Tune into Breakout and Live Stream Sessions
Speaker lineup
Nicola Willis
Minister of Finance and Deputy Leader of the National Party
Adrian Orr
Governor - Reserve Bank of New Zealand - Te Pūtea Matua
Caralee McLiesh
Chief Executive and Secretary - New Zealand Treasury
Nick Leggett
CEO - Infrastructure NZ
Cecilia Robinson
Co-CEO - Tend Health
Vangelis Vitalis
Deputy Secretary Trade and Economic - Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade (MFAT)
Helen Clark
Former Prime Minister of New Zealand
Jim Bolger
Former Prime Minister of New Zealand
Maria English
CEO - ImpactLab
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'A Briefing to the Incoming Government'
The 2024 New Zealand Economics Forum will set the scene for the next Government, offering policy insights and robust commentary on the most pressing and complex issues facing our country today.
Now in its fourth year, the theme for this year’s forum on 15 & 16 February is 'A Briefing to the Incoming Government'. Our expert speakers will discuss how we can respond to the headwinds of a growing and ageing population, adapt to climate change, and the need for significant investment in health, housing and infrastructure.
This two-day event is proudly hosted by the Waikato Management School. Seats have now been fully allocated, so if you'd like to be added to the waiting list, please email Paula Sutton.
Event Schedule
Day 1 schedule - Thursday, 15 February
| Time | Topic |
| 9.30am | Registrations open |
| 10.00am | Mihi whakatau |
| 10.05am | Formal welcome |
| 10.25am | KEYNOTE SPEAKER: TBA |
| 11.25am | Healthcheck: What's the prescription for a heathier New Zealand? |
| 12.10pm | Lunch break (50 minutes) |
| 1.00pm |
Session 1 - Demographics are destiny; who are we going to be in 2050? |
| 1.00pm | Session 2 - Tax: Running tax differently |
| 1.50pm |
Session 1 - Disrupting Ag – disruption in our biggest sector |
| 1.50pm | Session 2 - Social investment |
| 2.40pm | Afternoon tea break (20 minutes) |
| 3.00pm | Trade: Dealing with a divided world |
| 4.00pm | Monetary Policy: Controlling what we can control |
| 5.00pm | Close of Day 1 |
| 6.30pm - 9.30pm |
Drinks and dinner, followed by 'A Conversation with Jim and Helen' Hear from two of New Zealand's former Prime Ministers, Rt Hon Jim Bolger and Rt Hon Helen Clark. |
Day 2 schedule - Friday, 16 February
| Time | Topic |
| 7.00am | Registrations open |
| 7.15am | Welcome / Breakfast available |
| 7.40am | KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Adrian Orr, Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand - Te Pūtea Matua |
| 8.30am |
Treasury and the state of the books KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Dr Caralee McLiesh, New Zealand Treasury |
| 10.00am | Morning tea break (20 minutes) |
| 10.20am | Infrastructure: Unclogging the arteries |
| 11.05am | Climate and weather: So what happens if we don't curb emissions? |
| 11.50am | Fintech Futures: The end of cash? |
| 12.50pm | Closing remarks |
| 1.00pm | Event concludes |
Keynote Speakers
Minister of Finance and Deputy Leader of the National Party
Hon. Nicola Willis is the Minister of Finance, Minister for the Public Service, Minister for Social Investment and Associate Minister of Climate Change. She is also Deputy Leader of the New Zealand National Party.
Prior to being elected as an MP, Nicola held a number of senior management roles at New Zealand dairy co-operative Fonterra. She also served on the boards of Export NZ and policy think-tank The New Zealand Initiative.
Nicola was a senior advisor to Prime Minister John Key during his first term in Government, having previously worked for the National Party in Opposition.
She grew up in Wellington, and today she lives there with her husband Duncan and their four children.
Governor - Reserve Bank of New Zealand - Te Pūtea Matua
Adrian Orr was appointed Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand - Te Pūtea Matua in March 2018.
Previously, Adrian was Chief Executive Officer at the New Zealand Superannuation Fund, and prior to that he was Deputy Governor and Head of Financial Stability for the Reserve Bank.
Adrian has also served as Chief Economist at Westpac, Chief Manager of the Economics Department at the Reserve Bank, and Chief Economist at The National Bank. He has also worked at the New Zealand Treasury and the OECD in Paris.
Adrian graduated from the University of Waikato in 1983 with a Bachelor of Social Sciences, majoring in Economics and Geography. He also has a Master of Development Economics from the University of Leicester, England.
Caralee McLiesh Chief Executive and Secretary - New Zealand Treasury
Dr Caralee McLiesh joined the New Zealand Treasury as Chief Executive and Secretary in September 2019.
Previously she was Managing Director at Technical and Further Education (TAFE) New South Wales, Australia, where she led the organisation's transformation to become a more modern, competitive and sustainable organisation.
From 2008-2018 Caralee held several Deputy Secretary roles at the NSW Treasury. She led the development of state budgets and advised the Treasurer on fiscal and economic policy, including taxation, intergovernmental relations, and balance sheet management.
Caralee has also worked at the World Bank in Washington DC, the International Red Cross, and the Boston Consulting Group.
A conversation with Jim and Helen
Hear from two of New Zealand's former Prime Ministers at the forum dinner on Thursday, 15 February at 6.30pm.
This conversation will be facilitated by well-known media commentator Josie Pagani.
Rt Hon Jim Bolger Former Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Rt. Hon. Jim Bolger (ONZ) was Prime Minister of New Zealand for three terms from October 1990 to December 1997. He was the country's first Prime Minister elected under the MMP system, and led the National Party for 12 years.
Under Mr Bolger's leadership, the New Zealand economy was transformed from having one of the lowest growth rates among OECD countries to one of the strongest, and it is now recognised as one of the most open and competitive economies in the world.
Mr Bolger began his parliamentary career as MP for the King Country in 1972. He held many key ministerial portfolios over 15 years, including Labour, Immigration, SIS, Fisheries, and Māori Affairs. He took a leading role in the international debate on nuclear disarmament, particularly in the Pacific region.
After retiring from politics in 1998, Mr Bolger was New Zealand’s Ambassador to Washington from 1998-2002. He has chaired a number of companies, including NZ Post, Kiwibank and KiwiRail, and was Patron of the New Zealander of the Year Awards. He was Chancellor of the University of Waikato from 2007-2019.
Rt Hon Helen Clark Former Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Rt. Hon. Helen Clark was Prime Minister of New Zealand for three successive terms from 1999–2008. Throughout her 27-year parliamentary career, she advocated strongly for policies related to economic and social justice, sustainability, and multilateralism.
A respected global leader, from 2009–2017 Helen Clark became the first woman to lead the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Development Group, overseeing all UN funds, programmes, agencies and departments working on development issues.
In 2020, Helen was appointed by the Director-General of the World Health Organisation as Co-Chair of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, which reported in May 2021.
She now chairs the boards of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, and other public good organisations and initiatives. Helen continues to be a strong voice for sustainable development, climate action, gender equality and women's leadership, peace and justice, and action on pressing global health issues.
Public affairs consultant and media commentator - Pagani Agency
Josie Pagani is the CEO of ChildFund, a charity working to protect and support children in places like Gaza and Ukraine, and in the Pacific.
She has been involved in progressive think tanks in the UK and Europe, and is a regular media commentator on current and international affairs on New Zealand TV, radio and print. She has a fortnightly column in The Post and Stuff.
Josie has worked in aid and development, politics, trade and media for more than 20 years, including for MFAT and the OECD. Recently she has worked on a cost-benefit analysis of policies with Pacific governments, a project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She has also been working with the Tony Blair Institute to support Pacific governments.
Before that she was Executive Director of the Council for International Development (CID), New Zealand’s peak body organisations for aid agencies, and was an inaugural member of the New Zealand Government’s Trade for All Advisory Board.
Session Speakers
Day 1 speakers
Thursday, 15 February - 10.05am
Lain Jager - Director (Te Puna Whakaarouni)
Lain Jager is best known for his time as CEO of the hugely successful New Zealand kiwifruit marketer Zespri.
During his tenure as CEO from 2008-17, Zespri grew strongly through the impact and recovery from the bacterial vine disease Psa, grower returns doubled, and the share price grew from $1.00 to $8.00.
Today Lain is involved in a range of investment projects in tourism and agribusiness.
He serves as a director on several boards, was Chairman of the Primary Sector Council which produced the 'Fit for a Better World' report focused on the New Zealand food and fibre Sector, and is Co-Chair of Te Puna Whakaaronui, a food and fibre think tank.
Wayne McNee - Chief Executive (AgriZeroNZ)
Wayne McNee was appointed as Chief Executive of AgriZeroNZ in October 2023. He specialises in leadership, strategy and sustainability, and works across the agribusiness and health sectors. He has also held a number of directorship roles.
AgriZeroNZ is a world-first joint venture fund between major agribusiness companies (ANZCO, Fonterra, Rabobank, Ravensdown, Silver Fern Farms, and Synlait) and the Crown through the Ministry for Primary Industries.
It was set up to accelerate the development of tools and technology that can be used by New Zealand farmers to achieve the climate goal of reducing agricultural emissions by 30% by 2030, while maintaining our global competitiveness.
Wayne is the former Chief Executive/Director General of Pharmac, the Ministry of Fisheries, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry for Primary Industries, and the Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC).
Harjinder Singh - Director (Riddet Institute)
Distinguished Professor Harjinder Singh is a world-renowed food scientist and Director of the Riddet Institute, a National Centre of Research Excellence in Food Science. He has been with Massey University since 1989.
Professor Singh is the co-founder of Miruku Ltd, a plant technology company developing animal-free dairy proteins, and Saber Foods Ltd. In 2012, he was co-recipient of the Prime Minister’s Science Prize, the highest science honour in New Zealand.
His research has received more than $50 million funding, he is co-inventor of 16 patents forming the basis of several commercial innovations, and he has published over 350 papers in international journals.
Professor Singh's contributions to food science have received numerous prestigious international awards. He is an Elected Fellow of the United States Institute of Food Technologists, the Royal Society of New Zealand, and the International Academy of Food Science and Technology.
Thursday, 15 February - 11.05am
Cecilia Robinson - Founder & Co-CEO (Tend Health)
Cecilia Robinson is one of New Zealand’s leading entrepreneurs, perhaps best known for co-founding My Food Bag alongside her husband James Robinson. In 2020, she was inducted into the New Zealand Hall of Fame for Women Entrepreneurs.
Today Cecilia is the founder and Co-CEO of Tend Health, a full-service primary healthcare provider that uses world-class technology to offer GP services both online and in clinic. Launched in 2020, Tend has already grown to more than 25 clinics and 100,000 patients nationwide, and won NZ's Most Innovative Hi-Tech Service Award in June 2023.
She has won numerous awards, including Supreme Winner of the 2017 Women of Influence Awards, Next Magazine Businesswoman of the Year 2014, and EY Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2013, to name just a few.
Beyond her passion for business, Cecilia is a mother of three children and she supports numerous charities, including The Prince’s Trust New Zealand, the Middlemore Foundation and Surf Lifesaving NZ.
Des Gorman - Emeritus Professor of Medicine (University of Auckland)
Professor Des Gorman (Ngati Kuri and Ngapuhi) is Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the University of Auckland, Chairman of the Ministry of Social Development's Oranga Mahi Governance Group, and Adjunct Senior Fellow at The New Zealand Initiative.
Professor Gorman was Head of the University's School of Medicine from 2005 to 2010. His two doctorate degrees were awarded for in-vivo brain injury research, and he has more than 300 research publications.
His non-clinical interests include health system design and funding, and health workforce planning and development. He is currently involved in health reforms in several different jurisdictions.
His past roles include being a member of the Ministry of Health's Capital Investment Committee (2009-2023), a Director of ACC (2012-2018), the Executive Chairman of Health Workforce New Zealand (2009-2019), a member of the National Health Board (2009-2014), and a member of the Government’s Welfare Reform Group (2009-2010).
Jo Lane - Dean of School of Health (University of Waikato)
Professor Jo Lane is Dean of Te Huataki Waiora - School of Health at the University of Waikato. Appointed in April 2023, Professor Lane is excited by the significant role the University of Waikato can play in addressing New Zealand’s current health workforce challenges, responding to community needs, and achieving better health outcomes for all.
The University of Waikato established a nursing programme in 2021. It remains committed to the proposal of establishing a third medical school by 2027 to train more doctors, as well as a full range of allied health programmes.
Professor Lane was previously Deputy Dean in Te Aka Mātuatua – School of Science. He has a PhD in computational chemistry from the University of Otago, with research interests across a wide range of fields, including biomedical science.
He brings signficant governance experience to his role, having served as company director and board chair for Activate Training Centre (ATC), one of the country’s largest private training establishments.
Thursday, 15 February - 1.00pm
Paul Spoonley - Distinguished Professor Emeritus (Massey University)
Professor Paul Spoonley is a well-known sociologist who specialises in social change and demography.
He is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Massey University, having stepped down as Pro Vice-Chancellor of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences in 2019. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand, and chairs the Marsden Fund Council's social science panel.
Professor Spoonley became a member of a panel advising the Police Commissioner in 2021. In 2022, then Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern appointed him as co-director of He Whenua Taurikura, the national centre for countering violent extremism.
He is a board member of the Auckland Museum, and a visiting researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity in Germany. He was a Fulbright Senior Scholar at the University of California Berkeley.
Professor Spoonley is the author/editor of 29 books looking at ethnic identity, immigration and economic change, and he wrote a biography about Ranginui Walker.
Shefali Pawar - Senior Researcher in Demography (University of Waikato)
Shefali Pawar is a Senior Researcher in Te Ngira Institute of Population Research at the University of Waikato.
Shefali’s expertise is around working with large and complex datasets where she can use her skills to convert data and information into knowledge which can be used for informed decision making.
Her work involves providing detailed population profiles to iwi, councils and other organisations looking at unfolding demographic changes across New Zealand. She is particularly interested in the area of population health and has more than 10 years’ experience in analysing and researching primary and secondary sector health data.
A qualified engineer, she also completed a postgraduate diploma in statistics followed by a masters in demography at the University of Waikato.
Sarah Baddeley - Partner (MartinJenkins consultancy)
Sarah Baddeley is a Partner at MartinJenkins, a leading management consultancy company, and leads their Auckland practice.
Originally trained as a commercial regulatory economist at the New Zealand Treasury, Sarah has accumulated a wealth of experience across both the public and private sectors.
Her portfolio spans industries such as water, energy, transport, labour markets, healthcare, and social services. She has also led several assignments focused on joint ventures and partnerships between local government, central government, community organisations, and mana whenua.
Before joining MartinJenkins in 2017, Sarah had leadership experience at Counties Manukau District Health Board, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Contact Energy, and an energy utility based in Australia.
She is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors, the Association of Workplace Investigators, and Global Women.
Thursday, 15 February - 1.00pm
Max Rashbrooke - Senior Research Fellow (Victoria University of Wellington)
Max Rashbrooke is a writer and academic on economic inequality and our systems of democracy, and their potential to shape our societies for better or worse.
After working as a journalist in London during the 2000s, Max became concerned about rapidly widening economic disparities in New Zealand.
A Senior Research Fellow at Victoria University of Wellington’s School of Government, Max carries out high-impact, original research and brings it to a mass audience through his books, public lectures, and data visualisation. His latest book is Too Much Money: How Wealth Disparities are Unbalancing Aotearoa New Zealand.
His TED.com talk on upgrading democracy has been viewed 1.5 million times. He writes a regular column for The Post and his work is published worldwide, including The Guardian newspaper and Prospect magazine. Max has twice received the Bruce Jesson Senior Journalism Award.
Lisa Marriott - Professor of Taxation (Victoria University of Wellington)
Dr Lisa Marriott is Professor of Taxation at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, and Extraordinary Professor at the University of Pretoria, South Africa.
Professor Marriott is a Chartered Accountant and a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand. For the past 15 years, she has worked in academia. She has previously worked in industry as a financial controller and accountant in the private sector in the United Kingdom; and in the New Zealand public sector.
Her work is interdisciplinary, covering sociology, political science, and criminology. Her research interests include taxation, social justice and inequality, and she was awarded a Royal Society of New Zealand Marsden grant for her work on tax and welfare crime in New Zealand. Professor Marriott has published two books and more than 60 journal articles.
Sandy Lau - Partner (PwC New Zealand)
Sandy Lau is a Partner at PwC New Zealand who specialises in taxation policy issues.
Sandy is passionate about working collaboratively with businesses to help them navigate the continuously changing tax landscape in a pragmatic and commercial way.
She has more than 17 years’ experience in tax, having worked with a broad range of businesses to provide compliance and advisory services on areas such as international tax, investment structuring, GST, and other indirect taxes.
She has also worked closely with government officials over the last decade on a wide spectrum of tax policy issues.
Sandy leads PwC’s dedicated knowledge sharing team, which means she is abreast of Inland Revenue and government activity.
Thursday, 15 February - 1.50pm
Maria English - CEO (Impact Lab)
Maria English is the CEO of ImpactLab, an organisation that connects decision makers in the social sector with data they can trust, use, and learn from to do more good for their communities.
Maria was New Zealand's Hi Tech Young Achiever of the Year in 2021. Her goal is to help people reach their potential by combining tools from the worlds of data, tech and finance with the expertise of families and communities.
Since launching in 2019, ImpactLab has estimated the long-term Social Return on Investment (SROI) of more than 200 social interventions reaching 300,000 New Zealanders across diverse sectors, including youth development, housing, whanau ora, financial wellbeing and early childhood.
Merepeka Raukawa-Tait - Chair (Whānau Ora)
Merepeka Raukawa-Tait is the Chair of Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency, which provides a Māori approach to delivering social and health services to whānau.
She is a leading advocate for the rights of women and children; a strong public voice in the campaign to prevent family violence; and passionate about advancing the aspirations of Māori.
Merepeka has a long and distinguished history of public service, having served as CEO of the West Auckland Hospice, and she rose to national prominence as the outspoken former CEO of Women’s Refuge.
She is an elected member of both the Rotorua Lakes Council and the Lakes District Health Board. She has a wealth of experience in business, management and politics, and is in demand as a consultant and speaker on issues related to Māori, health, welfare, and social justice.
Michael Cameron - Professor of Economics (University of Waikato)
Professor Michael Cameron is Professor of Economics in Waikato Management School at the University of Waikato.
His research interests include population modelling, migration, health and development issues, cost-effectiveness analysis of public health interventions, financial literacy, and economics education.
Professor Cameron is a Research Associate in Te Ngira - Institute for Population Research, Vice-President of the Population Association of New Zealand (PANZ), and Vice-President NZ of the Australia New Zealand Regional Science Association International (ANZRSAI).
He was a PGDA Visiting Fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health at Harvard University from 2015-16. He is a member of the Social Sciences Panel of the Royal Society of New Zealand Te Apārangi Marsden Fund for 2023.
Professor Cameron has received numerous awards for outstanding teaching from the University of Waikato, and he was nominated for a National Tertiary Teaching Excellence Award in 2014.
Thursday, 15 February - 3.00pm
Vangelis Vitalis - Deputy Secretary Trade and Economic (Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade - MFAT)
Vangelis Vitalis is a New Zealand diplomat and economist who is currently the Deputy Secretary Trade and Economic for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Vangelis was the APEC 2021 Senior Officials’ Meeting Chair for New Zealand’s host year.
He was New Zealand's Chief Negotiator for several free trade agreements, including the NZ-European Union FTA, the Comprehensive & Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA, and the Malaysia-New Zealand FTA. He was in the negotiating team for the New Zealand-China FTA.
Previously, Vangelis was NZ's Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organisation in Geneva. He is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Trade and Investment Action Group, and on the steering committee for the Climate Trade Zero initiative.
Jason Mika - Associate Professor of Māori Business (Waikato Management School)
Dr Jason Mika (Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa, Whakatōhea, Ngāti Kahungunu) is Associate Professor of Māori Business at and Associate Dean Māori at the University of Waikato, specifically Te Raupapa Waikato Management School and Te Kotahi Research Institute.
Jason’s research, teaching, and practice centres on Indigenous business philosophy, including trade, tourism, agribusiness, and the marine economy. His research has influenced several areas of public policy, including trade, environment, and statistics. He completed his PhD in Māori entrepreneurship at Massey University in 2015.
In 2019, Jason was a Fulbright-Ngā Pae o Te Māramatanga Senior Scholar at Stanford University’s Woods Institute for the Environment and the University of Arizona’s Native Nations Institute.
Prior to academia, Jason was a management consultant and policy analyst in Māori economic development. He is a member of the Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management, and Te Apārangi Royal Society of New Zealand.
Mia Mikic - Trade economist (Universities of Waikato, NZ and Zagreb, Croatia)
Dr Mia Mikic is a trade economist and educator with a keen interest in sustainable development. She has a proven track record and experience in academia and international civil service.
She is engaged as a Research Associate at the University of Waikato and Advisor at Large for the Asia-Pacific Research and Training Network on Trade (ARTNeT), as well as a Visiting Fellow at the University of Zagreb, Croatia.
Mia was a Director of Trade, Investment and Innovation Division at the United Nations ESCAP from 2017-21, where she led research work in trade, investment and technology and innovation. Prior to joining the UN in 2005, she held various academic positions in Croatia and the University of Auckland.
She provides advisory services in trade, development and global governance, as well as being a member of various advisory boards. These include the Friends of Multilateralism Group, the Trade Policy Research Forum, and the Center on Inclusive Trade and Development.
Thursday, 15 February - 4.00pm
Grant Spencer - Former Deputy Governor (Reserve Bank of New Zealand)
Grant Spencer is a Teaching Fellow in the School of Economics and Finance at Victoria University of Wellington.
Grant retired from the Reserve Bank in 2018, where he was Deputy Governor and Head of Financial Stability from 2007 to 2017, and Acting Govenor for six months.
He oversaw the financial regulatory functions of the Reserve Bank, as well as macro-prudential policy and the bank's financial market operations, and was a member of RBNZ's internal monetary policy committee.
Prior to that Grant held senior strategy and treasury roles at ANZ Bank in New Zealand and Australia. He was Alternate Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund and chaired the OECD Committee on Financial Markets.
Bryce Wilkinson - Director (Capital Economics)
One of New Zealand's most respected economists, Bryce Wilkinson is a Senior Fellow at The New Zealand Initiative and a Director of Capital Economics, a Wellington-based economic consultancy firm.
Bryce is available for comment on fiscal issues, poverty, inequality and welfare research. He has a strong background in public policy analysis, including monetary policy, capital markets research, and microeconomic advisory work.
Bryce worked in the New Zealand Treasury until 1985, when he joined an investment banking firm to undertake capital market research. He then became a Director of First NZ Capital, before he established Capital Economics in 1997.
Bryce is a Fellow of the Law and Economics Association of New Zealand and he was a Harkness Fellow at Harvard University.
Day 2 speakers
Friday, 16 February - 9.15am
Craig Renney - Economist and Director of Policy (New Zealand Council of Trade Unions - NZCTU)
Craig Renney is an economist and Director of Policy for the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (NZCTU).
He served as a senior economic advisor to former Finance Minister Grant Robertson for five years from 2016-20.
Prior to that Craig worked as a senior analyst/policy advisor at the New Zealand Treasury, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.
He wrote three budgets for the Labour Government, and provided economic policy and costings for the Labour Party manifestos in 2017 and 2020.
Eric Crampton - Chief Economist (The New Zealand Initiative)
Dr Eric Crampton is Chief Economist with The New Zealand Initiative. His policy commentary regularly appears in major national media outlets, as well as his blog, Offsetting Behaviour.
Eric previously served as a lecturer and senior lecturer in economics at the University of Canterbury for 11 years, where he maintains an adjunct affiliation.
With The New Zealand Initiative, Eric has worked in a wide range of economic policy areas, from cap-and-trade systems for environmental management through to local government funding and financing, as well as earthquake preparedness, the Covid-19 response, and technology policy.
Sarah Hogan - Principal Economist (The New Zealand Institute of Economic Research - NZIER)
Sarah Hogan is a Canadian trained economist who has worked in health and social sector policy and research for more than 20 years. This includes her current role as Principal Economist at the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER).
She has previously held roles in both the Canadian and New Zealand public service, and health research at the Christchurch School of Medicine.
Sarah’s research at NZIER has focused on questions ranging from the infrastructure challenge facing the health sector and the value of health sector investments, to best practice in economic appraisal methods and their application in the public sector.
Her experience also includes teaching undergraduate economics, postgraduate health economics and public policy for professionals, as well as a brief stint as a secondary school mathematics teacher.
Friday, 16 February - 10.00am
Alison Andrew - CEO (Transpower)
Alison Andrew joined Transpower as Chief Executive Officer in 2014.
She is a proven leader who has held a number of senior executive roles across multiple industry sectors, most recently as Global Head of Chemicals for Orica Chemicals NZ.
Alison is a Director for the Port of Tauranga, as well as CIGRE, and has been a Director for Genesis Energy.
Prior to these roles, she held a number of senior roles at Fonterra Cooperative Group and across the Fletcher Challenge Group in Energy, Forests and Paper.
Nick Leggett - CEO (Infrastructure NZ)
Nick Leggett became Chief Executive of Infrastructure New Zealand in April 2023, after previously serving as CEO of the road transport industry peak body Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand.
Nick’s professional career has always centred around the need for quality and sustainable infrastructure. As Mayor of Porirua City from 2010-16, he understands the need for great infrastructure to power opportunities for people and provide a bedrock for economic growth and social progress.
Nick is strongly of the view that Aotearoa New Zealand must be bolder in its funding, investment and scale of world leading infrastructure projects. We must collectively encourage and welcome a more diverse range of people into the industry to deliver on this.
Chris Joblin - CEO (Tainui Group Holdings)
Chris Joblin is an experienced business leader who became CEO of Tainui Group Holdings (TGH) in 2015, after previously being CFO at AFFCO Holdings.
His passion for big picture thinking to support the success of the iwi and the Waikato region was recognised with the 2021 CEO of the Year Award at the Waikato Buiness Awards.
Chris leads a 45-strong team of property development, commercial, strategy, and finance specialists who manage a diversified $1.6 billion portfolio of investments to build intergenerational wealth for Waikato-Tainui. TGH's major projects include the Ruakura Superhub, The Base shopping centre, Te Arikinui Pullman Hotel, and a new regional centre for ACC.
Chris is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Accountants (CA) and the Institute of Finance Professionals NZ (INFINZ – CTP).
Friday, 16 February - 11.05am
David Frame - Professor of Physics (Canterbury University)
Professor David Frame is Professor of Physics at the University of Canterbury. His previous posts have included Director of the New Zealand Climate Change Research Centre, Director of the Deep South National Science Challenge, and Director of New Zealand's first major research programme into extreme weather events, climate change, and the associated costs.
Professor Frame was a lead author on the Fifth and Sixth Assessment Reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. As part of interdisciplinary teams, Professor Frame has worked on seminal ideas in climate science, such as the physics of the links between cumulative emissions of CO2 and temperatures, the differences between long-lived and short-lived greenhouse gases, and the quantification of climate change-attributable costs associated with extreme weather events.
He spent much of his academic career at the University of Oxford, where he later became Deputy Director of the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment. He also has policy experience, having worked at the New Zealand Treasury and on secondment at the Department of Energy and Climate Change in the UK.
Sir Brian Roche - Government advisor and business leader
Sir Brian Roche (KNZM) has an extensive background in governance and leadership roles that spans the government and business sectors, including transport, health, the Treaty of Waitangi, public sector performance, and sport.
Last year Sir Brian chaired a taskforce assisting Ministers on the response to the severe weather events that affected Hawkes Bay, Auckland and Tairawhiti. He is also Chair of AgriZeroNZ, a joint venture between industry and government to address agricultural emissions.
He undertakes various governance roles for Antarctica NZ, Tait International Ltd, Timberland Ltd, Gas Industry Company, and the Hugh Green Group Ltd. His previous roles include CEO of New Zealand Post Group, Chair of the Covid-19 Independent Continuous Improvement Group, Chair of Waka Kotahi, and Chair of City Rail Link Ltd.
In the 1990s he was Chief Crown Negotiator for Ngai Tahu’s Treaty of Waitangi claims. Sir Brian was Chair of the Hurricanes rugby franchise, and he led the team that bid for and then delivered New Zealand’s successful hosting of the Rugby World Cup 2011.
Bryce Davies - Executive Manager Corporate Relations (IAG New Zealand)
Bryce Davies has more than 20 years’ experience across insurance and banking in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
In that time he has held a variety of roles in corporate affairs, sustainability, and risk management.
He has also spent time in strategic and business advisory with a primary focus on financial services and the public sector.
Bryce’s role at IAG is focused on public policy and strategic risk. He has sat on numerous advisory groups and governance groups within industry and government that have focused on sustainable finance, climate change adaptation, natural hazard risk reduction.
Friday, 16 February - 11.55am
Brooke Roberts - Co-CEO (Sharesies)
Brooke Roberts is the Co-Founder, Director and Co-CEO of Sharesies, a wealth app with over half a million investors who’ve collectively invested over $2.5 billion.
The vision of Sharesies is to give someone with $5 and $5 million the same money opportunities.
Brooke is passionate about creating equal opportunities and business being a force for good - she puts a lot of focus on making sure Sharesies has a positive impact on people, customers, communities, and the environment.
Brooke was awarded the 2022 NZ Hi-Tech Inspiring Individual and 2022 NZ Services Entrepreneur of the Year, alongside Sharesies co-founders Sonya Williams and Leighton Roberts.
Shane Marsh - Co-founder (Dosh)
Shane Marsh is a Co-Founder of Dosh, a leader in digital financial services.
Shane has deep experience in financial services covering the New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and UK markets. His roles have ranged from product management and project leadership, through to front line sales and relationship management responsibilities.
During this time he has developed a detailed understanding of the role that technology and digital innovation play in transforming markets. He has practical experience in payments, blockchain, cryptocurrency and fintech, having led these streams of work at major organisations.
Shane is also a qualified Chartered Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Management Studies with Honours from the University of Waikato.
Karen Silk - Assistant Governor / GM (Reserve Bank of New Zealand)
Karen Silk joined the Reserve Bank of New Zealand in May 2022 as Assistant Governor / General Manager Economics, Financial Markets and Banking.
Karen is a highly experienced financial services executive with a strong track record of building and transforming businesses across both Australia and New Zealand.
Prior to joining the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, Karen held a number of senior executive roles with Westpac New Zealand. These included: General Manager Institutional and Business Banking; CEO Westpac Life; CEO BTNZ, and General Manager of the Experience Hub leading the design and delivery of products and services for Westpac’s NZ's customer base.
During this time Karen was also a Director of Paymark and alternate Director of Payments NZ.
2023 New Zealand Economics Forum
This year's forum was a huge success, featuring keynote speakers such as Adrian Orr, Governor of the Reserve Bank, and National Party Deputy Leader Nicola Willis.
The forum has featured a range of other high-profile speakers in the past three years, including former Prime Ministers Helen Clark, Jim Bolger and Sir Bill English; Finance Minister Grant Robertson; and CEO of ASB Bank Vittoria Shortt. Plus many more.
Watch the 2023 highlights video, or click below to watch full video replays of the 2023 panel sessions.
About Waikato Management School
Waikato Management School ranks in the top 1% globally, boasting Triple Crown accreditation since 2005 for excellence in business education. A decade-long leader in economics research.
Your hosts from Waikato Management School
Matt Bolger Pro Vice-Chancellor - Waikato Management School
Matt Bolger became the Pro Vice-Chancellor of Waikato Management School in 2020, following an 18-year career at Fonterra where he held a number of senior leadership roles in New Zealand and internationally.
He now leads the Waikato Management School – for the last two years proudly ranked #1 in New Zealand for Business and Economics by the global Times Higher Education World University subject rankings.
In August 2022, Matt was appointed Chairman of the Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand, the industry body for New Zealand’s world-leading dairy processing, marketing and exporting organisations.
Matt has a Bachelor of Science (Business Administration) from Georgetown University in Washington DC. He has also studied at Victoria University in Wellington, Columbia University in New York, and Sophia University in Tokyo.
Frank Scrimgeour Head of Accounting, Finance and Economics - Waikato Management School
Professor Frank Scrimgeour is an internationally regarded researcher, lecturer, and business/policy advisor who has spent more than two decades of his professional career at the University of Waikato's Management School.
As an economist, Frank's research focuses on the economics of agriculture, the environment, regional economics, and financial economics. His current research projects include the impact of climate change on food production, and the drivers of demand for emerging food products in different markets.
He has published widely in international journals, and is committed to research that informs economic and financial policy and best business practice.
Frank has been awarded lifetime membership of both the New Zealand Association of Economists, and the New Zealand Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, the latter of which he is president.
Anna Strutt Professor of Economics - Waikato Management School
Professor Anna Strutt specialises in international trade policy modelling and analysis. She has served as a consultant or expert advisor to a range of national and international organisations.
For example, Anna led a team working with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) on modelling the impact of a switch to climate-smart trade and she has undertaken work for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) on modelling the impact of recent trade agreements.
Anna has also worked with agencies such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and the World Bank.
2023 New Zealand Economics Forum
Last year's forum was a huge success, featuring keynote speakers such as Adrian Orr, Governor of the Reserve Bank, and National Party Deputy Leader Nicola Willis.
The forum has featured a range of other high-profile speakers in the past three years, including former Prime Ministers Helen Clark, Jim Bolger and Sir Bill English; Finance Minister Grant Robertson; and CEO of ASB Bank Vittoria Shortt. Plus many more.
Watch the 2023 highlights video.
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