Leaders Getting Coffee with Bruce Cotterill The New Zealand Herald

In this episode, we put a broadcaster on the other side of the microphone and meet recently awarded journalist Rachel Smalley.

Some people become leaders because of the teams they lead. Others are leaders because of the causes they champion. Rachel falls into the latter category. She wanted to be a journalist straight out of high school, but her belated acceptance into journalism training meant her journey was delayed by a few years.

She started on the sports desk, but quickly migrated to the world of foreign affairs and global audiences. She worked internationally before returning to New Zealand during the global financial crisis.

Notably she led coverage of the Syrian refuges crisis and she spearheaded “The Forgotten Millions” fundraising campaign, raising $2 Million for World Vision. It was a chapter in her life that changed her outlook and began her quest to make things better in a troubled world.

More recently, she has led the campaign to improve access to life-enabling or life-saving medicines for New Zealanders with serious illness. Her relentless questioning of Pharmac, and numerous articles bringing our attention to the genuine failures of our national medicines body, has directly contributed to some patients receiving life changing medicines that were otherwise out of reach.

Rachel discusses her experiences in the media, life on the front line of the Syrian refugee crisis, and the challenges for a television broadcast media that has lost the trust of the people they serve.

And of course, we hear about her hopes for a refreshed national medicines body under a new government.
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In this episode, our guest is the former Managing Director of advertising powerhouse Saatchi & Saatchi, Mike Hutcheson.

 Mike’s advertising career started in the “Mad Men” era and continues to this day. He was one of the founders of Colenso BBDO and subsequently led his own firm Hutcheson Knowles Marinkovich.

 He’s also a perpetual entrepreneur having founded businesses in home building, real estate, organic fair trade tea and coffee and a Waiheke Island vineyard.

 But it is advertising land that is nearest his heart. Hutch talks about the best ads from his era and chats about the creativity like most people discuss the day’s events. He’s incredibly well informed and extremely passionate, a combination that is informative and entertaining to listen to.

 Listen to him speak to Bruce Cotterill about the importance of creativity, the lack of critical thinking in our young people and the egos and agendas of politicians.

 And he discusses the importance of reading. No matter what your career choice, reading a wide range of material provides a level of perspective from which you can variously create, compete and communicate.

 And we learn about the Guinness world rocking chair record. Who would have thought there was such a thing.
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This week our guest is the former Member of Parliament and Minister of Health, Dr. Jonathan Coleman.

Dr. Coleman spent almost 13 years as the MP for Northcote, and during that time was a key member of the inner circle in John Key’s National Party led government. During his parliamentary career he held Ministerial responsibility for health, broadcasting, sport & recreation, immigration and state services.

His early career saw him practising medicine in New Zealand and overseas and he even had a stint as a doctor on Australia’s Royal Flying Doctor Service.

During the Leaders Getting Coffee podcast, he speaks to Bruce about the importance of local communities, why centralising health decision making is wrong, and the newly announced funding for Pharmac.

As a former Minister of Health, Coleman has a unique perspective on the state of our health services, the things we do well and the areas where we under-perform. He openly discusses the financial constraints in the health sector and  the challenges of recruitment in the international marketplace for talent.

 Finally, he discusses the decision to go from the top job in the Health Ministry, back to life as a suburban GP.

 As someone who once put his hand up to be Prime Minister, in the wake of John Key’s resignation, we hear what he would do, if he was PM for a day.
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In Leaders Getting Coffee episode 18, our guest is the CEO of the NZ Olympic Committee, Nicki Nicol

 Nicki spent almost 20 years with global giant BP where she worked around the world in a wide range of executive roles.

 She returned to New Zealand and took up the role of Chief Financial Officer at NZ Rugby, where among other achievements, she led the Respect & Responsibility Review.

 She subsequently became the Deputy CEO of NZ Rugby, until a new challenge arrived and she was appointed as the CEO of the NZ Olympic Committee two years ago – at a time when the Commonwealth Games and Winter Olympics of 2022 were both less than three months away.

 Nicki is surprisingly forthright on the state of sports in New Zealand and the opportunities that sport provides across the board, from a showcase of the country, to a learning ground for our school age children.

 She talks to Bruce about the challenges of sports funding and having to raise money from sponsorship and philanthropy in order to get a team of almost 400 people to the Games.

 She also discusses a resurgence in New Zealand’s track & field athletes and our emerging crop of top swimmers. And then there is the ongoing battle with the drugs cheats, and in a troubled world the concerns and resultant plans, regarding athlete safety.

 Finally, we even get a preview on where she thinks New Zealand might be in the medal hunt.

 Episode 18 of Leaders Getting Coffee provides another great story about a New Zealand woman who learned her trade in one of the world’s biggest companies, and who brought those skills home to add to our already remarkable sporting pedigree.
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Bruce Cotterill: Leaders Getting Coffee – Episode 17 – With Mike Bush

In Leaders Getting Coffee episode 17, our guest is former Police Commissioner, Mike Bush.

Mike Bush joined the Police at the age of 18 and stayed for 42 years. He spent six years in the top job before retiring in 2020.

Over recent years we’ve seen crime on the increase, particularly that perpetuated by younger people. Mike talks with Bruce about the growing crime problems in New Zealand, the challenges of dealing with imported crime that comes with immigration, and the war on drugs and gangs.

He offers an interesting perspective on the challenges in dealing with young offenders, and how so called “boot camp” policies can be amended in order to become more effective for the young people who have much to gain from such programmes.

There is also an interesting discussion about the much maligned Oranga Tamariki, and the challenges faced by the young people who come into contact with that organisation as well as those whose job is to try to help them.

And we learn about policing as a career, one which Mike Bush would highly recommend to any young person thinking about an alternative to a university education or a trade.

Episode 17 of Leaders Getting Coffee provides another unique leadership story. A story about a young man from Rotorua, who wanted to be a cop.

Download it here.
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In Leaders Getting Coffee episode 16, our guest is Webster, the CEO of Tourism Holdings Limited.

Grant was named CEO of the Year at the 2023 Deloitte Top 200 business awards last year and his leadership story is both impressive and inspiring.

Of course the tourism industry has taken a hammering in the wake of the COVID 19 enforced lockdowns and Grant gives us a unique perspective on the status of our recovery and the future outlook for the sector.

The discussion covers the role of the government in enhancing our tourism offer, the customer experience we deliver for tourists, and the age old argument about the benefits of high value short term tourists versus long term low value visitors.

And we learn how to continue to grow the tourism pie, including the opportunity to embrace the stuff that is uniquely New Zealand, namely our cultural identify and our authenticity as we seek to attract increasing tourist numbers to our shores. 

And with tourism businesses operating around the world, you might be surprised to hear about Grant Webster’s favourite camper van trip.

Yet again, Leaders Getting Coffee unveils a unique and fascinating leadership story with one of our longest serving CEO’s.

Download it here.
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