What have been the highlights of the year 2022?
Our staff and students made it! We have phenomenal people who did it hard. We launched a new bachelor of entrepreneurship degree, a new BNZ Bloomberg trading room and were rated world-leading in many activities, including for focus on Maori business, by the global accreditation agency, AACSB.
What were the biggest challenges of the year?
Like all businesses, many delays, changing situations, financial challenges and the need to be adaptive. It’s stretched us all. Our students and staff have been through a lot with Covid sweeping through the campus in first semester.
What were the achievements?
A real highlight was the official opening of Te Taura Takata, our BNZ Bloomberg trading room. We aimed for August amidst considerable uncertainty with Covid. Timing was perfect. We had the Deputy PM and Finance Minister, the board of NZX, BNZ CEO and team, Ngai Tahu leaders, the DCC Mayor and councillors and a wide array of business and community leaders there. There was a strong Maori and Pacific flavour to the event. It was an extraordinary celebration of the world’s best educational trading room and the only one with a historic cultural narrative through the design features. Pop in and take a look in the main area of Otago Business School.
What's your major focus for 2023?
I’m moving into a new role in March, joint with the Otago Business School and Dunedin School of Medicine. I’ll be working on the business of health. It is one of the world’s largest and most troubled fields and I want to do all I can to help. I’ll be seeking to bring business skills to healthcare and system design and improvement.
Any major worries for the coming year for your business and the sector?
Higher education faces uncertainty globally. This has us all on edge and makes planning challenging. We need to constantly focus on being entrepreneurial, on cutting-edge teaching and research, with resources increasingly tight in a changing environment.
How are you spending the festive season?
Time with family and friends. Enjoying the beautiful and peaceful country we live in. Fixing and cleaning things, walking trails, reading, taking siestas ...
Any new year resolutions?
More guitar playing, more cooking, taking up painting and learning more about AI.
