CEO Unscripted: Karl Gradon, CEO of Comvita.

4:00-6:30pm, Wednesday, 2 September 2026

Hosted by Northern Quarter, Ground Floor, 45 The Strand, Tauranga

In partnership with Ryan + Alexander

From Tauranga to global markets: leading a purpose-led brand through reset and growth
Join us for the next CEO Unscripted event with Karl Gradon, Chief Executive Officer of Comvita.

Karl is leading one of New Zealand’s most recognisable global brands through a period of reset, restoring financial performance and repositioning the business for sustainable growth. With more than two decades of international experience across the primary sector, he brings a perspective grounded in both global scale and regional connection.

In his first year as CEO, Karl helped restore financial performance, oversaw a major recapitalisation to strengthen the business for the future, and rebuilt the executive team – creating a platform for consistent performance. His career spans leadership roles across Latin America, the USA, Europe and Asia, with deep experience in international markets and supply chains.

In conversation with Priority One CEO Dave Courtney, Karl will explore what it takes to lead through change, balancing commercial discipline with long-term vision, restoring confidence, aligning teams around clear priorities, and navigating the realities of taking a New Zealand-founded brand to the world.

The venue is the main entry lobby to Northern Quarter, a 6,000sqm development completed October 2025 that has been awarded the highest level of Greenstar rating (6 star). This event is a fantastic chance to see inside one of the city's newest builds – we will also hear about the development from Chris Morris, General Manager of JWL Investments.

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This event is also about bringing together our business community, so come along to make valuable connections.

Stay tuned as we bring you more conversations with our region's talented CEOs. Never miss a beat – signup for our fortnightly news for events, insights and opportunities.

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Priority One's CEO Unscripted series has been created in partnership with Ryan + Alexander, a professional recruitment agency offering a world-class service from the Tauranga city centre. Focusing solely on the Bay of Plenty region, the Ryan + Alexander team are top performers in their field, so whether you want to find your perfect employee or your next job, get in touch.

Contact the host of CEO Unscripted | Karl Gradon, CEO Comvita