Venkat Raman
Two leaders have written in this Anniversary Special about the empowerment of women or the lack of it in New Zealand and have advocated more opportunities in government and public institutions.
However, women of Indian origin have achieved remarkable success in the corporate world and as owners and operators of small, medium and large enterprises. They have successfully established and run enterprises that are today leaders in their chosen field of activity, and become a source of inspiration for others.
Among them is Manasa Sirigiri of Auckland.
Link2 Services, which she established 19 years ago, is regarded as a model in logistics and supply chain management, warehousing and a series of aligned activities.
The company has grown to become Link2 Group, comprising Link2 Services, Link2 Solutions and Stirling Recruitment with her husband Indra Sirigiri as the Chairman and Managing Director.
Both of them received the ‘Indian Newslink 20th Anniversary Special Award for Business Excellence in Ethics and Compliance’ on November 25, 2019 at SkyCity Convention Centre, Auckland.
The Awards were presented by Attorney General of Fiji Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and New Zealand’s Leader of the Opposition Simon Bridges in the presence of almost 1000 people including Ministers for Finance Grant Robertson, Immigration and Workplace Relations & Safety Minister Iain Lees-Galloway and Ethnic Communities Minister Jenny Salesa, more than 15 members of Parliament, government officials and industry and business leaders from throughout the country.
Pursuit of Excellence
A citation described Manasa Sirigiri as a ‘visionary,’ and her success has been driven not by academic qualifications but by pursuit of excellence.
Her husband Indra was described as an inspiring corporate leader who has built a group of companies known for business ethics and dependability.
As the Founder of Link2 Services, Manasa invested hard work while Indra brought his experience in business both as an employer and an employee to determine the sort of company they wanted Link2 to be- one that works hard for its customers and that treats employees with respect.
Link2 Services today employs more than 400 staff about 60% of who are of Indian ethnicity working with 50 different customers across Auckland. New employees undergo an induction programme with a significant focus on health and safety systems as well as the required skills for customer deployment.
Professional approach
It was while working as a logistics manager more than 18 years ago that Mr Sirigiri saw a different way of managing contract labour in this sector. Instead of hiring inexperienced casual staff on an hourly rate, he offered clients a fixed price and then supply them with trained Link2 Services staff with an onsite supervisor.
This has been developed as an innovative and result-driven model and Link 2 Services is the only company that provides personnel on unit price basis as well as hourly basis, working onsite of clients and offsite at its own facility. These wide-ranging options have proved to be of benefit to its clients, offering them quality and cost-effective human resources solutions.
Awards and Citations
Over the past 19 years, the Link2 Group has been acknowledged for good governance and management principles in New Zealand.
The Company has won several Awards in the past years, the most significant of which was the Supreme Business Award of the Year in 2016 presented by then Prime Minister Sir John Key. Other Awards won that year include ‘Best Employer of Choice,’ Business Excellence in Customer Service (2015 & 2016), Westpac Auckland Business Awards (South) in 2017. Their Son Rahul Sirigiri won the Best Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award at the Indian Newslink Annual Awards twice- in 2013 and 2016.
Photo Caption:
- Manasa and Indra Sirigiri receiving the ‘Indian Newslink 20th Anniversary Special Award for Business Ethics and Compliance’ from Fiji’s Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, watched by New Zealand’s Leader of the Opposition Simon Bridges.
- Indra Sirigiri with the Supreme Business of the Year Award 2016 with (from left) Manasa Sirigiri, then Prime Minister of New Zealand Sir John Key, BNZ Chairman Doug McKay, BNZ then Managing Director Anthony Healy and Rahul and Jaya Sirigiri
