International business event coming to Auckland

4 October 2013

International business event coming to Auckland

A meeting of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) will be held in Auckland next year, it was announced at the APEC meetings underway in Bali today.

“It is an honour for New Zealand to have been invited by China, the incoming APEC Chair, to host the first ABAC meeting for 2014,” BusinessNZ Chief Executive Phil O’Reilly said.

“This international event will enable us to showcase New Zealand’s potential as a trade and investment partner for the region and to provide an outstanding experience for our senior business visitors.”

BusinessNZ will be the host organisation working closely with the three New Zealand members of ABAC New Zealand.

“ABAC’s recommendations to APEC Economic Leaders help keep APEC’s agenda for growth and jobs on track,” said ABAC New Zealand member Tony Nowell.

“Key priorities for New Zealand include freer trade for goods and services, investment, supply chain security, financial issues, women’s entrepreneurship and infrastructure. All these matters will be on the agenda in Auckland.”

Mr O’Reilly said that as well as the ABAC members, a senior delegation from China was expected to attend the meeting to draw attention to China’s APEC year and the APEC CEO Summit that would be held in Beijing in October 2014.

“We look forward to welcoming our visitors and to exploring with them how New Zealand’s core capabilities and brand values can add value to their businesses and meet the needs of their customers”.

The ABAC meeting and associated events are being funded by the New Zealand Government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and business sponsors. BusinessNZ is being assisted by the NZ International Business Forum and Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED).

New Zealand’s three members of ABAC are Tony Nowell, Maxine Simmons and Wayne Boyd. The formal invitation to ABAC members to come to Auckland in February is to be conveyed at the closing plenary of the ABAC meeting in Bali today.

The APEC Business Advisory Council meeting will be held in Auckland 11-14 February 2014.

ENDS

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