The long-awaited “green shoots” have begun to appear, and many businesses that weathered the storm can finally tick the survive-to-2025 box. Confidence is lifting, activity is returning, and momentum is building. But what has this period taught us? Several clear themes have emerged.
Traditional approaches to surviving downturns are no longer sufficient. Cost-cutting, reducing headcount, pausing discretionary spend or travel were not enough to carry many organisations through.
Waiting for conditions to improve is not a strategy. Doing so simply hands competitors, particularly those overseas, an opportunity to accelerate.
Geographical distance can no longer be relied upon for protection. New Zealand is now easily accessible and serviceable from anywhere in the world. Assuming safety through isolation is risky at best.
Productivity must take centre stage. New Zealand cannot work harder or longer; it already leads on those fronts. The shift must be toward working differently and recognising that global competitors have already adapted. Delaying this transition or waiting for government intervention is no longer viable.
New Zealand has core industries that are genuinely world-class. The dairy and technology sectors lead globally, supported by ambitious and high-performing organisations. Complacency, however, is the enemy; now is the time to assert and expand these competitive advantages.
A window of opportunity exists – Carpe Diem. This is the moment to identify strategic competitive advantages and activate them before the next global uncertainty emerges. Support should be sought where needed.
New Zealand’s pioneering spirit remains strong. Innovation and bravery continue to define the business community. Instead of succumbing to tall-poppy thinking, it is time to champion those who strive, adopt new ways of working, and actively contribute to improving national prosperity.
As the country moves into 2026, here are five priorities for long-term success:
Strengthen key strategic industries
Identify and support priority sectors with targeted incentives to upskill workforces and implement global best practices. Government, institutions, and financial partners must align to invest in productive assets and capability building.
Expand talent pipelines in industrial engineering, supply chain, and logistics
New Zealand needs tertiary offerings that match international benchmarks. Businesses require skilled change agents to lift productivity, and current programmes are limited.
Increase government support for productivity-driven capability programmes
Australia provides a strong precedent for national backing of initiatives that build operational excellence. New Zealand would benefit from similar focus and commitment.
Reintroduce the SIRI assessment and accelerate AI education and deployment
AI must be framed not only as a tool for personal efficiency, but as a catalyst for reinventing businesses and supercharging competitive advantage. Capability and adoption need to scale rapidly.
Develop a New Zealand framework for best practice and benchmarking
A national model would allow organisations to clearly identify performance gaps and understand the roadmap for improvement, enabling step-change productivity uplift across the economy.
There is much to be done, and 2026 represents a pivotal year. New Zealand is on the cusp of transformative change, and the opportunity now is to embrace it with urgency and ambition.
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Ian Walsh
Partner NZ
