Rod Drury.
OPINION: Over the Christmas and new year break I hope our leaders are thinking about what we need to do to step-change New Zealand’s place in the world during 2018.
What I’ve learnt this year is that the world is entering a new phase of tribalism, where past relationships may not be relied on and each country needs to look after itself.
We have also seen the increased globalism of technology with Uber, WhatsApp, Amazon, Alibaba and Netflix dominating their categories and disrupting local business.
Small countries that struggle for scale may be most affected by these global giants and we are seeing many small, niche retail stores fail if they haven’t shifted into a global market mindset.
More positively we also saw in 2017 that the successful rollout of ultra-fast broadband has created a new competitive advantage for New Zealand.
We have amazing business and residential internet that is actually useable for calls and video, compared with the frustrating experience in many parts of Australia, the United Kingdom and even most of the United States.
Another pleasing thing to see this month was the creation of the Government’s chief technology officer role. It’s way past the point where New Zealand needs to create a national strategic plan for technology. We hope for early progress in the new year with an appointment made.
The private sector needs to get behind this key strategic role to ensure we, as a nation, get maximum benefit.
New Zealand technology companies invest hundreds of millions a year locally. Having some co-ordinated thinking allows us to invest while driving maximum benefit to the country.
A national chief technology officer can look through vested interests and set a vision that is good for New Zealand that we can all work towards.
The chief technology officer needs to look at the types of things we can actually do that can step-change New Zealand and ensure we are a leading nation when it comes to digital innovation. Here are just a few ideas.
Transform digital learning
With excellent school and residential internet our kids can have access to almost any content anywhere in the world. But we must turn our kids from consumers to creators and builders. Growing up in New Zealand, they are already unconstrained by location.
Remember, too, that digital learning is not just for kids – it’s for all of us to retrain several times in our careers. Tech is moving so fast we all need to be lifelong learners.
Get small businesses exporting
That’s where the jobs will be created. The internet allows service businesses, not just manufacturers, to export.
A South Island tourism operator might be found on WeChat, accept tour deposits paid over AliPay, and be marketing and getting leads through TripAdvisor.
At Xero our job is provide education through our thousands of accounting and bookkeeping partners to arm our small businesses with the skills to be a part of the global economy.
Exporting is no longer just feet on the street forming relationships. Now it is about connecting your products and services to the established global marketplaces that already have a hungry consumer audience.
Compete for talent
While the world throws up walls we should be attracting the best and brightest to our shores.
We now have companies that are doing world-class work from New Zealand so people can come here and accelerate their careers while having all the benefits of our relaxed and balanced lifestyle. This is the story we should be telling as a country.
Flip the fleet
All the major global car manufacturers have accelerated their electric-vehicle strategies to have product in the market by 2020. It’s happening faster than anyone predicted. At the same time, autonomous driving technology is also moving forward quickly.
Our relatively simple system of government allows us to pitch ourselves as the right-hand drive, autonomous transport test lab. Especially Wellington.
This a pragmatic but strategic opportunity that could drive significant inward investment and thousands of jobs and new companies if we lead here. There are so many other things we are good at: sustainable farming, and exporting world-class food and wine.
The new chief technology officer for New Zealand should be able to assimilate all these opportunities and come back with focus areas we can all commit to.
The world is ours for the taking. A small amount of co-ordination will make a massive impact on our small but mighty country.
A small amount of co-ordination will help New Zealand make a massive global impact, writes
Rod Drury is the founder and chief executive of Xero.