Supreme Award at AUT Excellence in Business Support Awards

Media Release /

03 October 2014

Minter Ellison Rudd Watts picks up Supreme Award at the 2014 AUT Excellence in Business Support Awards

Last night top tier law firm Minter Ellison Rudd Watts was selected by an independent judging panel as winner of the Business $20M-$100M T/O category in the AUT Excellence in Business Support Awards. Additionally, the firm then was chosen as the Supreme Award winner across all 11 award categories and 34 finalists.

“Business cares about business support, because excellent support behind the scenes from firms like Minter Ellison makes for successful business outcomes at the front end,” says AUT University Dean of Business and Law, Professor Geoff Perry. “This year the standard of entries across the 11 categories was impressive, which confirms that the business support sector continues to make a significant and valuable contribution.”

One of the deciding factors in being chosen as the Supreme Award winner, was that the firm was recognised as consciously putting the client at the centre of everything it does. Clear communication and knowledge of the client’s business and industry is paramount, and this is ensured by investing heavily in staff development and sticking to Minter Ellison Rudd Watts’ internal mantra ‘We Listen, We Care, We Deliver (LCD)’.

Awards judge Gillian Craig, a lecturer at AUT University Business School’s Management Department, said that what blew her away was the extent the Minter Ellison Rudd Watts’ business is driven around their LCD philosophy. “Every result, customer interaction or staff engagement is related to Listen Care Deliver. It seemed to be absolutely driving everything they did. Plenty of places use mantras, but Minter Ellison Rudd Watts goes further than just using it to engage staff. It appears to be critical to everything they do.”

Accepting the award wins Cathy Quinn, Chair, said: “We have worked hard to identify the ways that we can better listen to our clients, improve our systems and provide better service. To be able to put our business practices under the microscope and have independent researchers say that we are on the right track, is absolutely fantastic.”

Managing Partner, Mark Weenink, said: “To win our category against strong competition was wonderful, but to also be selected as the overall winner against a whole field of very impressive businesses is very rewarding. It’s great that the independent judges think we have great leadership and planning, our customer and market focus is having an impact, and we are continuing to improve by listening and evaluating ourselves.”

Minter Ellison Rudd Watts would like to congratulate all the other finalists and winners selected at the Awards gala.

About Minter Ellison Rudd Watts
Minter Ellison Rudd Watts is a top tier New Zealand law firm. The firm is known for providing clients with technically excellent legal solutions and innovative advice, contributing as trusted advisors who work alongside clients to ensure their success. It is proud to be a New Zealand law firm with a global outlook and reach. It has offices in Auckland and Wellington, but also has the unique ability to access a worldwide network of offices, advisors and markets through the Minter Ellison Legal Group, a leading firm in the Asia-Pacific.

About the AUT Excellence in Business Support Awards
Now into their ninth year, the awards continue to attract entries from a large number of high calibre New Zealand businesses wanting to be benchmarked against the best for business support. All entries go through a vigorous evaluation process that is overseen by the New Zealand Business Excellence Foundation, including evaluators from the Management Department at AUT Business School. Excellence is then assessed using the international Baldrige criteria, which includes interviews with management and analysis of business practices and results.

These awards are the only national performance measure available to the business support sector. The awards were presented at a gala dinner at the Lanham Hotel, 02 October 2014 in Auckland attended by over 700 people, including key figures from business, government and not-for-profit sectors.

ENDS

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