New Trade Commissioner To New York Appointed

New Trade Commissioner To New York Appointed

16 SEPTEMBER 2003 - Alana Gower has been appointed as New Zealand Trade and Enterprise’s Trade Commissioner to New York.

Ms Gower has been the Acting Trade Commissioner to New York since October 2002, having previously been a Trade and Investment Consultant for Trade New Zealand and Investment New Zealand in New York.

In her new role she is responsible for key relationship development and NZTE's results in key export sectors across the 36 East Coast states of the United States. She also manages the five-person NZTE office in New York and has responsibility for the New Zealand wine and alcoholic beverage sectors.

"The America’s Cup, The Lord of the Rings, the launch of Whalerider and other recent events have helped highlight to Americans the depth of technological and creative excellence in New Zealand. Served up alongside our stellar food & beverage products they have helped demonstrate New Zealanders’ ability to export world-class products and services to the wealthiest market in the world,” Ms Gower says.

"Leveraging this exposure in key sectors now will enhance New Zealand exporters’ long term earnings potential from this market,” she says.

To help New Zealand exporters generate sustainable foreign exchange earnings in the US Ms Gower intends to focus on increasing awareness amongst New Zealand exporters of the range of opportunities available in the US and to identify current and potential strategic matches with New Zealand capability, she says.

Ms Gower (Bcom, LLB) has been living in New York since she completed her tertiary studies in 1998 and starting work in JP Morgan’s Consumer Retail Mergers and Acquisitions group as an Investment Banking Analyst. She joined Trade New Zealand in late 1999 as a Trade Development Consultant with responsibility for the marine, agritech, biotech, natural products and niche manufacturing sectors. In September 2000 she began working part-time for Investment New Zealand in North America, so had dual responsibility for numerous export sectors and investment attraction.

"In the past five years I have gained an in-depth knowledge of the US market and the operation and structure of key sectors within various industries. I have also established excellent networks and researched, travelled to and facilitated business development in many of the East Coast cities covered by the New York office. This is coupled with an up-to-date understanding of New Zealand’s export sectors and capabilities that I look forward to furthering in this role," she says.

ENDS

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