Summit Success for ENC’s First Business Summit

More than 170 North Canterbury business owners and managers came together for the inaugural ENC Business Summit, held at the Rangiora RSA Club.

The one-day event brought together an impressive line-up of business, economic and performance speakers, alongside practical afternoon sessions designed to give local businesses fresh ideas, inspiration and tools to navigate today’s challenging business environment.

The morning programme featured four keynote speakers, each bringing a different perspective to the world of business.

Satish Ranchhod, Senior Economist at Westpac, opened the day with insights into the economic outlook and what current trends could mean for businesses.

Adventurer Mark Inglis followed with An Accidental Traveller: Leadership and Resilience at the Edge, sharing lessons from his experiences and exploring the qualities needed to lead and adapt through challenging circumstances.

Economic strategist Rick Agraval then turned the focus to building resilient, modern businesses and the strategies businesses can use to remain adaptable in a changing environment.

Rounding out the morning was celebrated chef and entrepreneur Nadia Lim, who spoke about regeneration, real food and better business practices.

The diverse line-up was a highlight of the Summit, with attendees responding positively to the opportunity to hear from leaders with such different experiences and areas of expertise.

The afternoon programme shifted towards practical professional development, with attendees choosing from a range of focused sessions covering topics including AI and how to make it work better for your business, leadership wellbeing, e-commerce growth and finance.

ENC Business Support Manager Miles Dalton said the calibre and diversity of the speakers helped create a strong atmosphere throughout the day.

“They were fantastic and offered a unique perspective on the business world of today with their insights and experiences. There was a fantastic response from attendees with a very positive buzz about the place.”

ENC CEO Heather Warwick said the response to the first Summit demonstrated the appetite for high-quality business events in the region.

“To have more than 170 business people in the room, all taking time out of their day to learn, connect and invest in themselves, was incredibly powerful. It showed just how much appetite there is in North Canterbury for high quality business events that are relevant, practical and inspiring.”

The success of the inaugural ENC Business Summit highlighted the value of bringing North Canterbury’s business community together to learn, connect and invest in their own growth.

A strong first Summit — and a great foundation for what comes next.