Export Excelerator Conference

Ray Connor – Former General Manager, asBUILT

Ray Connor has over 15 years of broad senior commercial experience leading award winning SME growth businesses; with a passion for Export focused technology businesses.  Ray’s background spans a diverse range of industries including IoT sensor development, manufacturing, supply chain and logistics management, food processing tools and technology, sound editing software development and franchise operations.

Ryan Sanders – Founder, Haka Tourism Group

In 2007 Ryan started Haka Tours with no tourism experience, but a desire to break away from the corporate world and to work in an industry he was truly passionate about. Haka Tours goes directly to the consumer online, bypassing the traditional travel agency and wholesaler market. Twelve years later, in addition to its adventure tourism range, the wider Haka Tourism group now includes a growing nationwide chain of up-market hostels, Haka lodges, international educational brand Haka educational tours – which operates in 12 countries globally – and new hotel brand, Haka hotels. Haka Tourism Group is aiming for a $100 million revenue business by 2025.

Anne O’Donnell – Head of Operations, Bobux International 

Anne O’Donnell is Head of Operations at Bobux International Limited. For almost 30 years, Bobux has been making the most loved shoes for little explorers, walking with them as they plant their feet upon the world. Anne is all about ‘getting things done’ and driving results – thru collaboration, partnerships and relationships. With an enthusiastic and friendly attitude, Anne radiates a sincere passion for delivering value to her customers. Anne continues to streamline operations at Bobux, increase efficiencies and customer service levels.

Amy Wright – Head of  Marketing, Brand & E-Commerce, Bobux International

Amy Wright is currently Head of Brand, Marketing & Ecommerce for New Zealand owned and operated kids’ shoe brand Bobux. The Bobux journey spans 30 years of design and marketing led innovation in more than 40 countries. Hear about their international growth journey and digital transformation. With 20 years of marketing experience across multiple industries, and facets of the marketing mix. Her experience includes Carter Holt Harvey, New Zealand Trade & Enterprise, Wellington City Council, and the Food industry.

Michele Lam – Export Markets Manager, Villa Maria Estate

Michele Lam, Export Markets Manager, is very passionate about New Zealand wines and enthusiastic about sharing this with the rest of the world. In her current role, she supports Villa Maria’s global export teams from the NZ Head Office base. She is also the Market Manager for Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, India, Thailand and Philippines. 

Todd Graydon – Global General Manager, Blunt Umbrellas

Todd is a tenacious & entrepreneurial sales and marketing leader with many years of global brand building experience and an impeccable track record in seeding and growing Kiwi brands throughout the world. Todd was a foundation member of the 42 Below team and more recently Ecoya Home Fragrance under Trilogy International. He is currently the Global General Manager for Iconic New Zealand Umbrella brand BLUNT.

Vicky Taylor – Chief Operating Officer,  Smartfoods Limited

Vicky Taylor is a business leader with a wide experience across a range of roles and industries. Her core experience is in in consumer driven businesses across FMCG, Tourism and Hospitality. Building on my initial career in sales and marketing for leading FMCG businesses, she has developed a detailed understanding of global best-practice strategy, marketing and commercial processes in New Zealand, Australia, South East Asia, China and the USA. With Smartfoods, Vicky has focused on export growth to Australia then into South East Asia and China, with Vogel’s Cereals now ranked in the top 10 imported cereals sold on Tmall.

Mike Millet, Jack Links NZ Ltd

Mike has been working at Jack Links NZ as the Commerical Manager for the past 10 years. Initially employed as an IT manager 15 years ago. During the last 10 years, Mike has been working with various customers from the Middle East to Asia Pacific including the creation of the initial contracts for the supply of products to the paperwork and shipping requirements expected by the customers.

Brian Astridge – Group Technical Services Manager, Tegel Foods

Brian’s role as Tegels Group Technical Services Manager provides leadership and governance in technical, risk management and assurance systems (Animal Health and Welfare, Food Safety, Quality and Export Assurances), meeting customer and regulatory approval over all aspects of the fully integrated Tegel Group businesses (processing plants, growing animals, feed mills, hatcheries). This role not only enables Tegel Foods to process on a day to day basis, but also positions them to seize commercial and export opportunities through recognition of great systems.

Panellist to be confirmed

Chris Leonard –  Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder at SnapComms

Chris Leonard is the CEO and Co-Founder of SnapComms,a world-leading provider of internal communications software. Chris has built a successful, fast-growing business based on three principles: unwavering commitment to customer service excellence; a genuine desire to push technology to the limit; and leading an industry in product innovation for effective employee communications. Having been involved with SnapComms from its inception has meant Chris has acquired substantial business acumen and broad capability within technology start-up and growth-phased environments.

Christine Fenby – Marketing Director, Vista Group Limited

Christine is the Marketing Director of Vista Group, which was founded in NZ in 1996 and listed in 2014. Vista provides software and additional technology solutions across the film industry sectors of distribution, exhibition, and consumer (moviegoers). Prior to joining Vista full-time in 2012, Christine provided consultancy services to a broad range of businesses including Vista. Her marketing career began at TVNZ, when following “halcyon days” working in television production, and completing tertiary study with The University of Auckland, she was appointed to roles that supported TVNZ’s then global commercial operations; her export services and international marketing career was underway and has progressed ever since. In both 2018 and 2019, Christine was included in the ‘Top 50 Women in Global Cinema’ organised by the film industry sector online media channel Celluloid Junkie and judged by an independent group of peers. Christine believes her role at Vista to be one of the best available in the NZ tech export sector.

Gavin de Steur – Customer Success Manager, UneeQ 

Gavin de Steur Manages Customer Success for digital human platform company UneeQ. He is originally from South Africa and has over 20 years of experience at an executive level across diverse enterprise and SME arenas, including both technical product / marketing management. He spent 10 years building a highly successful technology start-up company from scratch, four of which were spent as an executive in the company which acquired his high-growth start-up. He is passionate about working with customers and ensuring the successful implementation and use of the latest technologies available to a business/industry.

Cameron Ross – Director of Sales, Ross Roof Group

Ross Roof Group is a family owned and celebrating 75 years in roofing. Originally manufacturing concrete tiles they started manufacturing steel roofing tiles in 1989 and had JV manufacturing facilities in Europe and USA. Having sold these in 2010 they now manufacture solely out of NZ with sales offices in Europe, Dubai, Japan, USA and Argentina. They are heavily focused on export, which makes up 75% of their revenue, and have 20 staff located overseas. 10 of these are in the USA spread across multiple states with warehouses in California and Texas. Our USA sales now make up 20% of the business.