Latest news with #RogerSharp
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Super-charging Tech Queenstown
Roger Sharp. PHOTO: ODT FILES Technology Queenstown (TQ) recently appointed five new trustees to help guide the Whakatipu's tech sector development agency. TQ chair Roger Sharp says collectively they bring a "remarkable" balance of skills and international relationships. They are: Webjet Group managing director Katrina Barry, an experienced tech sector CEO and founder based in Australia — her former roles include CEO of Trafalgar and Contiki Tours and payments company me&u, along with senior roles at the Virgin Group and McKinsey & Company; Claudia Batten, a tech entrepreneur and company director, who's chair of NZX-listed Serko Ltd, ASX-listed Michael Hill International deputy chair, and board member of Vista Group and Air NZ; David Downs, incumbent CEO of The New Zealand Story, who holds several board director roles, has founded tech companies and worked internationally for Microsoft; Invest South executive officer Prue Halstead, who's also an executive committee member of Angel Association NZ and a founding board member of Mainland Angel Investors and COIN South; And Dino Vendetti, a seasoned venture capitalist, entrepreneur and Edmund Hillary Fellow who splits his time between the United States and Portugal. He's Seven Peaks Ventures LLC founding partner and managing director, and co-founder, investor and board member of CrowdStreet. TQ chief executive Sarah Russell says she's "thrilled" to have the collective wisdom and capability to draw on, to provide the level of strategic direction and guidance required to attract global tech platforms, and support local tech companies to scale globally. Whakatipu Hangarau Trust will have up to eight trustees in total, including the chair, with further announcements to come.
Otago Daily Times
22-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Resort to host Wit platform
Queenstown will host Asia-Pacific's leading travel technology, media and events platform next year. Announced by Technology Queenstown (TQ) founder Roger Sharp during a host-tech panel session at KingPin on Wednesday night, Web in Travel (Wit) will be held for the first time in the resort next July, marking a milestone for the Queenstown Lakes district, which aims to become a technology innovation hub. The one-day event will be held in partnership with TQ, a not-for-profit organisation founded by Mr Sharp last year, and regional investment bank North Ridge Partners. Wit founder Siew Hoon said they had "long had our sights set on Oceania". "After the success of Wit Australia in 2011, we're excited to return with Wit Queenstown ... our mission has always been to spark innovation in travel tech, from Singapore to Tokyo, Seoul, Cape Town and Dubai. "We're excited to collaborate with Technology Queenstown to build a unique edition that marries Wit insights with local strategic vision and talent." Technology Queenstown is spearheading efforts to diversify the Queenstown Lakes economy, of which tourism and hospitality account for more than 60%, by developing a world-class tech sector. It aims to build $1 billion in annual tech sector GDP in the district over the next 20 years, moving technology from less than 2% to more than 15% of GDP. Mr Sharp, who also chairs global travel business Web Travel Group, said bringing Wit to town was "a cornerstone of our strategy". Ms Hoon said because the Wakatipu attracted more than three million visitors a year, it offered a "unique southern hemisphere testing ground" for innovations that could enhance travel experiences. These would be showcased to travel operators, tech companies, destination marketing organisations, tourism boards, investors and global travel tech brands' senior executives attending Wit Queenstown. TQ chief executive Sarah Russell said through a "strategic blueprint", strong corporate support and plans to launch a university campus, they were "building the foundation" of economic diversification through tech in the Wakatipu. "Travel tech is the first cluster we're backing and Wit is central to making that happen." On Monday, the University of Otago announced it had partnered with California-headquartered company Palo Alto Networks to co-design and deliver cybersecurity education programmes in Queenstown. To start in the next year, it was the first partnership of its kind in the university's history, it said. Otago vice-chancellor Grant Robertson said it solidified the university's commitment to supporting the Queenstown Lakes region to become an "international technology centre".
