The NBR Podcast

Jet Fuel Crisis: Headache for Air NZ

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd, we investigate how surging jet fuel prices are clipping Air NZ's wings to cut services and...

Is AI the future of banking?

16 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Is banking about to have its Netflix moment? In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: We take a dive into the AI revolution focusing on...

2026 Election: The Battle for Auckland

09 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: The red tide of 2020 was washed away by a blue suburban wave in 2023 as Auckland voters des...

Growing Swiss-Belhotel: global hotelier on success in hospitality and tourism

02 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Gavin Faull, Swiss-Belhotel chairman, has successively built a global hospitality and tourism chain with 165 hotels across 20 countries.From humble NZ...

Willis vs Edmonds - election economics

23 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

New Zealand’s 2026 election is being shaped by inflation, unemployment, OCR settings, mortgage rates, business confidence, and the cost-of-living cr...

Brianne West and her ‘Incrediballs’

16 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Plastic pollution is one of the world’s biggest environmental challenges, with the drinks industry producing hundreds of billions of single-use bott...

China – Is it time to pivot?

09 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

China’s birth rate has fallen to a record low and the markets have noticed. With just 7.9 million babies born last year, a shift has already begun r...

Nuclear fusion technology: how OpenStar is replicating the sun

02 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Limitless clean energy from a nuclear fusion reactor. Early next decade, Kiwi startup OpenStar Technologies is hoping to be the first to create fusion...

The NZ startup building flying electric ferries - Vessev

26 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Is electric marine transport coming? We’re cruising above the waves aboard Vessev’s nine-metre EV hydro-foiling boat as the Kiwi company goes glob...

Outlook for election year 2026 - Summer Series

19 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Will the Coalition grasp another victory or be delivered an infamous single term defeat. Political Editor Brent Edwards looks at the state of the part...

The tech & startup scene in 2025 - Summer Series

12 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Tech saw some big, listed company deals and some impressive new players. Chief Reporter Will Mace covers the top end of tech town while Senior Journal...

Business journalist of the year - Summer Series

05 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Around the office we call him The Goat. This year Tim Hunter was named NZSA Business Journalist of the Year for the fourth time. We finally coaxed him...

Elections, fraud & cricket: the biggest stories from Australia - Summer Series

29 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's time to don the budgie smugglers and head across the ditch to ask 'how's the serenity?' after a turbulent 2025. From landslide el...

NBR’s top 10 best stories of 2025 - Summer Series

22 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the stories that gripped our member subscribers. From Du Val developments to banned winery directors, name suppression, the shock exit of Adria...

The $1.6 trillion wealth transfer: could it save New Zealand’s charities?

15 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Demand for charitable services in New Zealand is rising sharply but the level of funding is not matching it. Many charities are reducing services or s...

Name suppression for high-profile crimes: who gets it and why?

08 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A 46-year-old man and his wealthy family and its business were granted permanent name suppression over his jailing for possessing 11,775 files of obje...

Uber drivers are employees: NZ’s gig economy shake-up

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Four Uber drivers have been deemed employees not contractors by the Supreme Court, and a thousand other drivers also have claims pending. Uber warns t...

How is NZ tackling the Trump tariffs?

24 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What's the impact on New Zealand businesses from the 2025 Trump tariffs? The uncertainty has created major NZ trade challenges and global supply c...

Is woke capitalism over? The future of corporate sustainability, ESG and climate action.

17 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A retreat from net-zero goals is happening. We talk to two business sustainability consultants about business climate strategy, corporate responsibili...

Chris Hipkins talks capital gains tax

10 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Labour party has announced a new capital gains tax policy. Labour leader Chris Hipkins the tax policy debate, whether it will win over business, a...

Why are American expats renouncing US citizenship?

03 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Thousands of Americans hand back their US passports every year. This episode, we look at exit tax, FATCA and expat tax obligations to find out why US ...

AI tech stocks: boom or bubble?

27 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are AI investments overvalued? Are we headed for a stock market crash? How exposed are NZ’s Kiwisavers? Artificial intelligence companies have made ...

Weekly Wrap: Mayors, mayors, mayors – Auckland, Wellington, Queenstown, Dunedin

25 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles on NBR:Auckland: Wayne Brown goes to town on ‘idiotic’ WellingtonWellington: Wellington’s new mayor...

Who are the most powerful New Zealand dealmakers: Merger and Acquisition activity

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What are the big deals and who is behind them? We talk to Jarden’s Silvana Schenone, who has been named as one of the most powerful Australasian dea...

Weekly Wrap: Local elections, capital markets, confidentiality

18 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles:Dealmakers 2025: From arm wrestles to handshakesWhen it comes to local elections, the smaller the betterPol...

Sinead Boucher talks about Stuff: $1 buyout, TradeMe deal, future of NZ media

13 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The New Zealand media landscape has changed dramatically but Stuff NZ has survived since CEO Sinead Boucher's $1 buyout. The business leader talks...

Weekly Wrap: RBNZ, business confidence, EMA

11 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles over on NBR.co.nz:RBNZ expected to cut interest rates again to boost economyFREE ARTICLE ON NBR ('til m...

Is health insurance unaffordable? We ask Southern Cross's insurance CEO

06 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

While the NZ public health system is struggling, more Kiwis are seeing the cost of private health insurance rise. Premiums are being hiked across the ...

Spark CEO Jolie Hodson: Losses, strategy, cuts - will the new plan deliver?

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What was it like for Spark CEO Jolie Hodson when half-year profits dived wiping a billion dollars off the company's value? We discuss the telecomm...

Weekly Wrap: Rotorua, Polar Capital, Net zero

27 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles:Rotorua seeks fresh spark and investment to thriveChill winds blast Colin Neal’s Polar CapitalOne in 10 w...

Investing in the grey-zone of war: The ethics of dual-use technologies and weapons

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What are the ethics of investing in technology that has civilian and military applications? Drones, AI, cloud services are all examples of civilian t...

Weekly Wrap: Trailblazer, liquidator, Covid era

20 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles:Trailblazer’s push to close the protection gapDamien Grant doesn’t do himself any favoursThere are stil...

Xerocon 2025: Xero CEO Sukhinder Singh-Cassidy on the future of Xero accounting software

15 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

At Xerocon, the 2025 Xero conference, we talk with Xero CEO Sukhinder Singh-Cassidy about Xero cloud accounting software. She is heading a major push ...

Weekly Wrap: Chinese cars, investment, whistleblowers

13 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles:Special delivery for Auckland’s historic Chief Post OfficeChinese cars continue their conquest of Austral...

Golden Visas: Where is NZ at with the Active Investor Plus Visa?

08 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Even before the foreign home buyer ban was lifted, the new ‘Golden Visa’ – the Active Investor Plus residency visa – had sparked a big uptick...

Weekly Wrap: Digital IDs, two-speed economy, revamped visas

06 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles:How digital identity could free us from big tech dependencyStark contrasts of NZ’s two-speed economyPodca...

AI, recruitment, productivity - is this the AI work apocalypse?

01 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is there an AI job apocalypse coming? A new survey shows almost half of organisations implementing AI say it is impacting on hiring new people. We tal...

Weekly Wrap: Luxon, contractor rights, executive pay

30 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles:PM concedes running a country is harder than running a businessMissed opportunity or wise decision? RBNZ co...

The remarkable Jamie Beaton

25 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

“Fake pass rates” – that’s how Crimson Education’s Jamie Beaton describes the NCEA. He argues our qualifications need “intensity, ambitio...

Weekly Wrap: Rakon, illegal tobacco trade, cash rate cuts

23 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles:Beehive Banter weekly roundupReserve Bank cut the official cash rate by 25 basis pointsAustralia's high...

NZ's Law Industry – a cross-examination

18 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The law touches all of us, but what do we really know about the people that practise it? In a brand new NBR Focus series, NBR Editor Hamish McNicol ...

Weekly Wrap: Sluggish economy, WFH, green hydrogen dreams

16 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles:Gaza debate, polls, pay equity, the Covid-19 inquiry no-showHouseholds, businesses and the Government wait ...

The Du Val saga – one year on

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: The story of the collapse of the Du Val Property Group has fascinated listeners. Raided and...

Zespri’s CEO on a record sales year

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: Jason Te Brake took over as Zespri CEO a year ago, the same year the Kiwifruit marketer bro...

The AI strategy – light touch or wild west?

29 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: We’re last cab of the OECD rank to have an AI strategy and it hasn’t been well received...

Weekly Wrap: RBA dark arts, free trade breaches, short work weeks

26 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles:Coalition Government’s challenge to shift economic perceptionsHow not to breach the NZ-EU free trade agre...

Wegovy - The economics of weight loss

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: Obesity. Conservatively, it's a two-billion-dollar problem. But the latest weight loss drug...

Weekly Wrap: Data centres, vocational education, China

19 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles:The great data centre goldrushGovernment’s last opportunity to address skills training concernsThe tricky...

Shareholder red flags: why some shares suck

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: They’re famous listed companies but the average share price of these five big names has d...

Weekly Wrap: GST, Southland, conferences

12 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles:Happy 25th birthday to Australia’s GST. It’s time to grow upInterim reinstatement declined for law firm...

Rod Drury – my vision for New Zealand

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: The accounting company he co-founded, Xero, is now worth $30 billion. And, according to the...

Weekly Wrap: Family businesses, MLMs, Māori tax

05 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles:Your Business: Family BusinessesMulti-level marketing isn’t going awayPodcast #63: Rod Drury – my visio...

Volatile markets: Veteran financial CEO on how to carry on

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: He’s led investment company Mercer for 16 years and been through all sorts of financial e...

Weekly Wrap: Halter, geo-political issues, infrastructure

28 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles, click here:Kiwi agritech Halter valued at $1.65b following $165m cap raiseInfrastructure plan sets the fou...

Why NZ might never host another Rugby World Cup

23 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: Covid, Silver Lake, Ian Foster, and a financial reset. Mark Robinson reflects on his six yea...

Weekly Wrap: Inflation data, the Greens, sustainable aviation

21 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles, click here:Economists cheer monthly inflation data for monetary policyThe Greens put the case for investme...

Queenstown’s tech future

17 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: After Queenstown was hit hard by the pandemic, a new agency wants to diversify the adventur...

Weekly Wrap: Rich List, WorkSafe changes, ASX and public markets

14 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles, click here:Elevating NZ Inc: what Rich Listers would do to make us betterRegulators to the rescue for ASX ...

The NBR Rich List 2025 - OUT NOW

09 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: Why do we celebrate sports stars more than business stars? NBR Rich List editor Hamish McNi...

The KiwiSaver budget

02 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: Is it tinkering around the edges or a major overhaul? The Government’s raised your KiwiSa...

Weekly Wrap: Incoming Deputy PM, two budgets, Winston's heckler

31 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles, click here:Incoming Deputy PM eyes up electricity assetsA tale of two very different budget strategiesThis...

Who’s playing in the financial sandbox?

26 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: Six Kiwi firms have been invited into a safe regulatory space so they can test some innovati...

Weekly Wrap: Budget week, National rail funding, employee surveillance

24 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles, click here:Budget’s new tax break gives the ‘best bang for buck’KiwiRail’s history littered with d...

Pipes, roads, rates – how to fix local government?

19 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: They are known as the Engine Room, the Capital, and the Playground. What are the big issues...

Weekly Wrap: Local elections, pay equity, public accountability

17 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles, click here:Why business should care about local body electionsBack to the drawing board on pay equity clai...

Australian election: Anthony Albanese's historic victory

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: No-one predicted a Labor landslide, yet Aussie PM Anthony Albanese has delivered an increas...

Weekly Wrap: Dreamliners, Aussie election, under-investing in R&D

10 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles, click here:Air NZ’s new Dreamliner layout prioritises premium tourist marketTrump needs to take a ‘chi...

Managed retreat: saving the town of Kumeu

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: As the Government considers climate adaptation laws, the town of Kumeu-Huapai in rural Auck...

Weekly Wrap: Māori art, developing talent, restraints of trade

03 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles, click here:Why Māori art is firmly in the framePolitical consensus needed to lift skills trainingPatsy di...

The business of charity

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: Running a charity should be like a business, says Starship Foundation CEO Jo Simon. Tough ti...

Weekly Wrap: Patsy directors, rare earths, unlawful suspension

26 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles, click here:The ‘bemusing’ world of patsy directorsERA decision shows importance of not jumping to conc...

Craigs self-confessed bogan CEO Simon Tong

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: Shareholders in Craigs Investment Partners are due for a tidy payout after selling 50% of th...

Weekly Wrap: Aussie election, Act amendments, Trump turbulence

19 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles, click here:Aspiring homeowners wooed by both sides in Aussie electionThe pros and cons of the Employment R...

The Accountants – the numbers haven’t been great

14 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: It’s an industry that touches every Kiwi. NBR’s annual series The Accountants lifts the ...

Weekly Wrap: Accountants, the ‘Lucky Country’, RMA legislation

12 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles, click here:The Accountants 2025: 500 fewer jobs as recession bitesWorkers sick of the status quo and want ...

Former CEO of the Year Rhiannon McKinnon

07 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: From Spice Girls to shoe collections to the purge of DEI programmes and the gender pay gap. ...

Weekly Wrap: Serato deal, Cook Strait ferries, compliance costs

05 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles, click here:How a Tweet led to a $175m deal for SeratoThe twists and turns of replacing Cook Strait ferries...

Auckland's stadium debate

31 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: Does the super city need a new billion-dollar national stadium or should it be upgrade Eden...

Weekly Wrap: Watercare splash out, Māori economy, RMA reform

29 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles, click here:Watercare to splash out $13.8b, water rates to spiralLabour’s plan for growing the Māori eco...

Airports vs airlines: the price hike blame game

24 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: Airlines are calling for a new way to regulate airports after Auckland Airport announced pr...

Weekly Wrap: Big Australia, FTA with India, Privacy Act breaches

22 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles, click here:Kiwi migrants helping to create a ‘Big Australia’Tying down the elusive free trade agreemen...

Weekly Wrap: Foreign investors, cyclone Alfred, mediation delays

15 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles, click here:Fast-track makes NZ more attractive to foreign investors: JonesDestructive cyclone a political ...

Shock and Orr – views on RBNZ governor’s shock exit

10 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: Yes, he was much criticised, but the sudden resignation of Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr ...

Weekly Wrap: Neutral cash rate, media struggles, Green party plan

08 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles, click here:⁠Economists seek neutral cash rate to ‘get us out of the grind’⁠⁠Old media struggles ...

Investment winners and losers from this earnings season

03 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: Investors knew it was going to bad, but that bad? For their earnings season takes and compan...

Weekly Wrap: Seymour, going nuclear, split shifts

01 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the full uncut interviews and articles, click here:Seymour argues foreign investment should be as open as tradeIs it time to ‘go nuclear’ with...

Rowan Simpson dispels some startup myths

24 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: He turned $10,000 into tens of millions at TradeMe. Now serial investor Rowan Simpson has wr...

Weekly Wrap: Official cash rate, employee absenteeism, budget tax

22 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This is a wrap of the week's top business stories for the week ending 21 February. For today's top stories, head to NBR.co.nz. Proudly 100% su...

#44: Scott Morrison on Trump, tariffs, and rockets

20 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: He’s known as ScoMo, the former ad exec who ended up Prime Minister of Australia. Scott M...

Weekly Wrap #25: Privatisation, political distractions, commerce woes

15 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This is a wrap of the week's top business stories for the week ending 14 February. For today's top stories, head to NBR.co.nz. Proudly 100% subscriber...

#43: Investor visas - what happens next?

12 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: The Prime Minister says there’s billions of dollars of foreign capital looking for a home...

Weekly Wrap #24: Economic growth, Trump's trade, defamation debate

08 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This is a wrap of the week's top business stories for the week ending 07 February. For today's top stories, head to NBR.co.nz. Proudly 100% subscriber...

Podcast #42: How to attract wealthy migrant investors

05 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: New Zealand’s been offering golden visas to migrant investors for years. But now the Gove...

Weekly Wrap #23: Anaesthetic breakthrough, Australia day, Trump trade

01 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This is a wrap of the week's top business stories for the week ending 31 January. For today's top stories, head to NBR.co.nz. Proudly 100% subscriber ...

#41: Investigate the airlines, says Auckland Airport CEO

29 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: She’s at the centre of airline criticism over price hikes. Yet Auckland Airport CEO Carri...

Weekly Wrap #22: Australian paradox, workplace fraud, inflation halt

25 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This is a wrap of the week's top business stories for the week ending 24 January. For today's top stories, head to NBR.co.nz. Proudly 100% subscriber ...

#40: Should you move to Australia?

22 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: The Aussie brain drain is not new but now research from recruitment company Robert Walters ...

#39: TikTok ban: How did we get here?

20 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: What the PAFACA is going on with TikTok? PAFACA is the US law which forces TikTok to be sol...

Weekly Wrap #21: Uniting Māori, the Aussie dollar, brain implants

18 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This is a wrap of the week's top business stories for the week ending 19 January. For today's top stories, head to NBR.co.nz. Proudly 100% subscriber ...

#38: Outgoing Tower CEO Blair Turnbull

15 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: Tower CEO Blair Turnbull is leaving after delivering a stunning turnaround for the insuranc...