<p>Little Giant art director Becca O'Shea is part of the leadership team at <a href="https://www.littlegiant.co.nz/">Little Giant</a>, an agency that was recently named New Zealand’s Digital Agency Of The Year. She was an also a interactive judge at last year’s Best Design Awards. Here, she shares why businesses who focus on designing remarkable brand experiences come out on top. </p>
<p>A roundup of some of the deals done and/or did.</p>
<p>A new government always means a bit of a shake-up when it comes to policies. Postdoctoral research associate in Urban Governance at the University College of London, Jenny McArthur, shares her analysis of the government's urban design plans for New Zealand, as well as whether the country's smaller towns and cities are getting a look in.</p>
<p>Ann-Marie Cavanagh, chief technology and digital services officer for the Ministry of Health, discusses a new Callaghan Innovation report on AI and how technology is affecting health care - and how the Ministry of Health is embracing technology.</p>
<p>There's no question design is having a moment. Fortune 500 companies are hiring chief design officers and investing in design and innovation centres, and even traditional corporates are getting in on the action. At the forefront of this is Silicon Valley based Airbnb, the online marketplace for people to lease short-term accommodation. Founded by designers Joe Gebbia and Brian Chesky and co-founder Nathan Blecharczyk in 2008, the company is now a behemoth, valued at US$31 billion and located in 190 countries. On a recent trip to Auckland for the Better By Design CEO Summit, Airbnb's Jenny Arden (an IDEO, Google and YouTube alumni) chats with us all things design. </p>
<p>Louisa McClure dispenses sage wisdom about taking risks, not waiting, and giving things a go.</p>
<p>Amazon's Alayna Van Dervort - who works with global organisations on the front lines of AI and machine learning projects in education, environmental advocacy, accessibility, healthcare, wildlife protection, child sex trafficking and global crises - chats about ways artificial intelligence is being used to make the world a better place.</p>
<p>A new MYOB report says New Zealand’s tech sector lacks gender diversity – and may even get less diverse. What can be done – and what is being done – to address the issue? Plus: a roundtable discussion with OMGTech! co-founder and general manager Zoe <span data-scayt-lang="en_US" data-scayt-word="Timbrell">Timbrell</span>, <span data-scayt-lang="en_US" data-scayt-word="AUT">AUT</span> lecturer and She# founder Dr <span data-scayt-lang="en_US" data-scayt-word="Mahsa">Mahsa</span> <span data-scayt-lang="en_US" data-scayt-word="Mohaghegh">Mohaghegh</span> and <span data-scayt-lang="en_US" data-scayt-word="MYOB">MYOB</span> general manager Carolyn <span data-scayt-lang="en_US" data-scayt-word="Luey">Luey</span> on what can be done to increase gender diversity and <span data-scayt-lang="en_US" data-scayt-word="inclusivity">inclusivity</span> in New Zealand’s tech sector, what individuals and <span data-scayt-lang="en_US" data-scayt-word="organisations">organisations</span> can do, where things can go from here, and more.</p>
<p>Putting food on hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders’ plates means there’s plenty on Cecilia Robinson’s, the co-founder and co-CEO of My Food Bag. Here’s how she manages her time.</p>
<p>All the deals done, did.</p>
<p>It’s not every day a campaign started by a Dunedin-based games company goes viral, with some of the planet’s largest companies in the games industry lending their support. But not every company is as awesome as <a href="http://www.runawayplay.com/">Runaway</a> and #GirlsBehindTheGames.</p>
<p>Sarah Pearce discusses the lessons business leaders can learn from the tennis legend.</p>
<p>The world is on track to have more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050. But all is not lost if we embrace a "circular economy," says the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's Andrew Morlet. Does he have a point?</p>
<p>The climate crisis needs massive investment to change and reorient our economy away from fossil fuels. Our new government has set a goal to reduce net emissions to zero by 2050. Getting to zero is necessary to play our part internationally, and feasible as shown by the Vivid Economics report from the <a href="http://www.vivideconomics.com/publications/net-zero-in-new-zealand">GLOBE Parliamentary group</a>. It will also help restore our international reputation as a leader in sustainability and create opportunities for New Zealand business.</p>
<p>In a regular section called Can We Fix It? Idealog and Kiwibank will explore some of the world’s biggest – and, in some cases, most intractable – problems and then showcase some of the clever people trying to tackle them. <a href="https://www.getkai.co.nz/">Kai</a> is a smart, data-driven grocery planning and delivery service soon to be launched out of Auckland. The aim? To decentralise and regenerate the food ecosystem, decreasing waste and prices. </p>
<p>Throughout history, blockades have been overcome by new ways of thinking and experimentation – try, try and try again, as the saying goes. This faith in the human ability to find solutions has led to everything from penicillin to electricity to flying machines. So, in a regular section in print called Can We Fix It? and in a series of online pop-up sections throughout the year – Idealog and Kiwibank will explore some of the world’s biggest – and, in some cases, most intractable – problems and then showcase some of the clever people trying to tackle them. First up, the existential threat that is Climate Change. </p>
<p>Getting staff aligned and focused on the collective vision and purpose requires a very special sort of internal marketing and communication strategy. It takes enormous leadership authenticity and commitment to be successful.</p>
<p>Andy Cunningham is known best for her role helping to launch the Apple Macintosh, where she worked closely with Steve Jobs. Since those heady days, she has played a key role in the launch of a number of new categories, including video games, personal computers, desktop publishing, digital imaging, RISC microprocessors, software as a service, very light jets and clean tech investing. During a recent visit to New Zealand, she sat down with Mark Godenho to discuss branding, bro-culture and her new book.</p>
<p>Board Dynamics and Better Boardroom CEO and founder Henri Eliot discusses the<em> <strong><a href="https://www.governanceinstitute.com.au/news-media/media-releases/2017/dec/new-guide-provides-roadmap-to-better-corporate-culture/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Managing Culture – a Good Practice Guide</a> </strong></em>report and the impact of board oversight on company culture.</p>
<p>Dunedin-based, woman-led games studio Runaway is on a mission to help the gaming industry level-up in terms of equality, with their #GirlsBehindTheGames campaign. And it's proving super-effective.</p>
<p>Being in business is like the proverbial roller coaster ride – high highs, low lows, unexpected turns, multiple passengers and, often, a funny feeling in the pit of your stomach. Maya Breen looks at what that journey might sound like.</p>
<p>A group of New Zealanders are leading a global team in launching the world’s first blockchain platform for the online ratings and review industry. Will the venture be a perfect 10 in terms of financial success?</p>
<p>Sarah Pearce offers some important advice for business leaders - and really everyone - when it comes to managing online presence, particularly on social media.</p>
<p>We live in a world where architectural (and all) imagery is ubiquitous. An image of a new building in New York screen-grabbed online on Monday can influence a design brief for a project in Wellington, New Zealand on Tuesday. How do we ensure that we counter this homogenisation in our highly connected world? A valid response is to promote the appreciation and understanding of identity, and how it can be translated into built form to lend our work meaning and integrity.</p>
<p>Auckland Council's design champion Ludo Campbell-Reid was one of the People's Choice winners for Most Creative in government/politics/economics for<a href="https://idealog.co.nz/casestudies/idealogs-most-creative-people-our-winners"> Idealog and Accenture's Most Creative People</a>. A strong voice in real life and on social media for more human-centred urban design and development, more affordable, well-designed housing and more public spaces that think about people rather than cars, Campbell-Reid is playing an important role in ensuring Auckland residents get a better city. Here, he talks finding inspiration, the biggest lessons learnt and what he's working towards.</p>
<p>Recipients of the 2017 Edmund Hillary Fellowship have been announced. To mark the enormous achievement - a three-year fellowship programme offered for up to 100 high-calibre international entrepreneurs, investors and startup teams and 20 Kiwis to incubate and support innovative businesses that have the potential for a global impact - we're profiling some of the fellows. Up next is Audrey Tan, Co-Founder and CEO of Angels of Impact.</p>
<p>Westpac New Zealand, with the help of <span data-scayt-lang="en_US" data-scayt-word="FCB">FCB</span> Media, is tackling the issue of gender diversity in business leadership roles with a message about women’s underrepresentation in the <em>New Zealand Herald</em> that’s hard to ignore.</p>
<p>Zoe Hobson and Emma Johansson of Dunedin-based games studio <a href="http://www.runawayplay.com/our-story/">Runaway</a> chat about their upcoming VR game <a href="http://www.runawayplay.com/games/flutter/">Flutter</a>, why they chose Dunedin as a headquarters, the fight for equality in the games industry, and more.</p>
<p>Board Dynamics CEO Henri Eliot asks a simple question: do directors have a good read on the culture at the organisations they oversee?</p>
<p>This year’s NZI Sustainable Business Network Awards saw a record number of entries – but there could only be one top winner to take home the (sustainable) bacon.</p>