The winners of the 2015 New Zealand Business Awards were announced last Wednesday, with Queenstown-based experiential tourism company Magic Memories taking home four awards, including the coveted Judges’ Supreme Award for International Business.
The awards, organised by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and strategic partner ANZ celebrate the, “…passion, vision and new approaches that New Zealand businesses are taking to achieve international success.”
2015 New Zealand International Business Awards Winners Announced http://t.co/RdTHOkv044 #NZIBA @NZTEnews pic.twitter.com/jyqMg5ERRY
— NHBA (@NHBAOrg) March 25, 2015
The quad-award-winner Magic Memories launched 20 years ago to offer photography services for the Queenstown Gondola, but the company has grown exponentially and now operates in 100 sites globally.
According to a release, it was Magic Memories’ focus on maintaining high quality operations at each site, while ensuring considerable autonomy is given to local teams within global processes, which made an impact on the judges and saw it taking home awards for categories: ‘ANZ Best Business Operating Internationally – $10 million -$50 million’, ‘Excellence in Marketing’, supported by AUT Business School, and ‘Excellence in Operations’, supported by The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
“The judging panel was particularly impressed by the effort that Magic Memories puts into implementation and set-up of new sites, with the results showing through in customer advocacy, site revenue growth and customer retention,” commented the judges in a joint statement included in the release.
Further international success was shown by the night’s other winners: New Plymouth’s International Volunteer HQ, Rakaia’s Synlait Milk, Wellington’s Powershop, Auckland’s Milmeq and Taupo-based Miraka, who was named winner of the inaugural ‘He kai kei aku ringa for Māori Excellence in Export’ award, supported by The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), Te Puni Kōkiri and The Treasury.
Picking up the final accolade for ‘Excellence in Leadership’, supported by KPMG was chief executive and managing director of Synlait Milk, John Penno.
“Judges were impressed by John’s role in helping the firm rise up the value chain, his entrepreneurial spirit, the company culture and team dynamics he has built, and his leadership amongst the primary sector,” says the release.
NZTE chief executive Peter Chrisp said this year’s winners demonstrate the lateral thinking that is becoming characteristic of New Zealand business, with each winners shaking up traditional markets by providing innovative, bespoke and cutting-edge solutions.
“All of these companies are immersing themselves in their markets, designing bespoke products and services to suit their current and future customers, and rapidly evolving their businesses to deliver,” he said.
“There is no shortage of opportunities for New Zealand businesses, but the challenge is to design businesses to be relevant to the markets. Magic Memories has taken the traditional model of attraction photography and shaken it up by creating a much more personal experience for users who are happy to pay a premium for a truly bespoke product. The benefits extend to Magic Memories’ partners, who also reap the rewards of that premium.”
ANZ New Zealand managing director institutional David Green said: “These outstanding companies have demonstrated the international success that can be achieved when owners have the courage to take their business into new markets, and are prepared to commit the considerable time, investment and hard work, and have the resilience needed to ensure success,” he said “These awards give them deserved recognition. But they also offer a great source of inspiration for other business owners who aspire to international growth. And they add exciting new chapters to the success story of New Zealand businesses going offshore, creating value, supporting the creation of jobs and growth in our economy.”
2015 New Zealand International Business Awards Winners
Judges’ Supreme Award for International Business
Magic Memories
General Category Winners
ANZ Best Business Operating Internationally
Under $10million: International Volunteer HQ (New Plymouth)
$10m-$50million: Magic Memories (Auckland)
Over $50million: Synlait Milk (Rakaia)
Special Category Winners
Excellence in Innovation, supported by AJ Park
Milmeq (Auckland)
Excellence in Marketing, supported by AUT Business School
Magic Memories (Queenstown)
Excellence in Operations, supported by The Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade
Magic Memories (Queenstown)
Excellence in Design, supported by Special Group
Powershop (Wellington)
He kai kei aku ringa for Māori Excellence in Export, supported by The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), Te Puni Kōkiri, The Treasury
Miraka (Taupo)
Excellence in Leadership, supported by KPMG
Dr John Penno, Managing Director and CEO, Synlait Milk
