Full credit

The Export Credit Office won an award for “excellence in export support” at the 2016 AUT Business School Excellence in Business Support Awards. ECO was set up by Michael Cullen to fill a gap in the export sector, providing underwriting and other risk management services. Early on, it was barely used, but business eventually picked up. However, demand is slipping and some in government are arguing that it is an area they can leave to the private sector. As well, it did not meet targets for new export credit policies underwritten, and plans to support $320m of new exports did not eventuate.