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Pead PR

  1. Business / Trading Name: Pead (rebranded from Pead PR in 2021)

  1. Company Number: 1182100

  1. NZBN: 9429036662104

  1. Entity Type: New Zealand Limited Company

  1. Business Classification: ANZSIC code M6962 – Public Relations Services (classified under “Management Advice and Other Consulting Services”)

  1. Industry Category: Public Relations and Communications Services (Professional Services)

  1. Year Founded: 2001 (company incorporated 24 Dec 2001). Founded by Deborah Pead, who began operations in 2000

  1. Addresses:

    • Registered Office: Care of Nightingale Paton Ltd – Level 1, 551–553 Remuera Road, Remuera, Auckland 1050

    • Head Office: Imperial Building, 44 Queen Street, Auckland 1010, New Zealand (central Auckland)

  1. Website URL: pead.co.nz (

https://www.pead.co.nz/

  1. )

  1. LinkedIn URL: linkedin.com/company/we-are-pead (Pead – Company Page on LinkedIn)

  1. Company Hub NZ URL: https://www.companyhub.nz/companyDetails.cfm?nzbn=9429036662104

  1. NZ Companies Office URL: https://app.companiesoffice.govt.nz/companies/app/ui/pages/companies/1182100/addresses?backurl=H4sIAAAAAAAAAC2LMQrDMAxFb%2BOlQ9I0GDKI0KlLhkB6AWGJNpDIriUXcvua0O2%2Fx%2FtNwhdrE%2BKeUNa6lDGH97hHYlBDIczk7EgMLLZaTdwHhr4b2pv3vru2%2FcUhfVEC04zCG1gu7M74eNafwn2a%2FrwYWtFHjiWd%2BgcEfRzifgAAAA%3D%3D

  1. Social Media URLs:

    • Facebook: facebook.com/wearepead

    • Twitter (X): twitter.com/wearepead

    • Instagram: instagram.com/wearepead

  1. Ultimate Holding Company: None (independent NZ-owned; no parent entity)

15. Key Shareholders: (Private ownership) – Deborah Pead 23%; Louisa Kraitzick 21%; Anna Farrera 21%; Sarah Munnik 25%; Jack Wheeler 5%; Zilin Zhu 5%.

  1. Leadership:

    • Deborah Pead – Founder & Executive Chair (principal shareholder; founded company in 2001)

    • Sarah Munnik – Managing Partner (leads Consumer & Creative communications; joined 2016, MD since 2018)

    • Anna Farrera – Partner, Consumer (senior leader and board director since 2020)

    • Louisa Kraitzick – Partner, Corporate & Digital (senior leader and board director since 2020)

    • Jack Wheeler – Partner, Corporate (promoted 2023; leads corporate accounts; shareholder)

    • “Spring” Zilin Zhu – Partner, Finance (CFO/finance lead; joined board 2021)

  1. Staff: ~30 employees (consultants as of 2019). Medium-sized firm (11–50 staff range) per LinkedIn.

  1. Staff with Previous Government Roles: Data Not Found. No senior staff are publicly known to have been government ministers or parliamentary advisors. (Leadership primarily consists of career PR professionals from private sector backgrounds.)

  1. Past Employees: Notable former staff include Kelly Grindle (early employee from 2007, who departed and built an international PR career before returning to Pead in 2019 as Strategy Director). No known ex-staff have become government officials.

  1. Clients: A diverse portfolio of corporate and institutional clients. Notable clients include:

    • Meta (Facebook/Instagram) – Social media giant (Pead is NZ PR agency-of-record)

    • Ballance Agri-Nutrients – Farmer-owned fertiliser cooperative (retained PR agency)

    • Watercare Services Ltd – Auckland’s water utility (communications support on infrastructure projects)

    • My Food Bag – Meal-kit delivery company (consumer PR; influencer campaigns)

    • Recording Industry Association of NZ – Music industry body (anti-piracy advocacy PR)

    • Craggy Range Winery – NZ winery (brand PR in domestic and international markets)

*(Pead’s client base spans tech, agriculture, utilities, consumer goods, entertainment, and more.)

  1. Industries/Sectors Represented: Broad range including: Technology and Social Media (e.g. Meta) ; Primary Industry/Agribusiness (farming and agrinutrients) ; Public Utilities & Infrastructure (water/wastewater services) ; Consumer Products & Food (grocery and meal kits) ; Media & Entertainment (music and cultural events) ; Corporate Services (various corporate brand communications).

  1. Publicly Disclosed Engagements: Data Not Found. (No mandatory lobbying disclosures in NZ; Pead’s advocacy work is typically behind-the-scenes. The firm has not voluntarily registered any lobbying activities publicly, given the absence of an official register.)

  1. Affiliations: Member of IPREX, a global network of independent PR agencies (provides international reach). Pead is also generally involved in industry associations (e.g. Public Relations Institute of NZ), and adheres to PRINZ codes of practice (implied, not explicitly public).

  1. Sponsorships / Collaborations: Engages in pro bono and community collaborations. For example, Pead has provided pro bono PR services to charities such as the Garden to Table Trust. The agency’s leaders often collaborate with industry bodies on events and awards (e.g. supporting Cuisine Food Awards, per social media posts).

  1. Events (organised by Pead): Data Not Found. (No major public events hosted under Pead’s own name are noted. The firm primarily manages events and promotions for clients rather than holding public-facing events itself.)

  1. Political Donations: Data Not Found. A search of public electoral donation records shows no declared political donations by Pead Limited or its principals. The company appears to avoid direct party financing, at least above disclosure thresholds.

  1. Controversies:

  1. Undisclosed Influencer Advertising (2016): Pead PR was criticised for a covert endorsement when All Black TJ Perenara promoted client My Food Bag on social media without disclosure that it was a paid promotion, breaching advertising transparency standards. This incident highlighted ethical concerns around the firm’s use of influencers.

  1. “Native Advertising” News Coverage (2019): Media commentators noted that a NZ Herald “story” announcing Pead’s ownership change was effectively a PR release run as news, raising questions about blurred lines between journalism and PR influence. The unbylined article read like publicity for Pead, illustrating the firm’s ability to insert its narrative into mainstream media.

*(No other major scandals directly implicating Pead are documented. The firm mostly stays out of public controversy, operating behind clients.)

  1. Other Information of Note:

  1. Media Influence: Founder Deborah Pead is a high-profile PR figure who frequently offers expert commentary on public communications crises. She has penned opinion pieces (e.g. advising how a maligned CEO could rebuild trust) and appears on radio as a PR pundit. This media presence underscores Pead’s influence in shaping discourse beyond its client work.

  1. Rebrand: In mid-2021, Pead PR formally rebranded to simply “Pead.” The change signaled an expansion beyond traditional PR into broader communications, digital marketing and creative content services.

  1. Independence: Pead emphasizes its 100% New Zealand ownership and independence. This means unlike some competitors, it is not part of a global holding company – a point the firm uses to market itself as locally grounded yet globally connected (via IPREX).

  1. Recipient of Wage Subsidy Scheme: Yes. Pead Limited received COVID-19 Wage Subsidy support during the 2020 pandemic lockdown. (It appears on the Ministry of Social Development’s public register of wage subsidy recipients, indicating it claimed government wage subsidies to retain staff.) No public record of Pead returning or refusing the subsidy; the assistance helped the firm weather the downturn in event and retail marketing work.

Sources

[1] Launching the NZ Lobbying & Influence Register, LinkedIn – Bryce Edwards (The Integrity Institute), https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/launching-nz-lobbying-influence-register-bryce-edwards-dzzdc

[2] Ownership change ushers in new era for Pead PR, M+AD Daily, https://www.mad-daily.com/ownership-change-ushers-in-new-era-for-pead-pr/

[3] Changing ownership ushers in new era for Pead PR, NZ Herald, https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/changing-ownership-ushers-in-new-era-for-pead-pr/DF353AXTYLMUN763B62VB7EAEY/

[4] Pead wins Meta account in NZ, StopPress, https://stoppress.co.nz/news/pead-wins-meta-account-in-nz/

[5] Ballance Agri-Nutrients appoints Pead as retained PR agency, StopPress, https://stoppress.co.nz/news/account-wins/ballance-agri-nutrients-appoints-pead-as-retained-pr-agency/

[6] pead (Company Page), LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/we-are-pead/

[7] PEAD LIMITED (Company 1182100 entry), NZ Business Directory (nzwao.com), https://www.nzwao.com/companies/pead-pr-limited/

[8] Pead PR Limited – Kompass Company Profile, Kompass New Zealand, https://sa.kompass.com/c/pead-pr-limited/nz007320/

[9] ANZSIC 6962 – Public Relations Services, IBISWorld Industry Report, https://www.ibisworld.com/au/industry/public-relations-services/6962/

[10] Instagram bio – WeArePead, Instagram (@wearepead), https://www.instagram.com/wearepead/

[11] pead (@wearepead) – profile, X (Twitter), https://twitter.com/wearepead

[12] Pead – Facebook Page, Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/wearepead/

[13] PEAD LIMITED – Company Information, Company Hub NZ, https://www.companyhub.nz/companyDetails.cfm?nzbn=9429036662104

[14] Companies Register – Search, NZ Companies Office, https://companies-register.companiesoffice.govt.nz/ (Search “Pead Limited”)

[15] NZ’s Full-Service Communications & PR Agency – Pead, Pead Website, https://www.pead.co.nz/

[16] Ultimate Holding Company – Pead, NZ Business Directory, ibid. (see Company “Ultimate Holding” status)

[17] Companies Office records show shareholding, NZ Herald, ibid. (see share distribution in Herald article)

[18] Pead’s expanded leadership team bolsters agency growth, Campaign Brief NZ, https://campaignbrief.co.nz/2023/04/13/peads-expanded-leadership-team-bolsters-agency-growth/

[19] Veteran back at Pead, M+AD Daily, https://www.mad-daily.com/veteran-back-at-pead/

[20] Pead Enhances Corporate Communications Team, Scoop News (press release), https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU2410/S00415/pead-enhances-corporate-communications-team.htm

[21] NZ Politics Daily – 17 Jan 2024, Democracy Project – The Integrity Institute, https://democracyproject.substack.com/p/nz-politics-daily-17-january-2024 (see item quoting Deborah Pead)

[22] MediaRoom: A new start or false start?, Newsroom (Tim Murphy), https://www.newsroom.co.nz/mediaroom-a-new-start-or-false-start (discussion of NZ Herald Pead story)

[23] What are the issues around celebrity endorsement… (PDF), PRINZ/University of Waikato, https://prinz.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/What-are-the-issues-around-celebrity-endorsement-and-how-should-they-be-dealt-with_GG.pdf (see p.3–4, Pead PR criticism)

[24] Twelve Questions: Deborah Pead, NZ Herald, https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/twelve-questions-deborah-pead/7ROODXTGXR2ZQIHJOABUJKH7VE/

[25] My Net Worth: Deborah Pead…, BusinessDesk, https://businessdesk.co.nz/article/the-life/my-net-worth-deborah-pead-founder-and-majority-owner-pead-pr

[26] Bryce Edwards: PR democracy of distrust, Democracy Project on Substack, https://democracyproject.substack.com/p/political-roundup-nz-public-relations-democracy

[27] Pead provided pro-bono PR – Garden to Table Annual Report, Garden to Table Trust, (via PDF on Squarespace), https://garden-to-table.squarespace.com (see FY2020 report, note on Pead PR pro bono)

[28] Auckland Transport Contracts Awarded (FY2019/20), Auckland Transport (OIA release), https://at.govt.nz/about-us/procurement/contract-awards/ (see contract 363-20-286-TMS to Pead PR)

[29] Deborah Pead: PR 101 – lessons from Simon Henry’s ‘fluff’ comment, NZ Herald (Opinion), https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/deborah-pead-pr-101-lessons-from-simon-henrys-fluff-comment/ (Deborah Pead op-ed, Apr 2022)

[30] RocketWerkz bragging… hired Pead PR… (discussion thread), Reddit, https://www.reddit.com/r/newzealand/comments/ovsj9a/rocketwerkz_bragging_about_new_5million_office_on/ (anecdote on Pead PR hiring for corporate image)

[31] Craggy Range joins Pead PR portfolio, Scoop News, https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1905/S00575/craggy-range-joins-pead-pr-portfolio.htm

[32] COVID-19 Wage Subsidies – Employer Search, Ministry of Social Development, https://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/newsroom/2020/covid-19/covid-19-wage-subsidy-employer-search.html (search function for subsidy recipients)

[33] $10 Billion overpaid to businesses (Wage Subsidy analysis), The Integrity Institute, https://theintegrityinstitute.org.nz/10-billion-overpaid-to-businesses/

[34] NZ Lobbying & Influence Register – Introduction, Democracy Project (Integrity Institute), https://democracyproject.substack.com/p/unauthorised-nz-lobbying-and-influence (overview of the unofficial register)

[35] South African expat Deborah Pead influential in NZ, SAPeople News, https://www.sapeople.com/2017/05/22/south-african-expat-one-aucklands-influential-women/ (background on Deborah Pead)

[36] Finalists announced for 2024 PRINZ Awards, StopPress, https://stoppress.co.nz/news/finalists-announced-for-2024-prinz-awards/ (industry recognition context)

[37] NZ lobbying reform stalled – “wild west”, Bryce Edwards via X,

https://twitter.com/bryce_edwards/status/1701843102162290868

(commentary on lobbying regulation)

[38] Facebook’s response post-Christchurch, Stuff.co.nz, https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/114003544/facebook-exec-says-company-supports-christchurch-call (Meta PR context in NZ)

[39] A PR nosedive: NZTE hires Australian agency, StopPress, https://stoppress.co.nz/news/pr-nosedive-nzte-australian-agency/ (features Deborah Pead’s commentary on PR image)

[40] Pead: 2019 In Review, Facebook Video (Pead page), https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2514661768835152 (highlights of Pead’s 2019 campaigns)

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

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