Held on Monday, November 28, 2016 at Sky City Convention Centre, Auckland City
Business Excellence in Retail Trade
Sponsor: Oporto New Zealand Limited
Finalists:
- Hunua General Stores
- Kess Hair & Beauty
Winner:
Hunua General Stores
Lawrence & Eric Pereira, Directors of Oporto New Zealand, Sponsor of Business Excellence in Retail Trade Category with winner Raj Charan of Hunua General Stores and Prime Minister John Key.
Judges’ Comments:
Raj and Ronita Charan have brought third generation grocery skills to the small South Auckland settlement of Hunua and have developed a charming community focused general store. They provide everything from flowers and espresso to fuel, and feature local produce. They have become an important gathering point in a community that prides itself on country values. The successful retail offering has resulted in doubling of revenue in three years and further expansion is on the cards.
Business Excellence in Customer Service
Sponsor: Mercury Printz
Finalists:
- Link 2 Group
- Hunua General Stores
- Discoveries Educare
- Global Finance
Winner:
Link 2 Group
Opposition Leader Andrew Little presents the Business Excellence in Customer Service Award to Rahul Sirigiri watched by Auckland Mayor Phil Goff and Ilango Krishnamoorthy, Director, Mercury Printz, Sponsor of the Category.
Judges’ Comments:
Link 2 Group provides resources to logistics companies and large retailers. The business model is to contract casual and temporary staff to businesses at the right time, at competitive prices and to complete jobs with high levels of accuracy. Trained teams are led by customer specific team leaders and weekly customer feedback is acted on immediately.
Business Excellence in Innovation
Sponsor: Indian Newslink
Finalists:
- The Rainbow Corner Early Learning Centre
- The Legal Associates (Barristers & Solicitors)
Winner:
- The Rainbow Corner Early Learning Centre
Bhavini Doshii, Director, The Rainbow Corner Early Learning Centre and her husband Rrahul, winners of the Award (Sponsored by Indian Newslink) with Ethnic Communities Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-liga and Police and Corrections Minister Judith Collins.
Judges’ Comments:
The Rainbow Corner is an exceptionally well run childcare business with huge passion and energy shown by staff and management. It has a strong focus on the needs of the community and its clients, and has a very high evidence of sustainability and eco-friendly practices. Ongoing feedback from staff, community and parents shows the investment this business has in serving its community. The growth plans and Innovation associated with these plans are outstanding; The Rainbow Corner is a strong benchmark for the childcare industry.
Business Excellence in Marketing
Sponsor: Radio Tarana
Finalists:
- Global Imports & Exports Limited
- Hunua General Stores
- Kess Hair & Beauty
Winner:
Global Imports & Exports Limited
Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith, Police and Corrections Minister Judith Collins and Radio Tarana Managing Director, Robert Khan (Sponsor of the Business Excellence in Marketing Category) with Peter Datt, Director, Global Imports & Exports Limited, winner of the Award.
Judges’ Comments
Global Imports & Exports Limited is a successful family business with a large warehouse containing over a thousand product lines. Global Imports & Exports’ target markets are the South Pacific Island market whilst gradually expanding into the South East Asian markets. As a customer focused organisation, Global Imports & Exports Limited listens to customer needs and requirements, and conducts market research and gathers feedback from customers from product samples and hosting trade shows, exhibitions, seminars and promotions throughout the Pacific and Asia.
Best Small Business
Sponsor: Pullman Hotel Auckland
Finalists:
- Starlight Fabrics
- Forever Shine Beauty Therapy
Winner:
Starlight Fabrics
Rumy and Khushnuma Balsara, Directors, Starlight Fabrics pose with Commerce & Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith and Pullman Hotel Auckland General Manager Rob McIntyre, Sponsor of the Best Small Business Category.
Judges’ Comments:
Starlight Enterprises is an importer and nationwide distributor of high quality upholstery fabrics and upholstery components. With Rumy’s background as a textile engineer, Starlight Enterprises understands the requirements and trends in the marketplace. Sales are steadily increasing including exports to Fiji and Australia. A new initiative into a related manufacturing activity is seen as a path for future growth.
Best Medium-Sized Business
Sponsor: 2degrees Mobile Limited
Finalists:
- The Rainbow Corner ELC
- Legal Associates Barristers & Solicitors
Winner
The Rainbow Corner Early Learning Centre
2degrees Mobile Limited Chief Executive Stewart Sherriff (Sponsor of the Best Medium-Sized Business Category) and Prime Minister John Key with Bhavini and Rrahul Doshii winners of the Award.
Judges’ Comments
Bhavini Doshii and The Rainbow Corner Early Learning Centre provides a quality formal childcare education service which is affordable, along with home based care and out of school care and recreation in the East and South Auckland areas. The successful formula is to work in partnership with families and the community to develop each child’s skills through a healthy mix of educational and recreational activities. Their motto is that it takes a whole team to raise a child.
Best Large Business
Sponsor: BNZ
Finalists:
- Discoveries Educare
- Link 2 Group
Winner:
Discoveries Educare
Rippan Sindhu, Director, Discoveries Educare, winner of the Best Large Business Award with Ethnic Communities Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-liga, ACT Party Leader David Seymour and BNZ Managing Director & Chief Executive Anthony Healy, Sponsor of this Category.
Judges’ Comments:
Discoveries Educare and Sunrise Home-based Childcare operate 13 childcare centres across Auckland with two more opening in 2016. Owned by husband and wife Ajit Singh and Rippan Sandhu, they commenced in May 2011. They advocate that cost should not be a barrier to quality early childhood education and offer 30 hours free childcare, 10 hours more than is funded by government. Discoveries Educare and Sunrise Home-based Childcare are profitable growing businesses, caring for almost 1000 children and employing nearly 200 staff.
Best Employer of Choice
Sponsors: SRF Limited and WAML
Finalists:
- Link 2 Group
- Discoveries Educare
Winner:
Link 2 Group
Police & Corrections Minister Judith Collins, ACT Party Leader David Seymour and WAML Group Chairman & Managing Director Wenceslaus Anthony (extreme right) watch as Sneha Anthony presents the Best Employer of Choice Award to Indra Sirigiri, Chairman, Link 2 Group.
Judges’ Comments:
Link 2 Group has more than 200 staff with 60% Indian ethnicity working with 35-40 different customers across Auckland and operating from their East Tamaki Office. New employees undergo an induction programme with a significant focus on health and safety systems as well as the required skills for customer deployment. Staff with leadership abilities are identified by Site Supervisors and Customer Service Managers from performance reviews and client feedback.
Business Excellence in International Business with India
Sponsor: Indian Newslink
Finalist:
- Global Imports & Exports Limited
Winner:
Global Imports & Exports Limited
Leader of the Opposition Andrew Little poses with Peter Datt, Managing Director, Global Imports & Exports Limited, (Sponsored by Indian Newslink), winner of the category, Amitesh Singh and Prateek Datt.
Judges’ Comments:
Global Imports & Exports Limited was founded in 1993 by current CEO Peter Datt and focuses on distributing building hardware, electrical and automotive products to the South Pacific & French Polynesian markets. Products are sourced from all around the world, including India. Trading with a key supplier in India for the last eight years has enabled the introduction and marketing of Global Imports & Exports’ own OEM brands, including Farm Masta and File Masta.
Financial Advisor (Mortgage) of the Year
Sponsor: AIA New Zealand
Finalist:
Global Finance
Winner:
Global Finance
Natalie Cameron, Chief Executive, AIA New Zealand (Sponsor of the Best Financial Advisor Mortgage category) with Commerce & Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith and Global Finance Managing Director Ajay Kumar, winner of the Award.
Judges’ Comments:
Global Finance is New Zealand’s leading mortgage and insurance broker based in Auckland. They have commercial relationships with most of New Zealand’s leading banks, non-bank lenders and insurance companies. Founder Ajay Kumar and his team understand each customer’s needs and goals and is very proud of their record in providing specialist financial planning which has saved millions in interest payments by their clients.
Financial Advisor (Insurance) of the Year
Sponsor: AIA New Zealand
Finalists:
- Global Finance
- Brisk Insurance
Winner:
Global Finance
Ethnic Communities Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-liga and AIA New Zealand Chief Executive Natalie Cameron (Sponsor of the Best Financial Advisor Insurance Category) with Ajay Kumar, Managing Director, Global Finance, winner of the Award. Seated in the background are Prime Minister John Key and Police and Corrections Minister Judith Collins.
Judges’ Comments:
Global Financial Services Limited (recently renamed Global Finance) was founded in 1999 by Ajay Kumar who is actively involved as Managing Director and Specialist Insurance Adviser. Global Financial Services has arranged over $4 billion of loans and $2.5 billion of insurance cover for more than 3,500 families. Ajay Kumar leads a team of 24 full time salaried advisers who are focused on providing exceptional service to existing customers unlike the industry norm of commission based and brokers.
Best Young Entrepreneur of the Year
Sponsor: Relianz Travel
Finalists:
- Rahul Sirigiri (Link 2 Group)
- Jaspreet Dhillon (Starlight Fabrics)
Winner:
Rahul Sirigiri (Link 2 Group)
Prime Minister John Key with V Giridharan, Managing Director, Relianz Travel (Sponsor of the Best Young Entrepreneur of the Year Category) with winner Rahul Sirigiri (Link 2 Group).
Judges’ Comments:
Rahul Sirigiri is the Chief Executive Officer at Link 2 Group and solely responsible for creating strategy and execution for the growth of Link 2 Group and achieving quarterly and yearly targets. Previously as General Manager he acquired Apparel Solutions as part of an expansion strategy and since then the Group has grown by an average of 25% per annum in gross revenue. Rahul identified that online technology affects the way consumers buy products and their expectations. Link 2 Group have adopted new technologies and assisted their customers to increase capability in the online marketplace.
Best Businesswoman of the Year
Sponsor: Indian Newslink
Finalists:
- Rippan Sandhu (Discoveries Educare)
- Ashima Singh (Legal Associates Barristers & Solicitors)
- Jaya Sirigiri (Link 2 Group)
- Bhavini Doshii (The Rainbow Corner Early Learning Centre)
Winner:
Ashima Singh (Legal Associates Barristers & Solicitors)
Ashima Singh, Winner of the Best Businessman of the Year Award (Sponsored by Indian Newslink) flanked by Auckland Mayor Phil Goff (left) and Opposition Leader Andrew Little.
Judges’ Comments:
Ashima Singh is a founder and was recently approved as a Full Partner in Legal Associates, a young Papatoetoe based law firm. Ashima heads the Property and Commercial Law side of the business and has been responsible for exceptional practice growth, developing quality systems within the practice, and building a team of legal experts who cater to the many ethnic groups in South Auckland.
Supreme Business of the Year
Sponsor: Bank of New Zealand
Winner: Link 2 Group
Indra Sirigiri, Chairman, Link 2 Group (Winner of the Supreme Business of the Year Award) with (from left) Manasa Sirigiri, Prime Minister John Key, BNZ Chairman Doug McKay, BNZ Managing Director Anthony Healy, Rahul and Jaya Sirigiri.
Judges’ Comments:
Link 2 Group is the parent organisation managing two complementary businesses – Link 2 Services and Apparel Solutions. Link 2 Services was established in year 2000 by Indra and Manasa Sirigiri with a vision to provide outsourced labour solutions to logistics customers and large retailers.
Apparel Solutions was acquired in 2013 to provide warehousing capacity.
Their business model is to contract casual and temporary staff to businesses at the right time, at competitive prices and to complete jobs with high levels of accuracy. Under the leadership of CEO Rahul Sirigiri there are more than 200 staff working with 35-40 different customers across Auckland and revenue is growing at 25% per annum.
The Indian Business Award Judges have been impressed with the progress of Link 2 Group over recent years as category winners, and are delighted to recommend the Supreme Business Award to Link 2 Group for 2016.
