New Zealand named ‘Best of the Best’

Trade Minister Phil Goff and Economic Development Minister Pete Hodgson today welcomed the naming of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) as the world’s best trade promotion organisation.

New Zealand beat three other finalists – Australia, Austria and the United Kingdom – to scoop the developed nation category and then was named ‘Best of the Best’ at the 7th World Trade Promotion Organisation Awards in The Hague, the Netherlands, on Monday.

Phil Goff and Pete Hodgson cited NZTE’s innovation in setting up the highly successful Beachheads programme in the Middle East, the US, UK, China, South East Asia and India, and the New Zealand Concept Centres in North Asia as some of the reasons behind NZTE’s win.

Other innovative programmes created by NZTE have included Better By Design, Path to Market and the national network of support provided to business incubator centres.

“Since we established NZTE in 2003, the crown entity has been key to the government’s work in building the foundations for an innovative and high value economy,” Pete Hodgson said

Phil Goff added: "The award is also a recognition of the quality of New Zealand businesses and business people, as a number of the programmes NZTE highlighted in its entry are partnerships with private enterprise.”

NZTE was formed on July 1 2003 from a merger of Industry New Zealand and Trade New Zealand.

“In addition to working with NZTE on successes such as Export Year 2007 and the signing of the landmark China Free Trade Agreement, we have led many successful trade missions with New Zealand companies to trade shows and markets, including CeBIT in Germany, Biotech in the United States, South America, North Africa and Canada. The award is well-deserved and a testament to NZTE’s contribution to economic development,” the ministers said.

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