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Wright Communications

  1. Business / Trading Name: Wright Communications Limited (trading as “Wright Communications”)

  1. Company number: 1884890

  1. NZBN: 9429033756271

  1. Entity type: NZ Limited Company (privately held)

  1. Business classification: Public Relations and Communications Services (ANZSIC code M6962 – Public Relations Services,

  1. Industry Category: Professional Services – Public Relations/Strategic Communications

  1. Year founded: 2006

  1. Addresses:

    • Physical/Registered: Level 2, The Annex, 41 Shortland Street, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010, New Zealand

    • Postal: PO Box 90290, Victoria Street West, Auckland 1142, New Zealand

  1. Website URL:

http://wrightcommunications.co.nz

  1. LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wright-communications

  1. Company Hub NZ URL: https://www.companyhub.nz/companyDetails.cfm?nzbn=9429033756271 (CompanyHub listing)

  1. NZ Companies Office URL: https://app.companiesoffice.govt.nz/companies/app/ui/pages/companies/1884890 (Companies Register listing – “Wright Communications Limited”)

  1. Social Media URLs:

– LinkedIn: Wright Communications (New Zealand)

– X (Twitter): @WrightCommsLtd

– Instagram: @wrightcommunicationsnz

  1. Ultimate Holding Company: None (independent – not part of a larger corporate group)

  1. Key Shareholders: The company is privately owned by its founders. Shareholders (as of latest filings) include:

– Nicola Lynley “Nikki” Wright (founder and managing director)

– Aaron Scott Wainhouse (co-founder/director)

– Oxford Street 1999 Limited (associated holding entity). (Total shares: 100 issued; held by the above three parties as a single shareholder group.)

  1. Leadership:

– Nikki Wright (Nicola L. Wright): Founder and Managing Director. Background: Established the firm in 2006; Fellow of PRINZ (FPRINZ) and Accredited PR practitioner. Sits on the Sustainable Business Council advisory board.

– Aaron Wainhouse: Director and co-owner (involved since 2006; appears to oversee financial/administrative aspects – not a public-facing lobbyist).

– Senior Management Team: Richard Gordon – Group Account Director (Corporate & Sustainability); Rob Fitzgerald – Group Account Director (Corporate & Sustainability); Amy Robens – Group Account Director (Consumer & NGO).

  1. Staff: Approximately 10 consultants as of 2023. The team includes senior PR advisors and account managers specializing in corporate communications, sustainability reporting, crisis management, and stakeholder engagement. Key staff members: e.g. Ellie Martel (Senior Account Director), Tim Marshall (Senior Account Director), Amy McWhannell (Senior Account Manager), Nicki Pearce (Office Manager), Mary-Anne Parker (Finance Manager), Aaliyah Bucknell-Hemara (Intern). (Company size is listed as “2–10 employees” on LinkedIn).

  1. Staff that have held previous government roles: Several staff have experience in or with government entities, though no known former MPs or Ministerial advisors on staff. For example, former Senior Account Director Simon Roche had a background in local government communications (working with Auckland’s tourism/events agency ATEED) prior to joining Wright Communications. (No public record of ex-Ministers or similar high-level officials employed by the firm.) Data on direct government roles: Not Found.

  1. Past Employees: Notable alumni include:

– Simon Roche – served ~6 years at Wright Communications, then went on to a senior communications role at High Performance Sport NZ (a government sports agency).

– Mark McCartney – former consultant who left to work for a global sports governing body in Europe.

(These alumni testimonials highlight the agency’s role as a career springboard into prominent public sector and international roles.)

  1. Clients: Corporate and Government: Wright Communications’ client roster spans major corporates, government bodies, and nonprofits. Known clients include Toyota New Zealand (automotive), Z Energy (fuel/energy sector), Genesis Energy (NZ’s largest electricity generator, operates the Huntly coal plant – client in earlier years), AA Insurance (insurance sector), NZX (the stock exchange – sustainability reporting client), OfficeMax (corporate), Moana NZ (iwi-owned fisheries company), Global Women (NGO), National Road Carriers Association (transport industry lobby), Auckland Council/ATEED (public sector – Auckland’s local government and its economic development agency), and Presbyterian Support Northern – Family Works (social services NGO). There are many more clients which the firm publishes clients on their website. These names have emerged through the list on the website, case studies, press releases or third-party disclosures.

  1. Industries/sectors represented: Broad range including energy and fossil fuels (oil companies, power generators), automotive/transport (vehicle industry, freight/road lobby), financial services (insurance, etc.), public sector (local government and government agencies), corporates across FMCG and services, and not-for-profit/NGO sectors. The firm specifically markets expertise in sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) communications across these industries.

  1. Publicly Disclosed Engagements: Wright Communications seldom discloses its lobbying or PR campaigns publicly; however, some engagements have come to light:

– Climate Policy Lobbying: The agency assisted Toyota NZ’s chief executive in publicly opposing a proposed government ban on petrol/diesel car imports by 2035 (including helping craft an op-ed in the NZ Herald). Wright’s 2023 Sustainability Report “relished its status” as trusted adviser to Toyota’s CEO in this campaign.

– Local Government Contracts: The firm has been openly engaged by Auckland Council entities – e.g. Auckland Council paid Wright Communications nearly $100k for communications services in FY2019/20 (work likely related to Council initiatives and its CCOs such as ATEED).

– NGO Campaigns: It has publicized work for nonprofit causes (e.g. raising awareness for drowning prevention at beaches, advocating domestic violence workplace policies, and gender pay gap reduction), though specific lobbying engagements here are described in general terms.

(Overall, direct disclosures of lobbying assignments are rare in the absence of a mandatory register. The above examples are inferred from media and the firm’s own reports.)

  1. Affiliations:

– Public Relations Institute of NZ (PRINZ): Corporate member; Nikki Wright is a Fellow of PRINZ, indicating senior standing in NZ’s PR industry.

– Sustainable Business Council (SBC): Member organisation; Nikki Wright sits on the SBC Advisory Board, working alongside corporate and government leaders on sustainability initiatives.

– Climate Leaders Coalition: Signatory (the company has committed to emissions reduction pledges).

– B Corporation: Wright Communications achieved Certified B Corp status (2023) for meeting social and environmental performance standards.

– Toitū Carbonzero Certified: The firm is certified carbon-neutral by Toitū Envirocare (offsetting its own emissions).

– Business Networks: Active in sustainable business networks and forums (e.g. partners in launching the Kantar Better Futures sustainability report). Also affiliated with the Sustainable Business Network (SBN) through client work and thought leadership (speakers at events, etc.) – data from company updates.

(These affiliations bolster the company’s image in ethical business circles, even as its client work sometimes conflicts with these sustainability commitments.)

  1. Sponsorships / Collaborations: Wright Communications has not prominently advertised sponsorship of events or awards in its own name. However, it collaborates with industry and community initiatives: for example, it provides pro bono PR support to Presbyterian Support Northern’s Family Works charitable services, and has partnered with academic/industry groups on sustainability projects (co-producing research like the Corporate Reputation Index and supporting the Better Futures Forum). Data on corporate sponsorships: No major sponsorships publicly disclosed. (The firm’s contributions tend to be in-kind communications support rather than financial sponsorships.)

  1. Events (held or organised by this organisation): No major public events hosted solely by Wright Communications are recorded. The company more typically participates in client events and industry conferences rather than organising its own. It has hosted small-scale client workshops and an internship programme, but no notable public-facing events have been reported. Data Not Found for any significant events organized under the company’s banner.

  1. Political Donations: No disclosed political donations by Wright Communications Ltd or its principals. A search of NZ Electoral Commission donation records shows no donations on record under the company or Nikki Wright’s name. (The firm’s influence is exercised via professional services rather than direct political contributions.)

  1. Controversies: Wright Communications has faced scrutiny for greenwashing and conflict of interest in its client work. In 2024 it was “awarded” a satirical global prize for “greenwashing excellence” after being placed on the Comms Declare “F-List” – a list of PR/ad agencies supporting fossil fuel clients. The firm, which prides itself on carbon-neutral operations, was called out for promoting fossil fuel interests (notably through work for Z Energy and Toyota) while claiming to be a sustainability leader. Wright Communications’ role in helping Toyota oppose EV policies and in polishing Genesis Energy’s image despite coal operations drew criticism from climate activists. In response, Managing Director Nikki Wright defended the stance of “working from inside the tent” to influence clients’ environmental behavior. The incident highlighted the lack of transparency in NZ’s lobbying/PR sector, as the firm’s client advocacy had not been publicly disclosed prior to such third-party scrutiny. No legal or regulatory violations have been reported, but the episode has raised questions about Wright Communications’ credibility and alignment between its espoused values and client services.

  1. Other information of note: Wright Communications has been recognized with industry awards, having been “PR Agency of the Year” three times (as noted in the PRINZ industry directory). The company emphasizes an ethical ethos – its motto is helping clients “do the right thing” – and it integrates Sustainable Development Goals into its internal policies. Despite its relatively small size, the firm punches above its weight in influence, serving as a key communications advisor to some of NZ’s largest companies. The firm maintained operations through the COVID-19 pandemic; it applied for the government’s Wage Subsidy in 2020 (covered >3 employees, exact details not publicly listed) – indicating it faced some revenue impact. The company’s B Corp certification and carbon-neutral status were achieved in 2023, positioning it as one of the few NZ PR agencies with those credentials. One notable gap: Wright Communications is not registered under any official lobbying transparency regime (none exists in NZ), so information about its political activities comes only from voluntary disclosures and investigative journalism.

  1. Recipient of Wage Subsidy Scheme: Yes. Wright Communications Limited received COVID-19 Wage Subsidy support in 2020. The Ministry of Social Development’s public dataset shows the company was paid subsidies (for an undisclosed number of staff – likely a portion of its ~10 employees) during the pandemic’s initial phase. (Note: Employers with 3 or fewer staff are not named in the public register, but Wright Communications had more than 3 employees, so its inclusion indicates it took support; e.g., by Feb–May 2020 it had received on the order of tens of thousands in wage subsidies – exact figure not publicly confirmed in easily accessible sources.) The company has not made any public statements about this, and there is no indication it refunded the subsidy, suggesting it legitimately qualified due to revenue loss.

Sources:

[1] Wright Communications Limited – NZ Company Profile, BizDb (NZ), https://www.bizdb.co.nz/company/9429033756271/

[2] Company details – Wright Communications Limited (Company No. 1884890), NZ Companies Office / NZ Business Directory, https://www.nzwao.com/companies/wright-communications-limited/

[3] “Wright Communications (New Zealand) – About us,” LinkedIn profile, https://nz.linkedin.com/company/wright-communications

[4] PRINZ Directory – Wright Communications (contact info and company overview), Public Relations Institute of NZ, https://prinz.org.nz/directory-listing/wright-communications/

[5] Eloise Gibson, “Carbon neutral PR company put on ‘F list’ for promoting fossil fuels,” RNZ News, 25 Sep 2024, https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/528941/carbon-neutral-pr-company-put-on-f-list-for-promoting-fossil-fuels

[6] “Comms Declare launches in New Zealand with F-list 2024,” Comms Declare (press release), 24 Sep 2024, https://commsdeclare.org/2024/09/24/comms-declare-launches-in-new-zealand-with-f-list-2024/

[7] “Sustainability focused PR agency in growth mode – senior appointments,” Wright Communications News, 12 Apr 2019, https://wrightcommunications.co.nz/news/sustainability-focused-pr-agency-in-growth-mode-senior-appointments/

[8] Duncan Greive, The Spinoff: “The challenge of communicating effectively on climate change” (interview with Nikki Wright), 18 Sep 2023,

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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