New Zealand Property Institute Launch - Speech CEO

FOR PUBLICATION
Speech Notes

Conor English
CEO
New Zealand Property Institute Launch
Canterbury
Wednesady June 14 2000

It’s an exciting time to be involved in the property sector. It is great to be here today. I always like being in this neck of the woods, having spent some of my recent youth here and fallen in love with not only the countryside.

To state the obvious, property is very important in people’s lives and the economy. It is one of the key factors of production, capital, labour and land

So what you do is important, not only because you earn a living from it, but because it is vital to people lives, to businesses and to the country

So what of the New Zealand Property Institute? Who are we?

The New Zealand Property Institute has been formed from the New Zealand Institute of Valuers, the Property and Land Economy Institute of New Zealand (PLEINZ), and the Institute of Plant and Machinery Valuers.

We have a combined membership of over 3000, so quite a wee army.

The new institute’s mission is “to be the pre-eminent organization of property professions in New Zealand”

Last year, 89% of Valuers and 97% of PLEINZ members voted for amalgamating the existing institutes to form the new Institute – that is go from three “old” institutes into one “new” institute.

We had our official launch on April 3 in conjunction with the Pan Pacific Conference in Auckland. We did this because it symbolised that we are operating in a global arena, and that we need to have a broad perspective.

I don’t want to take too much of your time this afternoon, but I just want to outline some of my thoughts on the pathway ahead.

In the last few weeks I have had an opportunity to talk to many people about the new Institute and the world in general. The key issue that has been raised time and time again is that the property sector is going through some massive change. This is being driven by globalisation, deregulation and technology.

For the professionals in this important sector, this means threats and opportunities. It means facing up to the future, and perhaps developing different strategies to enhance cash flow and develop relevant skills. The way that things may have been done in the past may not be, and in fact are unlikely to be the way that things will be done in the future. The customer is the king or queen of the castle. They are interested in solutions. We ignore them at or peril. If we look at the changes over the last 5 years, in any field of activity, we can be sure the future will only change even faster.

As Charles Dawin said “It is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones the most responsive to change.” Here today things are looking pretty good!

It seams to me that members had vision when they voted by 89% and 97% for the formulation of the New Zealand Property Institute because they have realised that as a profession, they needed a vehicle, and an entity to build on the past and help the profession move forward through these changing times.

So what are we doing with this new Institute thing and how will t benefit you? Well, to me there are a six-pack of areas of activity for the Institute.

Firstly the transitional issues of pulling three institutes into one. Like me, I know that those who voted for this change are impatient to see some results, to see some action. Well we are now hopefully near the end of working through the technical issues to ensure a smooth, simple and as little hassle as possible transition to the one new institute. I hope that this initial phase is completed soon, like next week. We need to get on with the job.

Once we have these technical transitional issues tidied up the new institute will focus more on those who really count – its members. Like them we need to be focussed on our customer, our market.

The five areas of activity to complete the six-pack are:

 Information provision – distribution channels (web page) and content. Research, publications, library.
 Membership skills and professional development – skills development as both professionals and businesspeople
 Professional backing – which includes advocacy, standards, discipline, registration, international relations (IFMA), networking and most importantly social activities
 Marketing – Branding and communications strategies, strategic partnering, membership benefits, membership growth. Our two key assets are pour database and our brand, which we have yet to build.
 Finally Administration – secretarial secrecies, financial, technology systems, database and administration, premises and staff.

And we have got some runs on the board already. For example … last week we launched our first product - the “Career Foundations” package for students studying property at Lincoln, Massey and Auckland Universities and other younger people in the profession. It provides:
 A student buddy programme, jobs for students on a part-time basis, careers evenings, internet job market;
 Free membership;
 International recognition and access. The Institute has a number of agreements with organizations in other countries that give international recognition/reciprocity and access to overseas resources (IFMA, RICs, Singapore);
 Input into organizing CPD events that are attractive to young people at
 Networking and social activities;
 A module is also being development to help students from graduation to registration; and
 Other benefits such as scholarships and awards.

And we have finalized the constitution, bylaws and other relevant documentation. We have set up a branch financial structure, have almost completed setting up the national committees, and some branches have committees in place already.

And I’ve given half a dozen speeches to various audiences and put out a few press releases. I’ve been to all the universities and also attended NZIV branch AGMs and a Council meeting, and meet face to face with key people from PLEINZ and IPMV.

We have had a national launch and several branch launches. We are also working on our new brand, are developing a survey of you about what you want, and have taken over the Property Business magazine, which will now be our flagship. We are also working on a number of sponsorship and strategic partnership fronts and actively perusing international alliances with global organizations.

All, this is on top of the transitional and startup activities that also need to be done like reviewing computer systems, changing mobcap documentation, building a business plan and budget, employing staff etc as well as sorting out the actual legal framework required to go from three institutes into one.

I have been asked how will I judge our success, Well its on four counts. Firstly if our members wear their NZPI badge to the pub or use in on their cards, secondly if they believe they are receiving value for money from their subscription, thirdly if the institute can assist them as business people and as professionals to grow, and finally if the public can have confidence in the profession.

In conclusion, I just want to say that I am very keen to hear from anyone on any ideas they have on how we can deliver for members, for the profession, and I guess the country. I am at conor@propertyinstitute.org.nz

Finally, I am thrilled to be here today. Thanks for the invitation. I am really looking forward to working with you as we march along on this adventure together. This is an exciting time and I wish you all well in your own endeavours. Keep in touch. Thank you.

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