The work we do, industry by industry
Twenty-five years of cross-border advisory work for New Zealand businesses: food and beverage, consumer and retail, manufacturing and energy, property, technology, capital and professional services.
Clients are named only where they have agreed to be named. Everyone else stays anonymous. We are glad to talk through any of this work in person. We also work with more than one company in a category. Each client runs on separate accounts and separate material, and we never cross-reference pricing, channel terms or contact lists.
Food & Beverage
2026 · Mānuka Honey
Mānuka Honey: An Industry Report Anyone Can Check
A China market research report on the New Zealand mānuka honey category, published openly so anyone can verify it.
Market Report
delivered & publicly verifiable
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Mānuka Honey: An Industry Report Anyone Can Check
A China market research report on the New Zealand mānuka honey category, published openly so anyone can verify it.
Market Report
delivered & publicly verifiable
Two New Zealand mānuka honey companies weighing China gained guidance they could act on, and the engagement produced one deliverable anyone can check rather than take on trust: the New Zealand Mānuka Honey: China Market Research Report, a 2025 market analysis with data verification, published on The MiDeer Observer in July 2026 and open to inspection.
2024 · Premium Meat & Seafood
Tasman Kitchen™: Reaching Chinese Buyers
A premium meat, seafood and fresh range already selling in China, and the e-commerce and institutional buyers it needed next.
New Customers
e-commerce & institutional introductions made
Named with the client's permission.
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Tasman Kitchen™: Reaching Chinese Buyers
A premium meat, seafood and fresh range already selling in China, and the e-commerce and institutional buyers it needed next.
New Customers
e-commerce & institutional introductions made
Named with the client's permission.
The Tasman Kitchen™ and FreshLine range was already selling in China through its cold-chain arm. What it needed next was reach: introductions to new Chinese e-commerce and institutional customers, and support through the conversations that followed.
Food & Beverage · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
One Honey Brand, Three Routes Into China
A New Zealand mānuka honey brand deciding how to enter China without scattering its effort.
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Food & Beverage · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
One Honey Brand, Three Routes Into China
A New Zealand mānuka honey brand deciding how to enter China without scattering its effort.
- Three independent routes into China, each costed on its own logic, so options stayed open
- Product positioning set for Chinese buyers before packaging or pricing decisions locked in
- Channel options mapped per route, so distribution talks could start from a shortlist
- The compliance steps for each route listed, so no chosen path stalls on paperwork
They could compare three routes side by side and commit to one with confidence.
The three-track structure is the story: each track moves without waiting on the others.
Food & Beverage · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Sizing Up China for Smoked Mussels
A New Zealand smoked mussel producer weighing China as its next market.
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Food & Beverage · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Sizing Up China for Smoked Mussels
A New Zealand smoked mussel producer weighing China as its next market.
- A verdict on whether China was worth the investment, reached before any money moved
- A retail route for both fresh and packaged product, priced for the channels that actually take it
- The registration steps in sequence, so compliance never stalls the launch
- A cross-border e-commerce playbook their own team can pick up and run
They entered the first market conversation with a costed plan, not a hypothesis.
Food & Beverage · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Finding the Market for Tallow Ingredients
A New Zealand ingredient company testing whether Chinese demand exists for tallow-based inputs.
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Food & Beverage · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Finding the Market for Tallow Ingredients
A New Zealand ingredient company testing whether Chinese demand exists for tallow-based inputs.
- Real evidence of category demand, replacing guesswork before capacity was committed
- Channel recommendations for B2B ingredient export, matched to how buyers actually purchase
- The registration steps for each route set out, so timelines could be planned honestly
They could size the opportunity and price the effort before committing a single shipment.
Food & Beverage · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
First Moves Into China for a Honey Nutrition Company
A New Zealand honey nutrition company preparing its first phase of work towards China.
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Food & Beverage · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
First Moves Into China for a Honey Nutrition Company
A New Zealand honey nutrition company preparing its first phase of work towards China.
- Due diligence on their own company and products, surfacing gaps before a partner or regulator did
- A phase one task list that turns a broad ambition into sequenced, assignable work
- The consulting proposal and agreement drafted, so the engagement began with a defined scope
Phase one started with a clear scope and a paper trail, not goodwill alone.
Food & Beverage · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Will Premium China Take Plant-Based Ice Cream?
A New Zealand plant-based ice cream brand testing the premium end of the Chinese market.
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Food & Beverage · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Will Premium China Take Plant-Based Ice Cream?
A New Zealand plant-based ice cream brand testing the premium end of the Chinese market.
- A bilingual market entry proposal both sides of the table could debate and refine
- Positioning direction and channel options set, giving internal debate concrete choices
- The questions that must be answered before committing, listed while hesitation was still cheap
Leadership could approve, redirect, or shelve the China idea on evidence, not enthusiasm.
The honest headline is the question itself; the work was making it answerable.
Food & Beverage · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
How China Tastes a New Zealand Apple
A consumer study putting the New Zealand apple category in front of Chinese buyers.
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Food & Beverage · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
How China Tastes a New Zealand Apple
A consumer study putting the New Zealand apple category in front of Chinese buyers.
- A Chinese-language questionnaire and testing protocol, making consumer feedback structured and comparable
- Sample testing with real consumers, turning assumptions about taste into observed preference
- Demand data across Asian markets, giving the category a wider commercial context
Variety and positioning decisions could rest on what Chinese consumers actually said.
Food & Beverage · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
From Community Channels to a National Brand
A New Zealand brand making a traditional Chinese hand-pulled sweet, outgrowing its community channels.
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Food & Beverage · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
From Community Channels to a National Brand
A New Zealand brand making a traditional Chinese hand-pulled sweet, outgrowing its community channels.
- A New Zealand market development plan, replacing reactive selling with a deliberate path
- A localisation approach that keeps the brand legible to mainstream buyers without diluting it
- B2B channel development across cafes, restaurants and retail, opening doors beyond the community
- A founder brand strategy and long term roadmap, so growth builds equity, not just volume
The brand could step into the mainstream without losing what made it worth buying.
Consumer & Retail
Hospitality · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Assessing a Hotel Lease Acquisition
A hotel business lease offered for sale in New Zealand, needing a clear-eyed verdict.
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Hospitality · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Assessing a Hotel Lease Acquisition
A hotel business lease offered for sale in New Zealand, needing a clear-eyed verdict.
- The target's financials and lease chain reviewed, so the buyer knew what they were actually buying
- The asking price tested against trading position, giving real ground for negotiation
- Financing and acquisition material prepared, so lenders and advisers could engage quickly
The buyer walked into negotiation knowing what the business was worth to them.
2025 · Tourism & Institutions
Group Travel: Opening the Chinese Institutional Market
A New Zealand tourism operator that needed institutional buyers in China, and the introductions that opened that door.
Group Tours
business taken on from Chinese institutions
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Group Travel: Opening the Chinese Institutional Market
A New Zealand tourism operator that needed institutional buyers in China, and the introductions that opened that door.
Group Tours
business taken on from Chinese institutions
In 2025 a New Zealand tourism operator was connected with Chinese institutions for group travel. The cooperation has produced real business: the operator has since taken on group tour work from those institutions.
2026 · Footwear & Retail
An Outside Read for a Footwear Retailer
A company selling European-imported women's footwear, wanting an outside read on its management and export capability.
Advisory
views delivered · next steps with the company
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An Outside Read for a Footwear Retailer
A company selling European-imported women's footwear, wanting an outside read on its management and export capability.
Advisory
views delivered · next steps with the company
In 2026 a company selling European-imported women's footwear came for an outside read on two areas: how the business is managed, and how strong its export capability is. It received advisory views on both.
The store itself was covered too: the company received an operating diagnosis and a transformation paper, covering trading issues, category benchmarks and valuation references for the business and its assets.
Community · Pro Bono · 2026
Hibiscus JetSki: A Pro Bono Community Music Festival
A Whangaparāoa jet ski operator with an idea for a community music festival, and the free advice and introductions that shaped it.
Pro Bono
no fee charged · festival confirmed for 19 September 2026
Named with the client's permission.
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Hibiscus JetSki: A Pro Bono Community Music Festival
A Whangaparāoa jet ski operator with an idea for a community music festival, and the free advice and introductions that shaped it.
Pro Bono
no fee charged · festival confirmed for 19 September 2026
Named with the client's permission.
In 2026 Hibiscus JetSki Hire & Tours, a Whangaparāoa business whose owner knows the Hauraki Gulf better than most, turned an idea of their own into reality: the inaugural Hibiscus JetSki Spring Music Festival, a community fundraiser for Starship Child Health. Free advice and introductions helped shape it, and no fee was charged for any of it.
Consumer & Retail · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Building a National Gift Box Brand From Scratch
An in-house venture: a New Zealand gift box brand built around a curated national selection.
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Consumer & Retail · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Building a National Gift Box Brand From Scratch
An in-house venture: a New Zealand gift box brand built around a curated national selection.
- A brand and product framework, so curation decisions had a standard to answer to
- A China market entry model with budget, making the ambition costed rather than aspirational
- The brand name secured before launch, making the venture an ownable asset from day one
The concept moved from idea to an ownable, budgeted brand ready to build on.
An own project proves the firm advises from experience, not theory.
Consumer & Retail · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Buying a Pizza Store With Eyes Open
A New Zealand operator taking over an established quick-service pizza store in Auckland.
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Consumer & Retail · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Buying a Pizza Store With Eyes Open
A New Zealand operator taking over an established quick-service pizza store in Auckland.
- Commercial due diligence on the store, so the price reflected the business, not the listing
- Sale and purchase conditions worked through, with risks surfaced before they became costs
- Franchisor approval prepared and lodged, removing the deal's most common point of failure
- Vendor, franchisor, lawyer and bank coordinated, so no settlement step stalled between parties
The buyer reached settlement with every condition tracked and nothing left unsigned.
This one is about process control: four parties, one sequence, no surprises.
Consumer & Retail · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Two Buyers, One Pizza Store
A second pizza store acquisition, this time with more than one buyer at the table.
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Consumer & Retail · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Two Buyers, One Pizza Store
A second pizza store acquisition, this time with more than one buyer at the table.
- Due diligence on the store and the terms offered, so both buyers worked from the same facts
- A buyer-side structure with acknowledgements drafted between buyers, preventing later disputes
- The sale and purchase agreement reviewed, keeping obligations balanced across both parties
- Deposit, approval and settlement sequenced, so a multi-party deal moved in the right order
Two buyers could act as one at the table, their arrangement settled before the seller asked.
Manufacturing, Design & Energy
Manufacturing · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Taking RV Awnings Into New Zealand
A manufacturer of recreational-vehicle awnings weighing whether New Zealand was worth the trip.
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Manufacturing · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Taking RV Awnings Into New Zealand
A manufacturer of recreational-vehicle awnings weighing whether New Zealand was worth the trip.
- A market and demand assessment within the market entry strategy, replacing assumptions made from afar
- Distributor pricing and channel terms reviewed, so margin reality was visible before commitments
- Feasibility material prepared, giving head office a decision document it could act on
The manufacturer could enter, adapt, or pass with the numbers in front of them.
2026 · NZ Possum-Fur Goods
A Preliminary Conversation with a Possum-Fur Goods Maker
A New Zealand maker of possum-fur knitwear and fur lines, at the start of an exploratory conversation.
Preliminary
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A Preliminary Conversation with a Possum-Fur Goods Maker
A New Zealand maker of possum-fur knitwear and fur lines, at the start of an exploratory conversation.
Preliminary
In 2026 a New Zealand company selling possum-fur knitwear and fur garments began an exploratory conversation. Contact was made and first discussions held, with the engagement at its earliest stage.
Manufacturing, Design & Energy · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
What China Could Mean for a Design Firm
A New Zealand industrial design and engineering consultancy testing China's fit with its model.
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Manufacturing, Design & Energy · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
What China Could Mean for a Design Firm
A New Zealand industrial design and engineering consultancy testing China's fit with its model.
- A strategic assessment of China, converting a persistent question into a structured answer
- Market demand and likely partner types identified, so outreach could target real counterparts
- Cost and manufacturing considerations weighed, exposing where the model bends or breaks
- Risks named before any move, so the firm could manage them on its own timetable
The partners could treat China as a decision with parameters, not a recurring debate.
Manufacturing, Design & Energy · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Taking Hand Tools Into Australia and New Zealand
A hand tool manufacturer ready to build a presence in New Zealand and Australia.
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Manufacturing, Design & Energy · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Taking Hand Tools Into Australia and New Zealand
A hand tool manufacturer ready to build a presence in New Zealand and Australia.
- A two-market expansion plan, so effort in each country followed one logic
- Retail channel routes mapped for both markets, shortening the path to first listings
- Product compliance requirements detailed, so nothing was refused or recalled at the border
- The local trading structure specified, giving the manufacturer a real vehicle to trade through
Entry into both markets could proceed as one coordinated programme, not two improvisations.
Manufacturing, Design & Energy · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
What Comes Next for an Energy Platform
A New Zealand energy and infrastructure platform considering its next stage of growth.
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Manufacturing, Design & Energy · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
What Comes Next for an Energy Platform
A New Zealand energy and infrastructure platform considering its next stage of growth.
- A development strategy that sequences growth instead of chasing it
- A defined approach to relationships with Chinese investors, so engagement starts on the platform's terms
- The investor approach integrated into the wider growth plan, keeping one story for every audience
The platform could enter capital conversations with a strategy it controls.
Property & Urban Development
Property & Urban Development · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Bringing an Australian Developer Into New Zealand
An Australian urban development group working out how to operate in New Zealand.
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Property & Urban Development · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Bringing an Australian Developer Into New Zealand
An Australian urban development group working out how to operate in New Zealand.
- Collaboration arrangements with local land holders structured, giving access to land a workable form
- Cooperation documentation reviewed and revised, with the group's position protected in the wording
- A New Zealand development strategy prepared, turning market interest into an operating plan
The group could negotiate locally with structure and paperwork already in place.
Professional Services
Education & Training · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Becoming an International Student Recruitment Agent
A private training establishment recruiting international students.
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Education & Training · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Becoming an International Student Recruitment Agent
A private training establishment recruiting international students.
- Agent status secured with an NZQA-registered provider, opening a new recruitment channel
- The new channel set up end to end, so it could bill and trade from day one
- The agency agreement reviewed line by line, with the obligations that matter flagged early
The recruitment pipeline could start before the paperwork caught up.
2002 · Education
North Harbour Institute: Accredited China Business Training
A New Zealand institute that wanted a China business programme its students could actually use.
Expansion
supported
Named with the client's permission.
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North Harbour Institute: Accredited China Business Training
A New Zealand institute that wanted a China business programme its students could actually use.
Expansion
supported
Named with the client's permission.
- The institute launched accredited China business programmes
- Students gained practical, structured access to China market knowledge
2021–22 · Children's Content IP
Tori and Her Hair: Partner and Investor Introductions
A New Zealand bilingual children's IP, early in its life, and the partners and investors it needed to meet.
Early Stage
Named with the client's permission.
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Tori and Her Hair: Partner and Investor Introductions
A New Zealand bilingual children's IP, early in its life, and the partners and investors it needed to meet.
Early Stage
Named with the client's permission.
Tori and Her Hair is a New Zealand-created bilingual children's education IP on children's hair-health, confidence and inclusion. In 2021–22 its owner wanted to take it into China's children's content market, and gained the introductions to potential partners and investors, plus facilitation that kept those conversations moving.
Partnership · 2026
Rise Growth Lab and MiDeer: A Joint China Programme
Two New Zealand advisory firms combining local brand growth with China expertise for food brands, starting with a joint webinar.
Partnership
Named with Rise Growth Lab's permission.
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Rise Growth Lab and MiDeer: A Joint China Programme
Two New Zealand advisory firms combining local brand growth with China expertise for food brands, starting with a joint webinar.
Partnership
Named with Rise Growth Lab's permission.
In 2026 MiDeer began working with Rise Growth Lab, a New Zealand business consultancy that helps NZ-based brands grow and runs the Growth Seekers community for local businesses. The two firms are combining Rise Growth Lab's local brand-growth work with MiDeer's China expertise for more New Zealand food businesses. The first concrete step, an education-focused webinar for NZ food companies, was delivered on 13 August 2026.
Ongoing
What We Are Working On Now
Live engagements across New Zealand food, software, security and wool carpet, each run on the MiDeer partner-led method.
Active
multi-sector
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What We Are Working On Now
Live engagements across New Zealand food, software, security and wool carpet, each run on the MiDeer partner-led method.
Active
multi-sector
Several New Zealand companies in the food, software, security and wool carpet sectors are working with MiDeer right now to explore and enter the Chinese market, each on the partner-led method.
Professional Services · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
One Speaker, Two Markets
An established leadership speaker and trainer exploring how to work between New Zealand and China.
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Professional Services · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
One Speaker, Two Markets
An established leadership speaker and trainer exploring how to work between New Zealand and China.
- Cooperation options researched, turning a broad ambition into a set of concrete models
- A plan for a bilingual speakers association drafted, giving the idea an institutional home
- A leadership training and China market programme outlined, ready to put in front of partners
The speaker could enter partnership talks with programmes on paper, not just reputation.
Professional Services · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Four Versions to Get the Proposal Right
A New Zealand security and risk management consultancy refining how it sells its services.
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Professional Services · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Four Versions to Get the Proposal Right
A New Zealand security and risk management consultancy refining how it sells its services.
- The first working meeting held and minuted, so the engagement began from a shared record
- Four successive proposal versions, each sharpening scope, delivery model and pricing structure
- Advisory scope and pricing settled on paper, so future client talks start from a tested position
- Mutual confidentiality in place, letting both sides speak freely while the deal took shape
The consultancy could present its offer with the confidence of four rounds of testing.
Four iterations reads as rigour, not indecision. It shows how this firm works.
Professional Services · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
China Strategy for a Vocational Education Group
A New Zealand vocational education group weighing what a China engagement would take.
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Professional Services · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
China Strategy for a Vocational Education Group
A New Zealand vocational education group weighing what a China engagement would take.
- Executive briefs and a strategy review, refined across rounds until leadership could act on them
- China-facing assets mapped, showing the group what it genuinely has to offer
- Priority partnership themes and a phased approach set, so engagement starts where it is strongest
The board could weigh a China commitment against a documented, staged plan.
Professional Services · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Reinventing a Chinese-Language Media Business
A New Zealand Chinese-language media company repositioning its business.
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Professional Services · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Reinventing a Chinese-Language Media Business
A New Zealand Chinese-language media company repositioning its business.
- A strategic transformation plan, giving the repositioning structure rather than a slogan
- New business lines defined, moving revenue thinking beyond the legacy model
- A cross-border investment centre concept shaped, opening a new role for the brand
- Changes sequenced, so transformation could proceed without breaking what still earns
The company could pursue its next identity while the current one keeps paying.
Professional Services · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
China 101 for New Zealand Food Brands
A joint webinar for New Zealand food and beverage brands looking at the Chinese market.
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Professional Services · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
China 101 for New Zealand Food Brands
A joint webinar for New Zealand food and beverage brands looking at the Chinese market.
- A full bilingual script with references, so every claim made on the day could be backed
- Q&A preparation, letting the hosts field hard questions without hesitation
- Slide deck and handout produced, giving attendees material to take back to their teams
The hosts could stand in front of the industry with nothing left unscripted.
Technology
2026 · AI Software
Opening Industry Doors for an AI Software Company
An AI software company that needed industry clients, and the introductions that put it in front of them.
Early Stage
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Opening Industry Doors for an AI Software Company
An AI software company that needed industry clients, and the introductions that put it in front of them.
Early Stage
In 2026 an artificial intelligence software company needed to get in front of prospective industry clients. It gained the introductions, the follow-through and the early trust-building that an enterprise software sale cannot skip.
Technology · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Screening a Deep Tech Portfolio for China
A New Zealand deep tech incubator wanting a clear view of which companies fit a China-facing programme.
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Technology · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Screening a Deep Tech Portfolio for China
A New Zealand deep tech incubator wanting a clear view of which companies fit a China-facing programme.
- Portfolio and pipeline companies screened against consistent criteria, replacing intuition with structure
- Due diligence sheets on each candidate, so every discussion started from the same facts
- A shortlist for the next stage, focusing effort where the fit is strongest
The incubator could commit programme resources to companies already tested for fit.
Technology · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Landing an AI Content Team in New Zealand
An AI content production team wanting to establish itself in New Zealand.
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Technology · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Landing an AI Content Team in New Zealand
An AI content production team wanting to establish itself in New Zealand.
- Potential New Zealand partners identified, so the team's first contacts were chosen, not random
- Introductions made directly, cutting months off the trust-building curve
- A New Zealand development strategy prepared, giving the team a plan locals could engage with
The team arrived with conversations already open and a strategy on the table.
Capital & Investment
Recent · Investment Matchmaking
A Chinese Investment Process for an Ice-Cream Manufacturer
A New Zealand ice-cream manufacturer working through a Chinese investment process, with the owner's position protected throughout.
Anonymised
acquisition and equity talks · owner in control
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A Chinese Investment Process for an Ice-Cream Manufacturer
A New Zealand ice-cream manufacturer working through a Chinese investment process, with the owner's position protected throughout.
Anonymised
acquisition and equity talks · owner in control
A New Zealand ice-cream manufacturer exploring Chinese investment worked through the process with its owner in control throughout: prospective investors vetted, and acquisition and equity discussions managed at each stage.
Capital & Investment · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Going Offshore From a New Zealand Base
An investment management group weighing an offshore strategy.
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Capital & Investment · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Going Offshore From a New Zealand Base
An investment management group weighing an offshore strategy.
- An offshore development strategy, turning restlessness into a considered direction
- The advantages of the New Zealand base identified, so expansion builds on strength rather than abandoning it
- The combination of home base and overseas markets mapped, keeping the structure coherent
The group could weigh offshore moves as extensions of its base, not escapes from it.
Trade & Sourcing
Trade & Sourcing · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Groundwork Before Terms in a Deer Skin Trade
A deer skin trade where buyer and seller needed the commercial groundwork before discussing terms.
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Trade & Sourcing · WHAT THIS DELIVERED
Groundwork Before Terms in a Deer Skin Trade
A deer skin trade where buyer and seller needed the commercial groundwork before discussing terms.
- Enquiry documentation prepared on both sides, so each party knew what the other was asking
- Mutual confidentiality agreements drafted for buyer and seller, protecting both before positions were shown
- Both agreements produced in Chinese and English, removing translation as a source of dispute
Terms could be negotiated on documents both sides had already read and signed.
The value here is sequence: paperwork first, terms second.
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