Business Canterbury has celebrated its 165th Annual General Meeting, a key milestone for the organisation which has been the home and voice of Canterbury business since 1859.
Chief Executive Leeann Watson says: “Amongst the backdrop of another year of significant change and what has seemed like an elastic band economy over the last couple of years, it was great to be able to come together to celebrate our members and team and mark this significant occasion.”
At the AGM, held on 24 October, four member-elected Board appointees Erin Black, Paul Deavoll, Hayley Hobson and Grant Walker were announced, with the four members of the elected board now working towards the appointment of up to four additional board members. Andrew Logie was also awarded with a life membership in recognition of his dedication to Business Canterbury during his 11-year tenure on the board and his significant role in the organisation’s transformation.
Ms Watson says the AGM provided the opportunity to reflect on the results of Business Canterbury’s transformative year. “We’ve welcomed many new members and have transitioned all members into our new member value framework; introduced several new products and services over the last year, such as our HR, manufacturing and global trade service memberships; launched the Bold Company news website, including our first podcast season; integrated a new CRM system that enables us to customise our member experience and tailor member engagement and communications; and launched a new Business Canterbury website.”
In response to member feedback, in the last twelve months Business Canterbury also developed and launched their new Canterbury Trusted initiative. “Businesses have been particularly quick to take up Canterbury Trusted, which sets the standard for business excellence across the region. With the backing of our brand, this award gives businesses that go through a rigorous assessment of their business practices a competitive advantage, helping them stand out as leaders in their industry – a useful tool in today’s operating environment.”
The organisation’s advocacy work was another key feature at the AGM, including its advocacy as part of the BusinessNZ Network. “Through the challenges of a recession, inflation and rising interest rates, our advocacy work has been more important than ever, including hosting 17 government ministers and providing members with the ability to engage directly on key topics such as the economy, health and safety, tertiary education, immigration and more. We will continue to push for policies that foster an environment that promotes innovation, productivity, and sustainable growth.”
In the 2024/2025 financial year, Business Canterbury’s focus will be on embedding the final stages of its transformation and turning to growth. “With new products and services, we will continue to support our members and the wider business community for what we predict will be another year of change,” says Ms Watson. “A special thank you to our strategic partners the University of Canterbury, Orion, Westpac, and 2Degrees, who have come on our transformation journey with us to support our members and business community.”
