The NZ Hi-Tech Awards: A ‘Number 8 Wire’ story for the new millennium
New Zealand Hi-Tech Company of the Decade.
It has a nice ring to it, and while we only represent Endace, the Kiwi-based world leader in network monitoring and recording, I have to admit that I was hugely excited for them. The potential recognition of a decade of hard work, perseverance and proving themselves on the global stage was an opportunity that couldn’t be missed.
Porter Novelli has worked with Endace for a while now and has been involved in announcing the return to New Zealand of Endace’s manufacturing base (with John Key helping to mark the moment), securing funding from the Ministry of Science and Innovation to support Endace’s drive towards a globally dominant Kiwi hi-tech industry, and generally worked to bring Endace to the point where it personifies the 'number 8 wire' mentality NZ is so famous for – albeit with a new millennium twist.
Having worked across these projects, and seen the lengths the company goes to for the benefit of Kiwis and NZ industry, I was looking forward to seeing them win the coveted title of New Zealand Hi-Tech Company of the Decade at the 2011 Hi-Tech Awards in Wellington last month, to help give credit where credit was due. With clients across stock exchanges, international banks and government security agencies, the Endace table at the Awards was always going to be an interesting mix of talent and backgrounds – so arriving at the glamorous event after a last-minute rush to the airport was a relief, and I soon tracked down all our invited guests.
Endace was up against familiar business names (particularly in terms of innovation) like Rakon, Datacom and Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, so it was clear that the competition would be tough. And so, once the bands had performed, the key-note speakers had done their stuff and dinner had been served, there was one final award to be presented. The Big One. The one I’d been waiting for with such eager anticipation.
And the winner was... Rakon.
It wasn’t, of course, the result those at the Endace table had been hoping for but, given the calibre of competition and the sheer breadth of creative output from our shores, the fact that our client had made it through to the finals was still a remarkable achievement. The media and networking opportunities were plentiful, though – with combined revenue among the businesses attending of more than $1.5 billion, informal meetings were taking place thick and fast. With some very positive outcomes.
Endace, always one to watch out for, looks to have plenty more surprises up its sleeve in the coming months. Watch this space.