Speakers



International Speaker
Peter Biggs, CEO Clemenger BBDO, Melbourne
'Working with the Rough Beast. What Compelling Brands are doing
in the 21st Century'

Peter Biggs is an award-winning speaker and long-time high achieving advertising, marketing and communications specialist. He is a Kiwi with a strong sense of home, which he returns to very regularly from his current base in Melbourne.

His career started in Wellington in the ‘80s, but only after he’d won all the public speaking prizes they had at Victoria University, while achieving a first class honours degree in literature at the same time.

He went on to build a successful business working with clients to help them build and protect their brands. His team at Ogilvy & Mather worked with Vegfed in 1995 on a campaign to help growers get to grips with a levy referendum. So he is no stranger to the business of growing.

In more recent times Peter left his role as managing director of Clemenger BBDO in Wellington to take up the job of chief executive in the Melbourne office in March 2006. During his time at Clemenger BBDO/Wellington, the agency was New Zealand Agency of the Year in 2002 and 2004, and he was chosen as Agency Chief Executive of the Year in 2003.

He took his prize-winning ways with him to Australia, as Clemenger BBDO in Melbourne won the B&T Agency of the Year for Victoria in 2007, 2008 and 2010 and Campaign Brief Agency of the Year in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Clemenger BBDO/Melbourne was named Australia’s Most Effective Agency at the 2010 Australian Marketing Effectiveness Awards.

Peter is a member of the Board of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Chunky Move Dance Company and the Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas. He also chairs the New Zealand Book Council. He was chair of the Arts Council of New Zealand from 1999-2006 and, before moving to Australia, was a member of numerous private and public sector boards in New Zealand.
 



Rabobank Keynote Speaker
Sir George Fistonich, founder & owner Villa Maria Estate
'A Family of Family Businesses'
Co-operation, collaboration & market focus in the 'Family of 12'.

The Rabobank keynote speaker is Sir George Fistonich, founder & owner of Villa Maria Estate. The company has taken a lead in developing new business approaches at all levels of their supply chain – from the grape to the glass – since the 1960s.

Sir George has agreed to make a rare speaking appearance for us, to talk about running a family business, and working with other family businesses as a marketing strategy.

Innovation and new thinking has been a cornerstone of the Fistonich family’s success in the world of the wine business. Sir George founded Villa Maria Estate in Auckland in 1961. The company pioneered the use of contract growers and Villa Maria was the first New Zealand wine company to initiate payment for grapes based on quality rather than a flat contract price.

In 1979 they opened New Zealand's first vineyard bar and restaurant at the Vidal winery, setting the standard for vineyard restaurants that have since opened throughout the country. In the ‘80s he originated the ‘two tier’ structure for labelling wines as a way to recognize the superior quality of grapes from some vineyards

In 2005 Sir George was named New Zealand’s Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. In 2009 he was knighted for his service to the wine industry – which was a New Zealand first. This year he received a World Class New Zealander Award in the Manufacturing, Design & Innovation category, and was also inducted to the New Zealand Wine Hall of Fame.
 



Motivational/Industry Speaker
Eric Rush, supermarket owner and Rugby Sevens legend
'Show me the Value'

Eric is one of New Zealand’s favourite presenters and he will close the day for us with considerable flair.

Eric has been a part of some hugely successful rugby teams, including the Auckland and North Harbour teams, the NZ Maori team, the NZ Touch team, he was an All Black for three years and the long-term captain of the highly successful New Zealand Sevens team.

He led the New Zealand Sevens Team to victory as gold medal winners at the Commonwealth Games and the World Sevens Cup.

Although Eric’s rugby prowess and credentials are well known, many people do not know he also has a balanced and successful career off the rugby field as well, as a lawyer, corporate trainer and more recently, a supermarket operator.