News of New Zealanders via Global Media

Kiwi Entrepreneur Makes Forbes Under 30 List

Kiwi Entrepreneur Makes Forbes Under 30 List

Law and commerce graduate Shay Wright has been listed on Forbes Under 30 Asia list in the magazine’s social entrepreneur category as co-founder of Te Wharre Hukahuka, an organization that aims to rebuild the…

New Zealand, Chinese Telecom Firms Sign Pacific-Wide Internet Agreement

New Zealand, Chinese Telecom Firms Sign Pacific-Wide Internet Agreement

Spark and China Telecom Global have signed a deal to boost Internet traffic between the two countries and across the Pacific region, as reported on Xinhua News. “China Telecom Global has the technology,…

Timelio’s Charlotte Petris Helping Small Grow

Timelio’s Charlotte Petris Helping Small Grow

Large superannuation funds are preparing to enter the invoice financing market via the award-winning fintech start-up Timelio, which has created a peer-to-peer platform to provide capital to small companies seeking to expand. Timelio was…

Mike Anstis Flies for Rain over Middle East Desert

Mike Anstis Flies for Rain over Middle East Desert

At a remote airstrip outside Abu Dhabi, New Zealand-born pilot Mike Anstis is setting off to do something most would consider impossible in a desert. He’s hoping to make it rain. Anstis is cloud…

Richard Hall is Singapore’s new Iceman

Richard Hall is Singapore’s new Iceman

A four-generation family-owned ice business in Singapore has partnered with new local company Plink, founded by New Zealander Richard Hall, to launch what they call “the future of ice” – one filled many colours…

Banking Boss Ross McEwan Still up for the Fight

Banking Boss Ross McEwan Still up for the Fight

The Royal Bank of Scotland boss, New Zealander Ross McEwan tells the Telegraph about how the bank is helping UK’s small businesses and why trust is important. Opening a new business start-up “hub” on the…

New Zealanders Take over Australian Banks

New Zealanders Take over Australian Banks

“Congratulations to ANZ Banking Group’s tough new CEO, for both (partially) pulling the plug on the bank’s misguided Asian expansion strategy, which I have criticised since 2009, and for…

Beatrice Tinsley Acknowledged by Google Doodle

Beatrice Tinsley Acknowledged by Google Doodle

Beatrice Tinsley, “one of the least acknowledged – and most original – thinkers in astronomy is being acknowledged by Google Doodle”, writes Jess Staufenberg in an article for The Independent. The Doodle on Google’s…

Record New Zealand Wine Exports

Record New Zealand Wine Exports

New Zealand wine exports have hit a record high as the USA becomes New Zealand’s largest export market for wine. “Underlying the growth is the very positive reputation of New Zealand wine amongst consumers and…

Snowboarder Nev Lapwood Wins Big Dragon’s Den Deal

Snowboarder Nev Lapwood Wins Big Dragon’s Den Deal

New Zealand-born Nev Lapwood’s Snowboard Addiction training website has inked a US$100,000 investment deal with Canadian e-commerce maven Michele Romanow after wowing the panel on reality television show Dragon’s Den. Snowboard Addiction was…

Black Hole Expert Roy Kerr Honoured in Nice

Black Hole Expert Roy Kerr Honoured in Nice

One of the world’s most brilliant mathematicians, New Zealander Roy Kerr, 81, has been awarded the Crafoord Prize for his work on black holes. With an award of US$700,000 the prize is one of…

Here Comes My Jetpack

Here Comes My Jetpack

“Until now, the idea of flying your own jetpack has been largely fantasy. But 2016 could be the year when it takes off commercially”, writes Stuart Clark for The Guardian. According to the…

Lord of the Leaf

Lord of the Leaf

New Zealand native John Lord has built a wholly legal cannabis empire in Colorado over the past five years with annual sales that exceed $80 million. “We’re more than a dispensary, we’re leading a movement,”…

Maggie & Rose Kids’ Club Opens in Hong Kong

Maggie & Rose Kids’ Club Opens in Hong Kong

Exclusive private children’s club Maggie & Rose, founded in Kensington, London by New Zealander Maggie Bolger (pictured left) and Briton Rose Astor in 2007, has opened its doors in Hong Kong. The aim of the…

Air New Zealand Introduces World First Biometric Bag Drop

Air New Zealand Introduces World First Biometric Bag Drop

“Air New Zealand is speeding up the check-in process for customers departing from Auckland International Airport with new self-service bag drops featuring world-first biometric technology,” as reported in The Financial. “We can now…

New Zealand Joins Geothermal Alliance

New Zealand Joins Geothermal Alliance

New Zealand has joined the Global Geothermal Alliance at the U.N. climate conference in Paris. “As the world transitions towards a lower carbon future, the increased demand for renewable energy, coupled with the ongoing interest…

NZ Launches Healthier Lives Challenge

NZ Launches Healthier Lives Challenge

The New Zealand government recently launched the Healthier Lives National Science Challenge – a program that “will seek better prevention, diagnosis and treatment methods for cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity, with a burden…

Air New Zealand Named World’s Best Airline

Air New Zealand Named World’s Best Airline

Air New Zealand has been named the best airline in the world in a ranking by AirlineRatings.com for the third consecutive year, as reported in an article on The Daily Mail. “Air New…

NZ Scientists Bring Extinct Birds Back to Life

NZ Scientists Bring Extinct Birds Back to Life

A collaboration between scientists at Massey University, the Auckland War Memorial Museum and the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa bring extinct birds species back to life with 3D scanning. “Technology like 3D printing is the way of the…

Nadia Lim Cooks Up a Culinary Empire

Nadia Lim Cooks Up a Culinary Empire

New Zealand chef Nadia Lim has turned her passion for cooking into the profitable business My Food Bag, which she co-founded with her husband Carlos Bagrie  and business powerhouses Theresa Gattung and…

Meet GoodWorld, the Start-up Revolutionizing Online Charity

Meet GoodWorld, the Start-up Revolutionizing Online Charity

GoodWorld, a start-up founded by New Zealander Dale Pfeifer is revolutionizing the world of online charity. The start-up is a “fascinating–and extremely fast-growing–marriage of crowdfunding, philanthropy, and social media”, and allows people to donate money…

Martin Aircraft to Make Jetpacks for Dubai Firefighters

Martin Aircraft to Make Jetpacks for Dubai Firefighters

“Martin Aircraft has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Dubai to supply jetpacks and training to its civil defence and fire services”, writes Chris Pash in an article in The Business…

Gibbs’ Next Generation of Fast Amphibians

Gibbs’ Next Generation of Fast Amphibians

After bringing “three fast amphibian concepts to the American International Motorcycle Expo in Orlando, Fla.”, Gibbs Amphibians is “hoping to find to find a partner that would build the vehicles under license”, as reported…

Ron Butler Gets Behind New Emergency Vehicle

Ron Butler Gets Behind New Emergency Vehicle

The Cobra Litter is the brainchild of New Zealand-born racecar designer Ron Butler, who has spent countless hours working on the Ford Shelby Cobra, and retired Santa Barbara County firefighter Michael Schlags. “With Schlags’ real-world…

Hotel Maven Sean Macpherson Always Ready to Expand

Hotel Maven Sean Macpherson Always Ready to Expand

“There’s nowhere in Manhattan I wouldn’t open a hotel,” New Zealand-born California-raised hotelier Sean MacPherson tells the New York Post. In the past two years, MacPherson has seen two consecutive hotel openings: the 2014…

Dubai-Based Entrepreneur Rick McIntyre Looks Ahead

Dubai-Based Entrepreneur Rick McIntyre Looks Ahead

Founder of Dubai’s Mac Pack Removals Rick McIntyre, believes hard work, great service and a hands-on approach gives a customer service that people are happy to recommend. With no advertising and plenty of 80-hour…

New Zealand’s Fine Dark Ales

New Zealand’s Fine Dark Ales

In many countries dark beers are for the cold months, but not in New Zealand. “Lots of breweries in New Zealand have got stouts and porters among their best sellers,” said Stu McKinlay, one half…

Space Revolution Hatching in a New Zealand Paddock

Space Revolution Hatching in a New Zealand Paddock

The next revolution in space will be launching next year from a paddock in New Zealand’s remote South Island – a 16-metre carbon-cased rocket powered by a 3D-printed rocket engine. The rocket designed by Rocket…

Air New Zealand Named Australasia’s Top Airline

Air New Zealand Named Australasia’s Top Airline

Air New Zealand has been named Australasia’s Leading Airline for the seventh consecutive year at the 2015 World Travel Awards, according to an article in The Financial. “To win Australasia’s Leading Airline for…

New Zealanders Are the Best Forecasters of Australia’s Economy

New Zealanders Are the Best Forecasters of Australia’s Economy

New Zealanders are the ones to ask when it comes to predicting the fortunes of the Australian economy, according to an article in The Australian Financial Review. “New Zealanders looking for opportunity have…

The Top 10 Countries – Average Wealth Per Person

The Top 10 Countries – Average Wealth Per Person

New Zealand has been ranked the country with the second highest average wealth per adult in mid-2015 according to the Credit Suisse Research Institute’s (CSRI) sixth annual Global Wealth Report. The…

3rd Spaceflight Ground Station in Invercargill

3rd Spaceflight Ground Station in Invercargill

Spaceflight’s third ground station in Invercargill, New Zealand is now fully operational, according to an article in Space Daily. “Bringing the ground station online in New Zealand is another step in executing on…

Virtual Reality Start-up Attracts NZ$20 Million in Funding

Virtual Reality Start-up Attracts NZ$20 Million in Funding

8i, a Wellington-founded virtual reality start-up has raised NZ$20 million (US$13.65 million) from technology investors including Samsung Ventures, Dolby Family Ventures and Sound Ventures, a fund owned by actor Ashton Kutcher. The virtual reality venture wants…

Adrian Orr on New Zealand’s  Super Fund

Adrian Orr on New Zealand’s Super Fund

“The sovereign wealth funds of Australia and New Zealand have much in common but the underlying holdings reveal a chasm greater than the Tasman Sea”, writes James Frost for the Australian Financial Review…

Martin Jetpacks Cleared for Takeoff

Martin Jetpacks Cleared for Takeoff

The Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand has approved Martin Aircraft’s latest model jetpack, the Prototype 12, for manned flight, Business Insider reports. Martin Jetpacks, the world’s first commercial jetpacks with their distinctive mid-mounted fan…

New Zealand Sets 99% Connectivity Goal

New Zealand Sets 99% Connectivity Goal

By 2025 the New Zealand government is planning to connect 99% of its population to 50 Mbps broadband or better. The remaining 1% will be equipped with 10 Mbps broadband. “Our use of, and reliance…

New Role for ANZ CFO Shayne Elliot

New Role for ANZ CFO Shayne Elliot

New Zealander Shayne Elliot, 51, has been appointed CEO of ANZ Bank, the first internal appointment within the bank in 30 years. Shortly after the announcement of his appointment, Elliott said: “Obviously I know ANZ…

Fiona Mackenzie Ranked Seventh Most Impactful Public Investor Executive

Fiona Mackenzie Ranked Seventh Most Impactful Public Investor Executive

Fiona Mackenzie, Head of Investments New Zealand Superannuation Fund has been ranked seventh in The Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute’s ‘Public Investor 100’ that lists the most significant and impactful public investor executives…

Air New Zealand Unveils New Auckland International Lounge

Air New Zealand Unveils New Auckland International Lounge

Air New Zealand has unveiled a new international lounge in Auckland, which can seat more than 375 customers comfortably and is significantly larger than the old lounge. The new modern Auckland lounge was designed by…

Air New Zealand’s ‘Sustainability Framework’

Air New Zealand’s ‘Sustainability Framework’

Air New Zealand has launched a new ‘sustainability framework’ in Auckland on Wednesday September 16. “You find the best companies in the world doing well commercially are also doing well in a sustainability sense, they…

Strengthening Trade Ties With India

Strengthening Trade Ties With India

“Amy Adams, New Zealand Minister of Justice, Courts, Broadcasting and Communications is leading a trade mission to India to strengthen trade ties between both the nations”, as reported in Businessworld. “India is our…

Kiwis Save Baby Humpback Whale

Kiwis Save Baby Humpback Whale

A rescue team have “saved the life of a baby whale which was entangled in buoy lines off the coast of New Zealand’s capital”, as reported in The Daily Mail. “It was entangled…

Researchers Identify New Fossil Whale Species of New Zealand

Researchers Identify New Fossil Whale Species of New Zealand

Researchers from the University of Otago have identified three new whale species that once lived in New Zealand. The “researchers’ discovery and description of the Tokarahia kauaeroa and Tokarahia lophocephalus whales helps to fill in an important gap…

Richard Branson’s Right-Hand Man Is Josh Bayliss

Richard Branson’s Right-Hand Man Is Josh Bayliss

Auckland-educated lawyer Josh Bayliss, 42, is the global chief executive of Virgin Group, spearheading a web of transport, telecommunications, lifestyle, healthcare and financial services businesses across 34 countries. He runs Virgin for Richard Branson…

Teen Ayla Hutchinson Impresses at US State Fair

Teen Ayla Hutchinson Impresses at US State Fair

Ayla Hutchinson, 16, may be the youngest and farthest-travelling entrepreneur to showcase at the Minnesota State Fair this year. Hutchinson, who is from Taranaki, conceived of a safer approach to splitting kindling in 2012…

Streaming Service Baboom Changes Tack

Streaming Service Baboom Changes Tack

New Zealand streaming service Baboom “has a refreshing, possibly promising, approach to its place in digital music – Baboom wants to give the independent artists its focused on courting chances at greater exposure, and…

Xero Scores New Strategic Partnerships

Xero Scores New Strategic Partnerships

New Zealand cloud accounting firm Xero has used its annual Xerocon conference to announce a host of new partnerships and tools, and says it has passed 250,000 paying customers in Australia. CEO and founder Rod…

FitnessLink’s Grant Goes Spreads the Word in Dubai

FitnessLink’s Grant Goes Spreads the Word in Dubai

New Zealander Grant Goes, 34, runs FitnessLink, a Dubai-based health and fitness website which is starting to expand into the wider Mena region. He tells UAE English-language newspaper the National about he spends a…

Turn off Your TVs and Get Rich Urges Glenn Martin

Turn off Your TVs and Get Rich Urges Glenn Martin

New Zealand inventor Glenn Martin, 55, sold his television to rid himself of distractions in his drive to create one of the world’s first human-controlled jetpacks. Thirty years on from that decision and prototypes of…

Artificial Intelligence Experts are Building the World’s Angriest Robot

Artificial Intelligence Experts are Building the World’s Angriest Robot

“It sounds like the beginning of an apocalyptic sci-fi film. A New Zealand artificial intelligence company” – the Touchpoint Group, “is building the angriest robot in the world in the hopes…

Startup GoodWorld Raises $1.65M in Series Seed Round for “#donate” Technology

Startup GoodWorld Raises $1.65M in Series Seed Round for “#donate” Technology

Financial tech startup GoodWorld, Inc. has secured $1.65 million in investment capital to close out a preferred series seed round for its #donate technology. The round is a co-investment led by Nyca Partners, with…

Rocket Lab Signs NASA Partnership

Rocket Lab Signs NASA Partnership

The New Zealand satellite launch company Rocket Lab has signed a Commercial Space Launch Act Agreement with NASA. The partnership enables Rocket Lab to use NASA resources and launch complexes in addition to its…

San Francisco Cops Flaunt Epic, Amphibious ‘Quadski’ at Giants Game

San Francisco Cops Flaunt Epic, Amphibious ‘Quadski’ at Giants Game

A Gibbs Quadski XL – a New Zealand invention has been sighted in San Francisco. An SFPD officer was spotted on his Quadski in McCovey Cove for the first time at Saturday’s clash between the…

NZ Global Leader in Registry Software Foster Moore Buys US Company

NZ Global Leader in Registry Software Foster Moore Buys US Company

Foster Moore International, a global leader in government registry software, has announced the acquisition of U.S. company FileONE LLC and the establishment of U.S. operations in the North Carolina research triangle. Foster Moore develops online…

Joan Murphy Is Reframing the Fitness Industry

Joan Murphy Is Reframing the Fitness Industry

New Zealander Joan Murphy (pictured left) and Briton Pip Black, founders of Frame gym, explain to the Guardian how they have revolutionised London’s attitude to exercise. It’s 8:30am on a Wednesday morning and Joan Murphy…

Cars in NZ Are Running on Beer-Flavoured Petrol

Cars in NZ Are Running on Beer-Flavoured Petrol

New Zealand brewers DB Export have turned their leftover slurry of yeast and grain into a biofuel. Brewtroleum is available for a limited time at Gull petrol stations throughout the country. One of the leftovers…