Export NZ

1. Business / Trading Name: ExportNZ (short for Export New Zealand) – a division of BusinessNZ.

2. Company Number: Data Not Found – ExportNZ is not a separately registered company (it operates under BusinessNZ, Incorporated Society #8290321).

3. NZBN (NZ Business Number): Data Not Found – no distinct NZBN (BusinessNZ’s NZBN 9429050291915 applies as the parent entity).

4. Entity Type: Division of an Incorporated Society (non-profit industry association). ExportNZ is an advocacy and member-services arm of BusinessNZ.

5. Business Classification: Industry advocacy group for exporters (business membership organisation).

6. Industry Category: International trade and economic development (ExportNZ represents exporters across manufacturing, primary industries, services, etc.). (In a 2015 survey of ExportNZ members, 49% were manufacturers and 15% from agriculture/forestry/fishing sectors.)

7. Year Founded: 1976 (originally established as the Export Institute of New Zealand). (The Export Institute, led by Ross Southcombe from 1976–82, was later re-launched under BusinessNZ in 2008 as “ExportNZ”.)

8. Addresses: National Office (Wellington): Level 13, NTT Tower, 157 Lambton Quay, Wellington 6011 (PO Box 1925). Auckland: 145 Khyber Pass Rd, Grafton, Auckland 1023 (PO Box 92066). Waikato (Hamilton): 103 Tristram St, Hamilton 3204 (PO Box 490). Bay of Plenty (Tauranga): 65 Chapel St, Tauranga 3110 (PO Box 13-202). Hawke’s Bay (Napier): 36 Bridge St, Ahuriri, Napier 4110 (PO Box 4140). Wellington (Central Region): (Office at Business Central) 3–11 Hunter St, Wellington 6011 (PO Box 1087). Canterbury (Christchurch): 57 Kilmore St, Christchurch 8013 (PO Box 359). Otago–Southland: (Serviced via Business South in Dunedin; correspondence often through Christchurch office).

9. Website URL: www.exportnz.org.nz.

10. LinkedIn URL: https://nz.linkedin.com/company/exportnz-national – ExportNZ’s LinkedIn page (listed as a nonprofit in “International Trade and Development”).

11. Company Hub NZ URL: Data Not Found – *ExportNZ is not listed on CompanyHub. (Note: An unrelated company “Export New Zealand Limited” exists with Company No. 3292557, which is a private health food wholesaler.)

12. NZ Companies Office URL: Data Not Found – no separate Companies Office registration (covered under BusinessNZ’s society registration).

13. Social Media URLs: Facebook – facebook.com/exportingnz (official page, described as “The voice and resource base for New Zealand exporters”); Twitter – @ExportNZ_AKL (primary regional account for Auckland, with additional handles like @ExportWgtn for Wellington); YouTube – youtube.com/user/exportnzvideo (ExportNZ channel); no official Instagram presence identified.

14. Ultimate Holding Company: BusinessNZ Incorporated (ExportNZ’s parent organisation and New Zealand’s peak business advocacy body).

15. Key Shareholders: Not applicable – ExportNZ has no shareholders (it is a membership-based non-profit). Its “owners” are effectively its member businesses and the regional business associations in the BusinessNZ network.

16. Leadership: National: Katherine Rich – Chief Executive of BusinessNZ (and ex officio head of ExportNZ); Joshua Tan – Executive Director of ExportNZ (Wellington); David Boyd – Chairman of the ExportNZ National Advisory Board. Regional Branches: ExportNZ’s regional operations are led by staff within BusinessNZ’s network: e.g. Ruth Boyes – ExportNZ Auckland Manager (with Employers & Manufacturers Association); Jason Reeves – ExportNZ Northland (Tai Tokerau) Manager; Jo Mackie – ExportNZ Waikato Manager (EMA); Kelli Simpson – ExportNZ Bay of Plenty Partner (EMA); Amanda Liddle – Regional Manager for Hawke’s Bay & Wellington (Business Central); Daniel Thomson – ExportNZ Canterbury Executive (Canterbury Employers’ Chamber); John Mezger – ExportNZ Otago/Southland Advisor (Business South). ExportNZ’s National Advisory Board includes business leaders like Stephen Jacobi (former trade diplomat) and others from the export sector.

17. Staff: Approximately 11–50 staff nationally. (ExportNZ’s LinkedIn indicates 11-50 employees and classifies it as a nonprofit organisation. The team includes policy advisors, regional coordinators, and support staff, often shared with regional business associations.)

18. Staff with Previous Government Roles: Katherine Rich – former Member of Parliament (National Party List MP, 1999–2008). Stephen Jacobi – Board member, former NZ Trade Commissioner and senior MFAT official (trade negotiator). Joshua Tan – previously international relations adviser at Wellington Chamber of Commerce (quasi-government role). (Many ExportNZ personnel have experience in government-related trade roles or on government advisory groups, facilitating a “revolving door” between public service and industry lobbying.)

19. Past Employees: Ross Southcombe – inaugural Director of the Export Institute of NZ (served 1976–1982, laying foundations for what became ExportNZ). Catherine Beard – Executive Director of ExportNZ & ManufacturingNZ (2010–2022) and longtime BusinessNZ lobbyist; she led ExportNZ’s advocacy for over a decade and was a prominent industry spokesperson on trade issues. (Beard had come from lobbying in the energy sector and continued at BusinessNZ as Director of Advocacy.) Other alumni include regional export coordinators who have moved into government or private sector trade roles over the years.

20. Clients: Not applicable in a commercial sense – ExportNZ’s “clients” are its member companies (approximately 2,000 exporter firms) ranging from small start-ups to NZ’s largest exporting corporations. (Notable members are drawn from all key export sectors – e.g. food and beverage producers, manufacturers, tech exporters, and primary industry exporters – though specific membership lists are not publicly disclosed.)

21. Industries/Sectors Represented: All export-oriented sectors across New Zealand’s economy, including manufacturing (engineering, machinery, etc.), agriculture and horticulture (dairy, meat, produce, wine), forestry, fisheries, technology and software, services (education, tourism pre-2020, etc.), and others. (Manufacturers and primary producers make up a large portion of the membership, but ExportNZ positions itself as representing the interests of exporters in every industry.)

22. Publicly Disclosed Engagements: ExportNZ regularly submits to government consultations and parliamentary inquiries on trade agreements and export policy. For example, it made a submission to MFAT in 2025 on launching NZ–India Free Trade Agreement negotiations, and it has presented to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee on deals like the CPTPP and UK–NZ FTA. It also publishes an “ExportNZ Trade & Advocacy Update” newsletter with commentary on trade policy developments. ExportNZ was represented on the Government’s Trade for All Advisory Board (2018–2019) to shape a more inclusive trade policy. The organisation often hosts Ministers and officials at its events (e.g. trade ministers speaking at the Go Global conference or ExportNZ awards ceremonies).

23. Affiliations: ExportNZ is part of the BusinessNZ network, which includes four major regional business organizations – the Employers & Manufacturers Association (Northern), Business Central (Wellington region), Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce, and Business South (Otago/Southland). Those regional bodies jointly deliver ExportNZ services locally. ExportNZ also works closely with New Zealand Trade & Enterprise (NZTE) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade (MFAT) on export promotion (e.g. co-hosting events). It is affiliated with BusinessNZ’s other advocacy divisions (ManufacturingNZ, Sustainable Business Council, etc.) under the BusinessNZ umbrella. Internationally, ExportNZ engages with counterparts through forums like the NZ International Business Forum and APEC Business Advisory Council (via BusinessNZ) and maintains ties with industry coalitions supporting free trade.

24. Sponsorships / Collaborations: ExportNZ’s activities are often supported by corporate and government partners. It collaborates with NZ Trade & Enterprise and NZ Story on initiatives like the “All-of-Government Export Roadshow” (a nationwide roadshow in 2023–2025 providing export guidance). ExportNZ also runs high-profile Export Awards events in partnership with sponsors: for example, the Air New Zealand Cargo ExportNZ Awards (Auckland) and the ASB ExportNZ Awards (Central region). These events are sponsored by banks (ASB, Westpac), logistics companies, and local agencies. Additionally, ExportNZ has partnered with Deloitte, DHL and others for research (e.g. the DHL Export Barometer survey) and with media outlets for promoting export success stories.

25. Events (Organised by ExportNZ): Annual ExportNZ Regional Awards – held in regions like Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Wellington (Central), and Canterbury to celebrate export achievements (often with the Prime Minister or Trade Minister presenting major awards). Go Global Conference – a flagship international business forum initiated by ExportNZ, considered a “must attend” event for exporters, featuring expert panels and government speakers. Export Workshops and Seminars – e.g. “Export Breakfasts” and trade briefings (ExportNZ co-ran nationwide export breakfast events during Export Year 2007 alongside NZTE). Trade Missions & Delegations: Historically, ExportNZ has helped coordinate business delegations on overseas trade missions or incoming delegations in collaboration with government. All-of-Government Export Roadshow – a collaborative event series in which ExportNZ hosts exporters with NZTE, MFAT, Customs, etc. providing updates (noted in 2023–25). ExportNZ also supports training workshops and webinars on trade compliance, logistics, and market expansion for its members.

26. Political Donations: None disclosed. ExportNZ as a non-profit does not donate to political parties. (No records in NZ Electoral Commission filings show donations from ExportNZ or BusinessNZ. BusinessNZ even declined government funding in some cases to maintain independence.) Individual member companies may donate in their own capacities, but ExportNZ itself does not contribute funds to any party or candidate.

27. Controversies: “Dirty Politics” Allegations (2014): ExportNZ’s current CEO Katherine Rich was embroiled in a high-profile controversy detailed in Nicky Hager’s Dirty Politics book. As CEO of the Food & Grocery Council (prior to joining BusinessNZ), Rich was alleged to have secretly funded negative PR campaigns against public health advocates via a blogger. She denied wrongdoing but refused media interviews on the allegations that her industry lobby hired proxies to attack critics. This episode raised questions about her dual role in public health governance and lobbying, and by extension heightened scrutiny of industry lobby groups’ tactics. – Influence over Covid-19 Policy: In 2020, BusinessNZ (ExportNZ’s parent) was criticized for its behind-closed-doors influence when it emerged BusinessNZ played an integral role in shaping the Covid wage subsidy scheme by meeting directly with the Prime Minister ahead of its announcement. While this ensured business input during a crisis, it underscored the preferential access such groups enjoy. – Fair Pay Agreements Fallout (2021–22): BusinessNZ (on behalf of its divisions) publicly refused to participate in the government’s Fair Pay Agreement system, turning down a $250k annual grant and drawing both praise and criticism. ExportNZ supported this stance out of concern that national wage bargaining could set precedents affecting export sector employers. Some labour advocates accused BusinessNZ/ExportNZ of trying to undermine worker rights reforms via political pressure. – Generally, ExportNZ’s strong pro-free trade lobbying has occasionally been contentious: for instance, its push for agreements like the TPPA/CPTPP faced opposition from unions and NGOs who argued business lobbyists overshadowed other voices. ExportNZ was also part of a coalition that opposed the inclusion of certain environmental and labour provisions in trade deals (preferring a focus on tariffs and market access), a stance that drew public debate.

28. Other Information of Note: ExportNZ DHL Barometer: ExportNZ publishes the ExportNZ DHL Export Barometer, an annual survey report assessing exporter confidence and challenges (covering issues like logistics costs, skills shortages, etc.). – Membership Size & Influence: With ~2,000 members, ExportNZ claims to represent the bulk of New Zealand’s export value, which gives it significant clout in policy discussions. Its Board comprises prominent exporters, and the organisation often speaks on behalf of exporters in media. – Policy Positions: ExportNZ consistently advocates for free trade agreements and has been “on the record supporting” major FTAs (e.g. it strongly backed the Trans-Pacific Partnership and applauded its revival as CPTPP in 2018). It generally opposes protectionism and supports policies like exporter tax incentives, R&D support, and streamlined regulation. – Collaboration with Government: ExportNZ’s close working relationship with government agencies is illustrated by its role in initiatives like Export Year 2007 (a government-business campaign to boost exports, where ExportNZ ran nationwide events with NZTE) and its inclusion in advisory bodies (e.g. Trade for All). – Transparency: ExportNZ’s advocacy is not subject to any mandatory lobbying disclosure in NZ. It operates as a private lobby group despite performing some quasi-public functions (this lack of transparency in lobbying has been highlighted by civil society calls for a lobbying register). – Notable Awards: In 2014, ExportNZ introduced an “Exporters’ Champion” award to honour individuals for lifetime contributions to exporting – the inaugural recipient was Ross Southcombe for his 1970s work establishing the export network.

29. Recipient of Wage Subsidy Scheme: No. There is no indication that ExportNZ or BusinessNZ itself applied for or received Covid-19 Wage Subsidy payments in 2020–21. In fact, BusinessNZ was instrumental in advocating for the wage subsidy’s creation (to support the wider business community) but did not claim it for its own operations. The organisation’s funding comes primarily from member dues and sponsorship, so it did not meet the revenue-loss criteria for the subsidy. (Contrast: many of ExportNZ’s member companies did utilize the Wage Subsidy, but ExportNZ as an entity did not.)

Sources:

[1] Export & Trade – BusinessNZ (ExportNZ overview), BusinessNZ, businessnz.org.nz/business-issues/export-trade (ExportNZ is a division of BusinessNZ)

[2] Export New Zealand Company Profile, Katalyst Business, https://www.katalystbusiness.co.nz/business-profiles/800631.html (ExportNZ described as a non-profit incorporated society with national coverage)

[3] Export New Zealand Company Profile, Katalyst Business, https://www.katalystbusiness.co.nz/business-profiles/800631.html (Head office address: Level 6, JacksonStone House, 3–11 Hunter St, Wellington)

[4] ExportNZ – LinkedIn profile, LinkedIn, nz.linkedin.com/company/exportnz-national (Industry: International Trade and Development; Company size: 11–50; Type: Nonprofit)

[5] Export New Zealand Limited – business information, BizDb, bizdb.co.nz/company/9429031200462 (Unrelated “Export New Zealand Limited”, Company No. 3292557, registered 2011, health food wholesaler)

[6] Profile for ExportNZ (Facebook page), Facebook, facebook.com/exportingnz (Described as “The voice and resource base for New Zealand exporters. ExportNZ is a division of BusinessNZ.”)

[7] ExportNZ Auckland (@ExportNZ_AKL) – Twitter, X (Twitter), twitter.com/ExportNZ_AKL (Official ExportNZ Auckland account bio: “ExportNZ is the home for ambitious and motivated businesses with global growth aspirations.”)

[8] BusinessNZ Limited (Removed) – CompanyHub, Company Hub NZ, companyhub.nz (BusinessNZ Limited, Company No. 1161679, was registered 2001 and removed – BusinessNZ now operates as incorporated society)

[9] BusinessNZ – by Bryce Edwards (Lobbying Register profile), The Integrity Institute (Democracy Project Substack), democracyproject.substack.com/p/businessnz (BusinessNZ: Incorporated Society, Company Number 8290321, NZBN 9429050291915)

[10] International Treaty Examination of the CPTPP – Submission, ExportNZ (via BusinessNZ site), exportnz.org.nz (ExportNZ notes it has ~2,000 members, is a membership organisation, and regional offices via EMA, Business Central, CECC, Business South)

[11] Our People – ExportNZ, ExportNZ, exportnz.org.nz/about/our-people (ExportNZ team page listing national and regional leaders, e.g. Josh Tan – Executive Director; Amanda Liddle – Hawke’s Bay/Wgtn Manager; etc.)

[12] BusinessNZ appoints former MP Katherine Rich as chief executive, NZ Herald, 19 Aug 2024, nzherald.co.nz (Rich served three terms in Parliament 1999–2008 and was CEO of NZ Food & Grocery Council)

[13] A semi-official take on New Zealand and China (blog), Croaking Cassandra (Michael Reddell), 26 Feb 2018, croakingcassandra.com (Stephen Jacobi “spent considerable time at MFAT…focus was Europe/North America…and trade negotiations”, left MFAT in 2005 to run trade lobby bodies)

[14] Katherine Rich stands firm against call to resign after allegations of conflict, Wellington Scoop (Scoop Media), 27 Aug 2014, wellington.scoop.co.nz (Rich refused to resign from HPA amid allegations in Dirty Politics that she funded attacks on health professionals via a blogger)

[15] Integrity Briefing: Launching the NZ Lobbying & Influence Register, The Integrity Institute (DemocracyProject), 1 Nov 2023, democracyproject.substack.com (Announcement of an “unauthorised NZ Lobbying Register” highlighting influence of companies, lobby firms, industry groups – aiming to bring sunlight to lobbying in NZ)

[16] Auckland Export Awards winners announced, BusinessNZ, 26 Sep 2014, businessnz.org.nz (Ross Southcombe, inaugural director of Export Institute 1976–82, was honoured as Exporters’ Champion; Export Institute “became ExportNZ” in 2008)

[17] Lobbying corrupts decisions, The Integrity Institute, theintegrityinstitute.org.nz (Discussion of how NZ lobbyists exploit lack of rules – revolving door from public service to lobbying with “no rules” in NZ unlike other countries)

[18] Export year launched – major boost for exporters, NZ Government (Helen Clark/Winston Peters) via Scoop News, 30 Nov 2006, scoop.co.nz (Launch of Export Year 2007: $33.75m boost to export development grants; ExportNZ and NZTE to run export breakfasts and events nationwide)

[19] Submission on CPTPP – ExportNZ, ExportNZ (via ExportNZ site), Jul 2018, exportnz.org.nz (ExportNZ: “has long been on the record supporting… what is now the CPTPP, from its original conception through to signing in Chile in March [2018]. We applaud the new government for continuing efforts…”)

[20] Major Companies Group – by Bryce Edwards (Lobbying Register profile), The Integrity Institute, democracyproject.substack.com (Notably, BusinessNZ was “instrumental in advocating for the creation of the wage subsidy scheme in March 2020 – meeting with the Prime Minister and Treasury to [push for it]”)

Spot anything in this entry that is wrong? Please either leave a comment at the end or email, in confidence: bryce@democracyproject.nz