John Luke
via
[FYI request #22263 email]
26 April 2023
Dear John Luke
OIA 22-23-30: Beachheads Advisors Updates
Thank you for your email of 27 March 2023 to New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE),
making a request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) for an update of one of your
previous requests,
OIA 2017-18-15, plus a request for new, additional, information regarding
NZTE’s Beachheads Advisors.
You requested the following information:
1. An update of your previous request,
OIA 2017-18-15, which asked how NZTE selects its
Beachheads advisors, if there is an application form, what the selection requirements
are, and who are the judges for the selection process. You also asked if NZTE has a
review process for its Beachheads advisors and the provision of its review
procedure/process.
2. A full list of NZTE’s current Beachheads advisors in New Zealand and overseas.
3. Dates of appointment of NZTE’s Beachheads advisors.
Answers to your questions are as follows.
1. Regarding how NZTE selects its Beachhead Advisors, NZTE when working with our
customers, proactively identifies the emerging needs of dif erent sectors and actively seeks
private sector people who:
• Are leaders or pioneers in their chosen field.
• Have key contacts both in New Zealand and in the region where they have lived or
worked.
• Are well connected and are comfortable making introductions across their network.
• Have demonstrated thought leadership.
• Are trustworthy and can act as advisors/mentors for NZTE and its customers.
NZTE seeks these individuals through:
• Existing NZTE relationships.
• Formal networks such as Kea, NZ Chamber of Commerce and Business Networks.
• Tapping into existing advisors’ networks.
• Referrals from within and from outside NZTE.
• There are no application forms for this role.
In New Zealand, once we identify individuals, a formal process follows where NZTE’s
Advisory Network Manager and the New Zealand Beachheads Chair meet to ascertain
that the individuals have the skills and the following qualities:
• Commit ed to helping New Zealand business grow internationally.
• Wil ing to commit time and share their expertise with others.
• Able to relate to NZTE’s customers (both small and large).
• Empathise with customers and can work with customers to find a way forward.
A similar process is followed in our international locations.
Level 15, The Majestic Centre, 100 Wilis Street, Wellington 6011, New Zealand, PO Box 2878, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
link to page 2
NZTE’s review process applies customer centric principles and the support from its
advisors encompasses itself in the way we work with our customers. NZTE measures
customer satisfaction using the net promoter score (NPS
1) method. This helps us to
measure the impact of advisors’ contributions and becomes the process to review their
current and future association with NZTE.
2. NZTE does not release its list of Beachheads advisors. This information is withheld under
sections 9(2)(a) and 9(2)(i) of the Of icial Information Act to:
• Protect the privacy of natural persons, including that of deceased natural
persons.
• Enable a Minister of the Crown or any public service agency or organisation
holding the information to carry out, without prejudice or disadvantage,
commercial activities.
3. NZTE has on-going contracts with Beachheads Advisors as they are used on an as needs
basis. Start dates for Beachheads advisors are dependent on the nature of these
contracts.
• NZTE began contracting Beachhead advisors from 2003.
• Each Beachheads contract is reviewed and reissued annually.
You have the right under section 28(3) of the Act to seek an investigation and review by the
Ombudsman. Information about how to make a complaint is available at:
www.ombudsman.parliament.govt.nz or freephone: 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
Melissa Trochon
Director – Board & Ministerial
1 The NPS is a widely used customer satisfaction measure, which gives a potential score of -100 to
+100.
