Reflecting on the past 30 days, I am humbled by the invitation to join the Prime Minister's esteemed business delegation to Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines from 14th to 20th April. This opportunity, which was extended by the Prime Minister and the Government, was an extremely busy program, with early starts and late finishes. The delegation was not simply representing our respective businesses; we were representing our nation, Aotearoa-New Zealand. The camaraderie and commitment shown by the delegation, combined with Te Wehi Kapa Haka and Te Matatini lifted the profile of our delegation. These Southeast Asian markets provide an opportunity for market diversification and growth.
During the trip, I enjoyed engaging with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Climate Change and Revenue, Simon Watts, and Paulo Garcia, New Zealand’s first Filipino Member of Parliament.
In Singapore, I caught up with our Taiwan and Singapore partners, met investors and discussed bio-facilities with Nestle (Singapore) and Vitol (Singapore), who are exploring them for their requirements. In Thailand, I learned a lot about its development cycle and how the bio-economy is being implemented, as it has an advanced bio-economy.
In the Philippines, I attended several events as part of the business delegation. As Director of Creative HQ(CHQ), an innovation company from Wellington, I signed an MOU with the Governor of Bataan province, Joet Garcia to encourage further local government innovation aimed at enhancing their citizen engagement in key areas. I also had the pleasure of meeting officials from the Asian Development Bank. The delegation also attended business briefings, cultural exchanges, and gala events, including dinner, at the President's Palace.
When the delegation returned to NZ, I stayed in the Philippines. I held meetings with the NZ Ambassador and his team, both the departing and new Ambassadors, and leading forestry-technology, energy, and investment groups. I also had the pleasure of being a guest at an Embassy forum, where I shared key indigenous business lessons learned from New Zealand with indigenous leaders of the Pamulaan Center for IP Education and development partners from the Embassy of Canada in the Philippines, UNDP Philippines, and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.
A lot is happening, and momentum is building. The worldwide bio-economy is facing some very exciting economic times, and NZ Bio Forestry intends to be at the forefront of them.
And where are we at with NZ Bio Forestry? We are on schedule to launch our first site in NZ. More to come.
So watch this space.
Ngā mihi
Wayne Mulligan, CEO.
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