Apurv Shukla
The 10th Annual BNZ-Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards were held on November 27, 2017 at the Skycity Convention Centre in Auckland. The capacity-filled programme was established to acknowledge the best and brightest of businesses and business people of Indian origin in New Zealand.
Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards (INLIBA) 2017 was the continuation of a journey which began in 2008, a credible and transparent endeavour in honouring excellence. The judging panel comprises distinguished people who are independent of any stakeholders.
Networking opportunity
The Awards Night started at 5 pm with an opportunity for the guests to meet and mingle over cocktails. This provided networking opportunities and gave them a good sense of the ground realities in the wider business world. Sponsors also used this platform to showcase the goods and services they provide.
The main event followed, with writer, stand up comedian and social commentator Michele A ‘Court as the Master of Ceremonies. It was the second time (after 2014), that the North Shore based Michele hosted the Black-Tie event.
Small Businesses grow
INLIBA 2017 winners across 14 business categories were automatic entrants for the Supreme Business of the year Award. INLIBA seeks to cover a wide gamut of commercial activities. One in three New Zealand workers are involved in a small business contributing a third of the Gross Domestic Product.
These small businesses form the backbone of the New Zealand economy.
Many of today’s medium and large-scale companies started out small and grew with passion and dedication.
Forever Shine Beauty Therapy won the ‘Best Small Business of the Year’ award.
Customer Service thrives
INLIBA recognises that good customer service and smart marketing are intrinsic to commercial success and awards the best businesses in these categories.
Our businesses rely heavily on word-of-mouth to maintain and expand their clientele. Good Customer Service can make or mar an enterprise.
Global Imports and Exports Limited won the ‘Business Excellence in Customer Service’ Award, true to the precept ‘A happy customer is a repeat customer.’
Strategic Marketing
A good marketing campaign is imperative for a business to get its message out to the market. There should be awareness, curiosity and excitement generated to make a product successful. The past few years have seen digital marketing through social media evolve as an important tool.
R Jay Financial Services won the ‘Business Excellence in Marketing’ category.
This South Auckland based company was praised by the judges for its innovative and engaging campaigns.
Crimson Education
INLIBA 2017 also awarded the talented and successful individuals in the business community in category of the ‘Best Young Entrepreneur of the Year.’ Sharndre Kushor from Crimson Education was declared the winner. At 22, this alumnus of the University of Auckland is the Co-Founder of the Company.
New Zealand was the first country in the world to accord Woman suffrage in 1893. It is only befitting that the Awards recognise the outstanding contribution women make in running successful businesses by awarding the ‘Best Businesswoman of the Year’ trophy. The winner this year was again South Africa-born Sharndre Kushor.
The biggest prize of the evening- ‘Supreme Business of the Year’ award was won by Crimson Education.
It typified the success story of start-ups in New Zealand. Established in 2013, this global education company provides pathways to students, desirous of admission to Ivy League Universities alongside arranging Internship Programmes and Leadership Mentoring. This multimillion dollar Newmarket based company now operates in more than 10 countries.
Positive impact
The Tenth Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards was an occasion to acknowledge, appreciate and award Indian Businesses that are making a positive impact in the economy and the society. They are an integral part of the Kiwi growth story. As curtains were drawn, the stage is now being set for INLIBA 2018, which promises to be even bigger and better.
Photo :
- Auckland Mayor Phil Goff speaking at the Ceremony
- Jacinda Ardern and Bill English felicitate Krishna Kumar and Sridevi Pusarla as Housing and Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford looks on
- Ratna Venkat performs a South Indian classical dance item with Ashish Ramakrishnan rendering the song
- Ethnic Communities Minister Jenny Salesa honours Karl Anderson of Spy Glass
(Pictures by Creative Eye Fotographics)
