Emerging leader

Bryn Thompson is a real Kiwi success story. Returning from his OE 20 years ago, and determined to prove his abilities to the world, the qualified fitter and welder purchased a failing business and has transformed it into a successful export enterprise, poised for future growth.
 
The company was Metalcraft Engineering, now trading as The Glass Racking Company. Bryn started by fabricating solutions for handling and transporting glass and windows.

Other fabricators avoided glass companies due to the fragile and expensive nature and risk associated with failure, but Bryn thrived on the challenge and over the years has developed an expansive product range and expanded into international markets.

Bryn has remained at the coalface of his industry and is extensively involved with Metalcraft’s customers, from building relationships to installation and after sales support. He interacts regularly with international clients and also makes “cold calls” to potential customers. This direct involvement has helped the company get a foothold in the potentially large and lucrative United States market.

He also leads the R&D and design activities, and under his direction the company’s intellectual property (IP) has grown significantly, helping to secure its competitive advantage.

“In this fast moving world we lead by being aggressive with design and true innovation,” explains Bryn. “We develop products faster, more often and to better quality and innovation level than far larger competitors.”

Bryn frequently puts in 70 hour weeks. Despite his hands-on approach, he understands that people are his biggest asset. He has the ability to spot talent and nurture young people who come into his business, often without strong academic credentials but with a willingness to learn.

“I encourage all my staff to share my ‘humungous dream’ and ‘outrageous vision’. It's all about being the best in global success, and everything I do and all the decisions I make for the business are based on this vision and end goal.”

www.metalcraft.co.nz
www.theglassrackingcompany.com

Clayton Kimpton is confident and has real vision; qualities that have seen him identify and exploit new business opportunities in New Zealand and internationally.

Chairman of the Board and a Partner in Kensington Swan, Clayton was instrumental in the company opening an office in the United Arab Emirates and start exporting its legal services to the Middle East – a first for a New Zealand law firm.

Clayton has done the hard yards, travelling to the Middle East, investigating possibilities, attracting funding, and managing the project to minimise potential risks.

“I championed the idea of having a Middle East presence, and had to persuade my fellow partners that it was a viable move. The project certainly stretched me, but I have no doubt it will be viewed in years to come as a watershed moment for the firm.”

Clayton travels regularly to the Gulf states helping drive international business. He is also a member of a core group of partners responsible for maximising opportunities from the Australian market.

Always thinking ahead, Clayton is leading Kensington Swan’s strategy team which is considering the changes lawyers will need to face to compete in a global market.

“We are assessing current business models, testing assumptions and thinking about the infrastructure needed to take Kensington Swan to the next level.”

A Board member of the New Zealand Institute think tank, and part of the Harvard Business School’s Alumni of the Professional Services Leader group, Clayton is a high achiever who believes in himself and see the potential in others.

He leads by example, bringing authenticity and humanity to his professional relationships. It is these qualities together with his technical ability that inspires people to go the extra mile for him and enables him to form deep relationships in challenging markets like the Middle East.

www.kensingtonswan.com

Steve Wilson has spent more than three decades at chief executive level, leading companies that have successfully expanded internationally.

In 1994, he got the opportunity to progressively buy out the existing shareholders of Talbot Plastics, a specialist technical injection moulder. Under his leadership Talbot has grown six-fold, is a multiple plastics awards winner, and has more than 80 percent of its sales destined for export markets.

Two areas Steve believes can’t be fully delegated are marketing and R&D and he leads initiatives in both these areas. Today Talbot is one of only a handful of companies skilled in leading edge plastic technologies.

“A recent example of our world leading capability is the development and early stage production of the external cladding on Coca Cola’s revolutionary new “Gulfstream” drink dispenser. They came to New Zealand for the clever technologies that we could offer in the external decorative plastic cladding their cabinets, as US-based plastic technology firms at the time could not deliver the technology involved in the short time frame that was needed to get the cabinets to market.”

After five years of very strong growth, Talbot Plastics had to lay off staff in 2009 as it felt the impact of the world financial crisis. But it did not cease R&D, training and export market development, and early this year staff numbers were back to pre-recession levels and sales exceeding pre-recession peaks.
 
Steve describes the culture at Talbot Technologies (as it has just been renamed) as very much a winning mentality.

“It’s a work hard and play hard environment. I encourage independence and boldness. I’m never afraid to take on a new technical challenge and I’ll always back staff to take on a project they believe in, even if there are high risks associated with success.”
 
Steve is regarded as a leader in the plastics industry and New Zealand business world generally. He is the only person to have been President of Plastics New Zealand twice, is currently Chairman of the Governance Committee of the Plastics Centre of Excellence and has been heavily involved in the industry strategy to double in size by 2015.

www.talbottechnologies.com