The Chamber has added INSPIRE to its Purpose Statement to now read Connect, Grow, Inspire and Represent.
Inspire is what Chambers were historically designed to do. When James Shiner Bond created the Waikato Chamber back in 1906, it was precisely to inspire people to come to Hamilton and the Waikato to connect and grow their families and their futures.
Whether it was inspiring members to trade along the silk road route or to ship cargo by sea, the first ever Chamber of Commerce born in 1599 in Marseille, France, through its trading links, brought its members together for a common purpose and inspired them to connect, share and take action to protect their business interests long into the future.
It was fitting at our most recent monthly INSPIRE event hosted by Ryan Hamilton that we listened to Chris Joblin, the CEO of Tainui Group Holdings, speaking about the aspirations and actions TGH has for the Waikato.
Quietly spoken, with a great deal of forethought and passion, Chris outlined the global megatrends he and TGH have considered as they have laid out their future. His key point was that the Waikato and Hamilton are at the nexus of several MEGATRENDS and thus perfectly placed to take advantage of them.
Indeed, he saw Hamilton becoming New Zealand’s number two city. Sitting centrally as the Waikato does, we are New Zealand’s logistics capital. The arrival of Maersk, one of the world’s largest shipping lines, building a major transhipment coldstore at the Ruakura SuperHub, only reinforces that view.
The fact that scarcity of resources and in particular food is a megatrend, ensures the Waikato with its food basket economy will be a key part of New Zealand’s export economy for decades to come.
Insights into transport, agriculture and technology followed. Of real interest was TGH’s view on Hamilton’s CBD. They are the largest landowner in the city and have great plans for development of their properties, all of which will make a significant difference to the Waikato and need some long term decisions on infrastructure by our city leaders.
TGH’s commitment to the city and the Waikato certainly gave his early morning audience a lot to ponder on.
Are TGH aspirational? Absolutely. Are they inspiring? Absolutely. Is there opportunity for all? Absolutely.
To view a copy of the session, contact info@waikatochamber.co.nz.
There is strategic opportunity in his presentation for your business to understand and adapt to. Inspiring thinking and actions.
