John Kirwan: Game plan 2011 - transcript

JOHN KIRWAN: 

Rugby of all the sports in the world has an incredible business link, you know, it's - I mean in the UK it is the sport of the businessman. In Australia for example it's the sport of bankers and business owners so as a sport it's very wealthy from a business point of view. My role really is to try and encourage people to come down to New Zealand and leave their wallets here. What I mean by that is come down and invest in our country.

I know for example the people that are coming down from Japan are all leaders of, you know, Toyota, Toshiba, they will be coming down. Italy for example, we have people who don't necessarily know the game but know it's a really cool game and it's not soccer and these guys are - you know, we had a guy at dinner in Milan who's head of all industry in Italy.  If he can - just say take 10 per cent of our wool buying to New Zealand, it would be worth a billion dollars to our country.

Not a lot of people know about how many New Zealanders are overseas running big companies and also how innovative we are as a country. This is our moment in the sun. 

So for New Zealand businesses the chance for you to show your product to the world, the whole world will be looking at our country and you will have this window from now through to probably six months to a year after the World Cup where people go; yeah, you know, I know where that is, that's - or, you know, the English will know where it is, so you have this window and it's your opportunity to make sure that you get your ducks in a row and use that opportunity to grow your business. 

You know we need to be moving up the ladder from 70th in the world from a business point of view to top 10 and so this is your opportunity as a small business, medium business, large business, to get new clients and new business partners.  It's really important that when they do come down here they think, wow, I didn't realise that and go home and tell another business mate and that's where the legacy will be grown.

Listen I spoke to a guy the other day who rang me, he's the president of the Calvisano Rugby Club, his name is Alfredo Gavazzi and he's poured a lot of money into the game and he has robots, so he makes robots for big industry and he and five of his very wealthy mates are flying down here for the World Cup and they will be in Nelson and he is an incredible businessman who's bringing his mates.  So there's five opportunities just there and that's just one instance. 

So Nelson, if they create a relationship with Italy especially, it will be like family, they won't have a little relationship with Italy because there's quite a few Italians there, second generation Italians, but it's an opportunity where you will get tourist down and we'll be set up for that, I think New Zealand's great like that. But there'll be people like Alfredo coming down with his mates and if they can see a business opportunity where they can make money and keep coming back down here then they will do that and I think that's really important to understand.

Well I think you need to search out what you want. So first thing you're going to have to do is commit to it. So this is an opportunity, this is a chance for you to grow your business.  So, you know, I think New Zealand – 11 offices already set up, the business and you should join the business club and you should come to the business club with some information; I'm in this line of business, this is where my market is, these are the people I want to get to and use NZTE to try and get you in contact with the people and then invite them down for the World Cup, come down see your business or use that opportunity to introduce yourself so that you can grow your business.