Leaders Getting Coffee with Bruce Cotterill

• Episode 55: Former Speaker of the House and High Commissioner to London, Sir Lockwood Smith

  In Leaders Getting Coffee episode 55, our guest is the former National Party Minister, Speaker of the House and Ambassador to London, Sir Lockwood Smith. Sir Lockwood Smith is one of those people you feel you know before meeting him. He first stepped into the public gaze as a television presenter of science programmes aimed at school age children. What started as a university holiday job delivered some early name recognition, helping him to win a seat in the old first part the post political system. He grew up on the family farm that he still runs today. He learned the ropes early and developed the skills necessary to run the farm before leaving school. A Bachelors and Masters degree (with honours) in Agricultural Science put the theory alongside the practical skills he’d already developed. At first, he followed what most of us would observe as an academic career, lecturing at Massey University and wining a scholarship to attend the Waite Agricultural Research Institute, at the University of Adelaide, where he studied for his PhD in ruminant metabolism. He tells of studying Opera, as a sideline, while he was there. While in Adelaide he took up rowing, winning five state championships and leading the Adelaide University Boat Club as it’s captain. Back in New Zealand, politics was calling and he was elected to parliament as the MP for Kaipara in 1984. He became one of our longest serving MP’s, staying for 29 years, the last five of which were spent as a most respected “Speaker of the House”. On the Leaders Getting Coffee podcast with Bruce Cotterill, Sir Lockwood speaks of the highs and lows of life in politics. There have been many achievements and the occasional disappointment, and he is refreshingly open in his discussion, including the behind the scenes conflict surrounding leadership appointments. And he reflects on his time as Speaker of the House and his disappointment at today’s parliamentary behaviour. He also covers off his five-year stint as our High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ghana & Nigeria, and Ambassador to Ireland and the various roles he conducted on behalf of the UK government after his post was completed. Today, he’s back on the farm that he has operated throughout a busy life, breeding Belgian Blue bulls, a breed that he has continued to develop and enhance over his entire life. He’s a happy and contented man with a wonderful story to tell. And he tells it very well.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Episode 54: CEO of realestate.co.nz, Sarah Wood

  In Leaders Getting Coffee episode 54, our guest is the CEO of realestate.co.nz, Sarah Wood. As the real estate market starts to show some long awaited green shoots, it’s timely to have a discussion about the real estate market. As the leader of New Zealand’s only dedicated real estate portal company, Sarah Wood is uniquely positioned to share her insights into the changes in the market. Her early life was as one of 6 children in a farming family. That’s where she learned the value of hard work and the need to earn her own money. She completed a diploma in advertising and a university degree in marketing, all while learning the ropes in retail business before heading for the media sector with the Company then known as Wilson & Horton. Thereafter, the FMCG world came calling and she led a range of projects across some of the major brands at Goodman Fielder. As her husband’s medical career started to take off, she then found herself in the USA for seven years and she talks of a different way of life and new business opportunities. There she met an influential woman and she discusses the impact that relationship had on her. But the return to New Zealand was inevitable and after a stint back with her old employer, by then named APN, she found her first CEO role in the real estate advertising business. During the Leaders Getting Coffee podcast with Bruce Cotterill, Sarah shares her insights on building teams, developing a can do culture and getting things done. And she talks about her love of working with highly successful real estate agents and their clients, and the current state of the real estate market, with record numbers of listings and increased buyer activity. This is a leadership story that is still developing. Sarah Wood is a CEO of the future, someone who understands how to make technology, people and customers come together to create outstanding experiences. It’s well worth a listen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Episode 53: Former CEO of Spark NZ, Simon Moutter

  In Leaders Getting Coffee episode 53, our guest is the former CEO of both Auckland International Airport and Spark New Zealand, Simon Moutter. Simon Moutter is one of New Zealand’s best CEO’s of recent times, with a track record of growth and transformation that few can match. As you listen to Simon tell his story, one of the things that strikes you is how logical every step seemed to be. He started his own business as a young man working within New Plymouth’s energy sector, but moved on to run power stations and eventually lead the power company he worked with. But it was at Telecom, where he was to make his mark. As he describes it, stepping backwards to go forwards, he quickly rose up the ranks to become the COO in Theresa Gattung’s well established leadership team. When Gattung departed, rather than push himself for the top job, he assisted the new CEO with the transition and left to run Auckland International Airport, a move that saw one of New Zealand’s most important infrastructural assets refocus around the needs of it’s wide-ranging customer base. Four years later, he was back at Telecom, this time as CEO, and hatching a plan to reposition a company that was once one of New Zealand’s most loved and successful brands. Despite advice from business leaders and customers, he led the change to Spark New Zealand, a change designed to reflect the move to the digital age. On the Leaders Getting Coffee podcast with Bruce Cotterill, Simon tells the stories behind those decisions in a way that provides countless lessons for everyone from young aspiring leaders to well established current executives. And the story doesn’t stop there. When a newly installed Prime Minister called, Simon Moutter took his skills to the country’s housing provider as Chairman of Kainga Ora. And so the Moutter transformation machine keeps on rolling. This is an inspiring and educational story about business, tough decisions, and how to be sure of turning those decisions into successful outcomes. Make sure you have your notebook ready.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Episode 52: Founder of Dressmart and Rodd & Gunn, Gary Gwynne

  In Leaders Getting Coffee episode 52, our guest is one of the original partners of advertising agency Colenso and the founder of the Dressmart Outlet stores and man’s brand, Rodd & Gunn, Gary Gwynne. Gary enjoyed the freedom of life as an only child in pre-sixties Otago. That freedom created a mindset that believed anything was possible and authority was to be avoided. Fresh out of Otago Boys High School and with an Otago University bachelor’s degree in his toolkit, a young Gwynne headed for the up-and-coming business of advertising, with a goffer’s job organised through the contacts of his father, who was a radio announcer at the time. Three short years at the so-called “university of marketing”, Nestle, followed. But it wasn’t long before he was asked to return to ad- land, with a company named Colenso. There he stayed for sixteen years, becoming a partner and ultimately joint Managing Director alongside the legendary Roger McDonnell. But he left all that and mid-career, became an entrepreneur. During the Leaders Getting Coffee podcast with Bruce Cotterill, we hear of his aspirations and adventures into a wide range of businesses including Men’s apparel, land subdivision and commercial property development. Gary Gwynne speaks with great affection for the advertising industry and the colleagues he left. But his subsequent story is highly relatable to current or aspiring entrepreneurs. He highlights the challenges of getting established, the need for the right partners, and the importance of brands. A keen fisherman and hunter, it was only a matter of time before Rodd and Gunn was born as a part of the Outdoor Heritage brand he built. And as Dressmart celebrates 30 years since its launch, we hear what prompted the arrival of outlet stores to New Zealand in the aftermath of a harsh recession. Recently New Zealand lost another entrepreneur in Sir Michael Hill, and having worked with him for more than 20 years, we are treated to a wonderful tribute to Sir Michael from our guest. Gary Gwynne’s story is one of a good Kiwi bloke who had a crack and succeeded. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Episode 51: Pead PR Founder, Deborah Pead

  In Leaders Getting Coffee episode 51, our guest is the founder of one of our most influential public relations firms, Deborah Pead. Deborah was born in the UK, grew up in South Africa and moved to New Zealand with her young family in the mid 1990’s. She’s earned her resilience the hard way and has thrived despite a bomb blast at her employer’s flagship store, a gun held at her head, and a house fire that robbed her of family mementoes and possessions. But this one woman force of nature shone through it all to build a new life for her family in New Zealand and an influential firm that specialised in creating brands and building reputations. With a psychology degree in her toolkit, a young Deborah Pead stumbled into the PR business managing publicity for a suburban department store. Her impact was immediate and resulted in a move to head office where she continued to build her expertise and her influence. That influence eventually saw the establishment her own business in Johannesburg. But the violence was getting closer, and with a husband and young children in tow, the decision was made to move to New Zealand. On the Leaders Getting Coffee podcast with Bruce Cotterill, Deborah Pead is refreshingly open about what prompted the move and the challenges of starting over in a new country. But failure was never an option, and after several years establishing a PR arm for a well known advertising agency, she cut her ties and went out on her own once more. The rest, as they say, is history. The big brands followed her, and she’s been influential in the creating and success of New Zealand Fashion Week, the New Zealand Music Awards (the Tuis), My Food Bag, 42 Below Vodka and even Xbox. As if all that is not enough, there’s another chapter too. A family farm, 90 minutes drive north of Auckland, where something special is happening with the humane treatment of animals and premium angus beef. Deborah Pead’s story is one of resilience, family bonds and professional success. You get the feeling there is more to come.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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