Members of the India New Zealand Business Council (INZBC) elected ANZ Bank Head of Indian Segment Sunil Kaushal to the post of Chairman at their Annual General Meeting held on June 7 in Auckland.
New Zealand Innovative Future Solutions Limited Sales Director Richard Baker was elected to the post of Deputy Chairman.
Cemix Director Bhav Dhillon became the Treasurer of the body unopposed.
Among the others elected to the Executive Committee were Dinesh Naik, Tax Partner, KPMG (Auckland); Kamal Ghose (Proctor & Senior Academic Marketing, Lincoln University (Christchurch); Matthew Findlay, General Manager, Aeronautical Business Development, Christchurch International Airport (Christchurch); Pravin D’ Lima, Business Development Manager, Fresh Partners Pacific Limited (Auckland); Prince Kumar, Managing Director, Edex Academy New Zealand Limited (Auckland); Dr Rick Ede, Chief Executive, Unitec (Auckland); and Sameer Handa, Chief Executive, Patton Limited (Auckland).
Impressive growth
Although established 25 years ago, the Council proved its meaningfulness only during the past three and half years under the Chairmanship of Wenceslaus Anthony, who led a team of Executive Committee members through vision and purpose.
As well as opening new Chapters in Christchurch and Auckland in that order, he and his team brought the Council out of its inertia and turned it into a forum for discussion, dissemination of information and engagement between businesses in New Zealand and India.
The Council has, during the past three-and-half years, gained strength to represent the business community, including submission of interests and opinions to the officials of the New Zealand and Indian Governments in their negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement and other avenues.
Strategic partnership
The organisation has forged a strategic partnership with ANZ Bank to promote meetings, seminars and other events in New Zealand and established a unique combination of working relationship with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry, Confederation of Indian Industry, the Associated Chamber of Commerce of India and the Punjab, Haryana & Delhi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHD).
Its ability to afford a platform for its members and the larger business community to meet and exchange information with the officials of the Foreign Affairs & Trade Ministry, New Zealand Trade & Enterprise, the High Commissions of India and New Zealand (respectively in Wellington and Delhi) have benefited the two Governments and businesses.
Risk of lethargy
While the experienced hands of Mr Anthony would be available to the Council as its Immediate Past Chairman, the new team would have to rise to the occasion, seek orderliness in its affairs and promote greater amity among the business communities in both countries. Organisations such as INZBC, in dealing with governments and government departments, tend to become lethargic and slaves of systems and procedures, shedding dynamism and innovative spirit.
Mr Anthony would be justifiably proud of the achievement of the Council during his tenure, putting in place a robust electoral process, among other things (read related report in this Section).
Management experts say that the success of any enterprise including not-for-profit organisations is always the result of collective efforts, while its failure could be led by one person’s folly.
Mr Kaushal, who takes the chair today (July1) with his other colleagues in the Executive, would face interesting challenges but INZBC members would hope that their indomitable will to progress would see them successful.
