During the Voices of the Future event students interviewed Stephen Jacobi of Jacobi Consulting:

Biography

• Educated at Auckland Grammar and the University of Auckland
• Educational focus on French and German with a subsequent move into leadership training
• Married to the Very Reverend Helen Jacobi with two children
• Lives in Napier

Past

Mr Jacobi spent four years in the trade industry in Paris as the assistant trade commissioner

Involved in New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Deputy High Commissioner in Ottawa, Canada

Three years spent in New Zealand forest industry

Present

Jacobi Consulting is ‘a consultancy which offers advice to corporate and government clients in the fields of international trade, government relations and industry development.’ Notable achievements include the facilitation of closer business relations with the USA, which Mr Jacobi counts as one of his foremost business successes. Jacobi’s clients include the NZ-US council, the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), and the New Zealand International Business Forum.

Future

Mr Jacobi is open to remaining in Napier, but would consider running his business in Auckland or Wellington. He also states that he would not rule out a return to politics, focusing on international economic relations, as this is his passion.

Our Thoughts

Mr Jacobi was an easy-going person to talk to who genuinely took an interest in what we had to ask him and answered to the best of his ability. He made his lecture more relatable through quirky stories and funny anecdotes which also got through the point he was trying to make of APEC playing a big role in New Zealand. We are both truly glad to have met him and appreciate the time he took to talk to us!

Fave Fives

Film: Lord of the Rings- Return of the King

Book: A Thousand Splendid Suns

Food: French Food

Hobby:  Wine

Quotes

“Okey Dokey”

“Trade is New Zealand’s life blood”