Students Laura Manson, Rochelle Frew, Natalya Dole, Jamie McPherson and Jordan Jujnovich interview the CEO of EMA (Northern), Alasdair Thompson:

Biography

• Current CEO of EMA (Northern)
• Managing Director of Linrick Investments (NZ) Ltd
• Member of the APEC Business Advisory Council
• Former Mayor of Thames Coromandel District Council
• Received Queen’s New Zealand Commemorative Medal for Service to New Zealand

Background

Alasdair began his education at New Plymouth Boys’ High School and then went on to pursue his undergraduate degree at Victoria University, which he completed at Canterbury University. He realized the opportunities in politics that existed due to New Zealand being ahead of the rest of the world following the Douglas and Lange regime, and then pursued postgraduate study in public policy at the University of Waikato. Early on in his career he set his sights high, aspiring to positions of responsibility.

The scope of his career has been incredibly diverse and he has extensive experience in politics and business. This has inarguably provided the foundation for his current involvement in the APEC Business Advisory Council and his position at present as CEO of the Employers and Manufacturers Association Northern Incorporated.

Current Ventures

The Employers and Manufacturers Association Northern Incorporated is a company in which Alasdair is in his element. The four fundamental pillars of the business are advocacy, learning, advice and networking. EMA has just launched an innovative business-to-business portal, where EMA members can advertise and sell their products and services online to other EMA members and also to the public.

Other current priorities for Alasdair involve advocating trade liberalization within the ABAC and APEC organizations, and closer to home, pushing for the reform of the local government in Auckland.

Views on Business

Alasdair has very firm views on business and trade in particular. He believes it is vital for New Zealand and the APEC region to establish trade liberalization. In terms of New Zealand’s participation, he thinks we must raise our export earnings and investment abroad so that we are not left out of the economic future of the Asia-Pacific region.

Our Thoughts

Alasdair Thompson is a man with little to hide. He is unafraid to stand up for his views and beliefs in a business environment, and he is an all round leader.

Quotes

“Leadership isn’t listening to what people think, it’s informing the people, and then listening to what they think.”

“I think it is inevitable that China will dominate the world economically in the future.”

“Seeing something advance in the right direction is success.”