Pioneering Exporter Outstanding at Auckland’s Business Best

Pioneering Exporter Outstanding at Auckland’s Business Best

Auckland’s top businesses gathered last night to recognise the best of Auckland’s business best at the Westpac Auckland Business Awards inaugural ‘Best of the Best’ gala dinner and awards ceremony.

The Supreme Business Excellence Award was won by Milmeq Limited, which took out the ‘Best of the Best’ Excellence in Exporting award earlier in the evening.

Mike Lightfoot, CEO of Milmeq Limited was thrilled about winning the Awards. “We are so proud to be an Auckland company pioneering New Zealand innovation to world markets,” says Lightfoot. “We are just blown away by the innovation happening in Auckland – that’s what is so great about these Awards; they shine a light on all the great stuff that’s out there.”

“This award for Milmeq says to us that New Zealand’s fundamental industries, our dairy, meat and forestry industries, are still innovating and achieving great things for our country on a world stage.” says Pat Fail, Milmeq Board Director who was proud to represent the Milmeq Board along with Chairman Ralph Marshall.

Auckland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Michael Barnett says: “All last night’s ‘Best of the Best’ finalists are winners, an outstanding demonstration of the diversity, innovation and opportunity Auckland has within its business community.”

“Some have begun from a dream and a home office; some are local and community heroes, others are international and fighting a global challenge they will succeed with. But all have entered these awards and used them as an opportunity to measure and benchmark, to compare and compete.

“They are all part of the vibrant economy we know as Auckland and they have and will provide employment, for some hope, and inspiration for others as they continue to succeed,” says Barnett.

Auckland Chamber presented four regional competitions in the Westpac Auckland Business Awards last year in partnership with Auckland Council’s economic growth agency Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED). The ‘Best of the Best’ finalists were the 28 category winners from the North, South, West and Central gala awards events.

Patrick McVeigh, ATEED General Manager Economic Growth, says ATEED was delighted to be part of the exciting inaugural ‘Best of the Best’ event.

“The success stories reflected in each year’s winners reinforce the awards’ importance in developing excellence and innovation in businesses right across Auckland.

“The awards help toward the region’s transformation to an export-focused, high-tech economy and it is superb to see the concept of a supreme showdown between the best from the regions come to fruition tonight, adding to the awards’ prestige,” says McVeigh.

Simon Power, Westpac GM Business Banking, Private Wealth and Insurance says: “Congratulations to the finalists and winners in this year’s ‘Best of the Best’ Auckland Westpac Business Awards.

"We're looking at the cream of the crop here. All of these finalists have made an outstanding contribution to the Auckland economy and the competition is fierce.

“These business people have all achieved excellence in their own right and combined, they go a long way to helping grow the New Zealand economy."

The Gala Dinner and awards ceremony was a glittering occasion held at The Langham Auckland attended by leading businesses in the Auckland community.

A full list of Westpac Auckland Business Awards ‘Best of the Best’ 2014 finalists can be found at www.aucklandbusinessawards.co.nz.

More details about the Westpac Auckland Business Awards 2015 and how to enter can also be found at www.aucklandbusinessawards.co.nz.

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