The SME Stream

As business owners, you know how hard it is keeping up with your business, let alone the news. Join Wilhelmina O'Keeffe each week as she gives you a rundown of the biggest stories that could impact your business, so you can make informed decisions with expert advice.

This week, Unemployment is up but is the picture as bad as it sounds? Insurance premiums are in the spotlight as the government tries to pinpoint what’s driving costs so high … plus how to juggle all the demands on your business without losing focus.
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It's been a big week for the tech sector, with Meta and Microsoft moving to post their earnings.
But it's sparked concerns about the future of AI, and whether or not another sector bubble is set to burst.
Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explained further.
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South Island business leaders want to be recognised as the engine room of New Zealand's economy.
The eight chambers of commerce have launched a joint manifesto, representing around seven thousand businesses.
It calls for policies to lift productivity, with a goal of increasing South Island GDP per capita to at least $130 thousand by 2035.
Business Canterbury CEO Leeann Watson told Mike Hosking it shows there's great alignment across the South Island.
She says if New Zealand wants stronger productivity, higher incomes, and greater resilience, backing the South Island is the smartest investment.
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Australian fintech pioneer and serial entrepreneur Dom Pym knows a thing or two about starting companies and scaling them into market-leading players.
This week’s episode of The Business of Tech dives into Pym’s extraordinary journey, from bootstrapping niche financial platforms to building one of Australia’s most popular digital banks – Up – and then reinventing himself as one of the region’s most active startup investors.
Pym’s path into fintech started long before “fintech” was a buzzword. After a whirlwind early career working with Fortune 500 giants, he went on to build a grain exchange platform that digitised how Australian farmers sell their product, followed by Pin Payments, an all‑in‑one payments service that expanded into New Zealand, Asia, the UK and the US before being acquired.
That set the stage for Up, the app‑based bank that hacked its way through regulatory and infrastructure hurdles to become a breakout success with younger customers and a major strategic asset for Bendigo and Adelaide Bank.
Now, post‑exit, Pym is channelling that experience into backing others. As Australian Investor of the Year, he’s supporting funds and startups via his family office, and pushing for more secondary deals so founders don’t have to wait a decade for liquidity.
In The Business of Tech, he explains his investing philosophy, why he doesn’t obsess over unicorn valuations, and how he thinks about risk in an era dominated by AI and software.
Pym is heading to Auckland in September to deliver a keynote at the inaugural NZ Tech Expo, New Zealand’s new flagship gathering for founders, investors and corporate leaders.
If you want a preview of the themes he’ll bring to the stage – and a candid assessment of where New Zealand tech needs to lift its game – check this week’s episode of The Business of Tech, streaming on iHeartRadio or in your podcast app of choice.
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What does it take to build a workplace where people genuinely belong and can do their best work?
In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Evan Bateup, Partner and Chief People & Inclusion Officer at KPMG New Zealand.
Drawing on a non-traditional career journey that spans operations, change, sales, marketing, and people leadership, Evan shares practical insights into leadership, inclusion, culture, and the role HR can play in creating meaningful impact.
From belonging and organisational culture to commercial HR, leadership capability, and the future of work, this conversation explores what it takes to create environments where both people and businesses can thrive.

What You'll Learn
Why inclusion is about more than diversity metrics

The role belonging plays in engagement and performance

How HR can become a true strategic business partner

Why curiosity is one of the most valuable leadership traits

The difference between leadership principles and leadership certainty

How organisations can create environments where people flourish

Why commercial understanding is critical for modern HR leaders

Key Takeaways
Great leaders create the conditions for others to succeed

Belonging drives engagement, performance, and retention

HR creates the most value when it's deeply connected to the business

Curiosity and humility are critical leadership skills

Strong cultures are built through everyday behaviours, not statements on a wall


About Evan Bateup
Evan Bateup is Partner and Chief People & Inclusion Officer at KPMG New Zealand. With experience spanning operations, sales, marketing, change, and people leadership, he is passionate about helping organisations create cultures where people feel valued, included, and empowered to contribute at their best.

Why This Episode Matters
As organisations navigate rapid change, evolving workforce expectations, and emerging technologies, leaders need to create workplaces where people feel connected, supported, and able to thrive. This episode provides practical insights for leaders, HR professionals, and business owners looking to build stronger cultures and more inclusive organisations.

Resources
Evan Bateup | LinkedIn
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