based company said …

John Key will have plenty on his plate this coming week. National has been on the backfoot since Labour blindsided it with its release of leaked Barfoot & Thompson data suggesting that Chinese investments comprised a disproportionate number of recent Auckland housing sales. Particularly those over the $1 million mark. While Key has been off on his holiday jaunt in …

 Mega has updated its company constitution, making it easier for the file storage and encryption firm with more than 18 million registered users to list after a failed attempt to join the NZX through a back-door listing earlier this year. The company filed a new constitution to the Companies Office on July 6 which added specific provisions for listing the company, stating that the “board …

Updated  Pengxin International executive Terry Lee has confirmed the company will seek an extension to its funding lines for the Lochinver farm acquisition. The funding lines were due to expire today. But late yesterday the company had still not received any feedback from the Overseas Investment Office since Pengxin’s application went to Cabinet Ministers Paula Bennett and Louise Upston just …

The Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand (DCANZ) is firm in its view that a good deal on dairy in TPP is necessary for any deal to stack up for New Zealand. “The facts are that dairy accounts for 35% of NZ exports. You can’t even come close to achieving an acceptable deal for New Zealand without a good deal …

Comment  Murray McCully’s controversial $10 million deal to buy off an aggrieved Saudi Arabian investor and his Government and remove a block to a free-trade deal bypassed the normal Government control channels. It’s arguable that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Mfat) has simply been used as a slush fund. But it’s more complex than that. A close look at …