Management

Katherine Simmonds discusses the changing landscape of M&A in New Zealand and the increasing appetite for M&A insurance from businesses. In the world of mergers and acquisitions, the first half of 2024 is shaping up to be more active than the sluggish start to 2023. This shift in the M&A landscape is driven by several factors that are transforming the industry and creating opportunities for investors, corporates, and private equity firms. New Zealand is emerging as a promising hub for M&A activities. It boasts a well-developed market with industry-specific or specialist businesses, offering quality targets thanks to its vibrant entrepreneurial sector.  It is also attractive from a currency perspective for target companies. In the first half of 2023, M&A deal

Fake reviews are one of the biggest challenges businesses face today. Customer Radar’s Mat Wylie explains what business owners can do to protect their online reputation. Google reviews have been a big topic in the news recently, with several Kiwi businesses hit hard by a new scam that tries to extort money with the threat of posting fake reviews. Customer reviews and ratings have never been more important for brands, or more dangerous for their survival – especially when they’re false. Sadly, this isn’t a problem with a simple fix. Despite the public knowing about the prevalence of scam reviews and unreasonable customers, people still make buying decisions based on businesses’ ratings. So what do you do when you’re hit

According to an IoD report directors are working longer hours and many have turned down roles due to time pressure as the median hours worked climbs back towards levels seen during the pandemic. Produced by the Institute of Directors (IoD), in partnership with EY, the Directors’ Fees Report provides key information on director remuneration and board practices in New Zealand. It brings together data for 3,951 directorships held by 1,124 directors across 1,695 organisations. The median fee for non-executive directors rose to $52,000 in 2023, up 0.9% from 2022, while average hours worked increased to 132, up from 111 in 2022 and back to levels not seen since the height of Covid-19. “Directors have been telling us for some years

Two different approaches to risk mitigation, delivers two very different business outcomes. Heather Robertson explains why it’s time to change your risk mindset. Mike and James met at a business networking group where a friendly rivalry sprung up between them as they were both in the same area of business, supplying appliances and electronics to consumers and companies. But that’s where the similarity stopped. Mike had inherited his father’s home appliance store and expanded into electronics and computer supplies, James had set his business up from scratch starting with secondhand goods he sourced from local auctions and directly from the public, slowly building his business to include new products. Displaying new and used side-by-side James’ customers could easily evaluate the