International capital calls for confidence, not caution

Why flying the flag for New Zealand ingenuity is much needed on an American investor stage.

I recently travelled to San Francisco to support New Zealand’s Active Investor Plus (AIP) scheme. New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), along with leading New Zealand companies, Professional Advisers, and Fund Managers, hosted prospective investor migrants in association with the SailGP final.

The ambition of NZTE is to entice investment in New Zealand. The proposition presented to this American audience was that you can do good for the planet and people while also achieving financial returns. This message landed well and genuinely reflects the future-fit New Zealand business customers BNZ supports to secure private capital. For many of our scalable businesses, partnerships with investors are crucial for expanding internationally and gaining access to capability, talent, and expertise.

My colleague Evan Veza – Head of International Migrant and Expatriate Banking at BNZ – also attended the event, and he makes the point that the AIP scheme is crucial to the economic prosperity New Zealand is striving for. Even a small number of investors can have a big impact on this market.

My main observation is increased interest among American investors, but now is the time for New Zealand businesses to engage with a real sense of ambition if they are to succeed.
Professionals in America leave no doubt they are the best at what they do. They are articulate, get to the point quickly, and have an air of confidence that we need to match. It’s a cultural difference which isn’t easy to bridge for New Zealanders.

The challenge we need to overcome is our tendency to undersell ourselves. While humility and being laid-back are valued traits according to global research, in the American business world it’s essential to showcase our strengths and unique value proposition with confidence. We need to find the right balance between maintaining our authentic Kiwi character and presenting ourselves as capable, innovative, and worthy of investment.

Success lies in telling our national story – New Zealand businesses will get ‘in the zone’ by speaking about our history of ingenuity and success. We also need to share some of our new home truths. Most people identify with a postcard image of New Zealand, but few international audiences (and indeed local ones) know that New Zealand is the fourth largest space player in the world, by volume of rocket launches, for example.

Helpfully, NZTE, InvestNZ, and NZ Story have the support and the tools on hand to help elevate the New Zealand business pitch for an American audience while retaining our identity. If your business is serious about the opportunity of private capital investment from the USA or any of the global markets we are connected to, I highly recommend engaging with these government agencies and warmly invite you to get in touch with me or any of the BNZ team.

Any views expressed in this article are the personal views of Linda Sturgess 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 professional adviser. No party, including BNZ, is liable for direct or indirect loss or damage resulting from the content of this article. Any opinions in this article are not necessarily shared by BNZ or anyone else.