More engagement, more opportunities

Chris Mace
Chris Mace
Diversity has been a significant factor in the success of one of New Zealand's leading businessmen.

Niwa chairman Chris Mace gave the annual School of Business Distinguished Business Speaker lecture at the University of Otago this week. The speech, titled "A Pathway Formed - A Personal Perspective", outlined gems of wisdom from his experience at the helm of some of New Zealand's largest companies.

Mr Mace left school at 15 and started his working career as an apprentice carpenter and joiner.

Since then, the Auckland-based businessman has accumulated considerable experience in the New Zealand and Australian manufacturing, retail and construction sectors.

As well as being the director of several private companies, he has been a director of Southern Cross Building Society and chaired Crown Research Institute ESR and, later, the New Zealand Antarctic Institute (now Antarctica New Zealand).

He was also a founding trustee of the Sir Peter Blake Trust and continues as a trustee of the Antarctic Heritage Trust.

"I've found that my life has been greatly enriched by taking on these sorts of diverse roles.

"And far from being a distraction or an impediment to my business life, the roles, the stimulation they've offered and the connections they've created, have generated countless opportunities - many overlapping - and the more you engage, the more opportunities open up."

Not surprisingly, Mr Mace said little had changed in business during the past four decades.

"The issues that were dominant when I started work are the same today.

"There is still world conflict, financial crises and rapid advances in technology.

"New Zealanders have been wrestling with many of the same issues for a long time, which boil down to our frustration at the country not really reaching its economic potential."

While there were many reasons for this, the solutions were not as straightforward, he said.

One of the over-riding themes of his lecture was summed up by a quote from 19th century American essayist and lecturer Ralph Waldo Emerson.

"Unless you try something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow."

The School of Business Distinguished Business Speaker Series is an initiative that allows University of Otago students, staff and local businesses to learn from business commentators.

About 40 people attended the lecture, including university vice-chancellor Prof Sir David Skegg.

 

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