Active Investor Plus sets sail in San Francisco

I recently had the privilege of attending InvestNZ events coordinated by Government agency New Zealand Trade & Enterprise (NZTE) in San Francisco. This event was a major marketing push by NZTE for the Active Investor Plus (AIP) migrant programme in North America, and it created very favourable conditions for attracting high-net-worth international migrant investors.

Investor migrants can have a significant positive impact on New Zealand’s economy. They contribute to economic growth, create employment opportunities, help scale businesses, foster new international connections, and bring in talent, capital, and expertise. Even a small number of such investors can make a substantial difference in our market. The AIP scheme plays a key role in the Government’s ambition to double the value of New Zealand’s exports and create a thriving economy for the benefit of all New Zealanders.

NZTE staged the event to connect prospective investor migrants with some of New Zealand’s leading companies, managed funds, and charities. They chose a meaningful backdrop for telling the New Zealand story on an American stage with The SailGP finals.

The ambition of InvestNZ is to attract a new generation of investors and investment in New Zealand, underpinned by the ethos that businesses can both create commercial returns and do good for the world. This investment proposition was well supported by key facts such as New Zealand’s seafood industry being ranked the most sustainable managed fishery in the world – twice. In essence, we are telling these investors that we offer a values connection, a point that the prospective AIP applicants in San Francisco could not have missed.

Here’s what American migrant investors said about New Zealand and why they would consider moving here:

1. ‘The New Zealand way’ is a strong pull factor.
There was a notable lift in interest year-on-year for the AIP visa. The pull factor of ‘the New Zealand way’ was a significant draw. We are seen as innovators with a growth mindset, a point that came up repeatedly in relation to business, social, and environmental initiatives.

2. Lifestyle + returns is a compelling combination.
The combined strength of New Zealand’s position is very attractive for investor migrants. People connect well with our environmental reputation, and they are pleasantly surprised by the investment opportunities in New Zealand’s high potential industries, especially science and technology. My colleague – Linda Sturgess, Head of Private Capital at BNZ who also attended the event – has shared a wealth of further insight for New Zealand Businesses seeking private capital.

3. Wrap-around support is powerful.
Investors also noted the way the private sector and Government are working together to ensure the AIP policy’s success, which is a unique point of difference relative to competitor countries. Investors appreciate being put at the centre of the discussions, with all potential partners working together to find the best solution for them. Connections are important – we actively help build their own ecosystem so they can share their international experience in a way that helps New Zealand businesses prosper.

Lastly, trust is best built face-to-face. There is nothing more powerful than sitting down with a potential Active Investor Plus applicant on their own turf and finding out what is important to them. It’s something New Zealand businesses must do if they are serious about partnering with American investors. And as Invest New Zealand commented on LinkedIn: “coming up into the USA for 2 weeks and expecting to make connections isn’t going to work. Being consistently on the ground is imperative.”

Building connections is a big part of what we do at BNZ. If you would like to know more about pathways for investor migration, I warmly invite you to get in touch with me or the wider team.

Any views expressed in this article are the personal views of Evan Veza and do not necessarily represent the views of BNZ, or its related entities. This article is solely for information purposes and is not intended to be financial advice. If you need help, please contact BNZ or your financial adviser. Neither BNZ nor any person involved in this article accepts any liability for any direct or indirect loss or damage arising out of the use of, or reliance on, all or any part of the content.