Business leaders share knowledge with ‘the little guys’

CEO’s and entrepreneurial leaders across the country, from Coca-Cola to Trelise Cooper, Air New Zealand to The Warehousewill be taking part in a unique initiative intended to make ‘knowledge at the top’ more accessible to those starting out in business.

Aimed at generating awareness for ChildFund’s Sri Lanka Livelihoods, the auction is set to increase knowledge-sharing across New Zealand and create opportunities for business mentoring.

Over 12 days, New Zealand business leaders will put their time and knowledge up for Auction, giving people the rare opportunity to share their business plans, learn and network with the typically inaccessible leader of their choice over a one-on-one business lunch.  

Whether you’re established business owners, budding entrepreneurs, fresh graduates or corporate rising stars, auction winners will have the rare chance to get first-hand business advice of fromthe decision makers at the top of some of New Zealand’s most-renowned businesses. 

While participating CEOs come from vastly different industries and have had differing roads to success, they all have a shared vision to pass on the fundamental businessadvice and insights they have learned along the way.

Alastair de Raadt, Managing Director of Cadbury and a ChildFund NZ Board member, says he is thrilled to be involved in the initiative and implores others in his position to be generous in sharing knowledge with emerging leaders.

“If any of my experiences can be of value to others then I’m happy to share them; simple as that. We should all be the same,” says de Raadt.

Jacqueline Ireland, CEO of Colmar Brunton, agrees that knowledge sharing should be encouraged and is a vital element of success in any industry.

“I am a firm believer in the importance of support and mentoring for new and start-up businesses,” says Ireland.

“Passion will take you a long way, but working with someone who has experienced the ups and downs of running a business is so valuable, and saves a lot of wasted time and effort.”

All proceeds from the winning bids will go towards ChildFund’s livelihoods appeal in Sri Lanka – providing micro-loans to buy the needed tools to grow a business and business skills training, support and mentoring to work smarter. The winning bids in the auction will be multiplied three times through the New Zealand Aid Programme. 

A small pilot test of this scheme proved successful with all families raising their income, some more than doubling it. Now it’s being rolled out to 3,000 families – all with Kiwi support.

The project involves 26 communities and the idea is that this will be self-sustaining and grow from a number of individual family businesses doing well to value-chain associations and cooperatives.  

 

Who: Jacqueline Ireland, Colmar Brunton; Alastair de Raadt, Cadbury; Barbara Chapman, ASB;Paul Harrod, KPMG; Christopher Luxton, Air New Zealand; Mark Powell, The Warehouse; Paul Fitzgerald, Coca-Cola; Don Lyon, Beca;Roger Partridge, Bell Gully; Trelise Cooper, Trelise Cooper; Geoff Ross, 42 Below; Craig Heatley, Sky.

When: Monday 26 May – Friday 6 June.

How: To get bidding, visit http://www.trademe.co.nz/stores/childfund