Creating Growth in Shifting Markets
Description
Markets are moving, will you move with them or wait to see what happens?
Hear from three leaders who've grown real businesses through change, chaired by Tompkins Wake Partner Tina Liu:
Anna-May Isbey - Partner and Market Strategist, Mahon China Investments. A strategic view on reading how the market is shifting and where the next opportunities sit.
Mahara Inglis - CEO, MitoQ. Advice from a CEO on scaling a New Zealand brand into global markets with purpose.
Ryan Sanders - Founder, Haka Tours and Earnscleugh Castle. A beautiful business story on building bold, surviving the worst, and backing the next thing.
Together they'll unpack the four stages of sustainable growth: recognising change, making deliberate choices, scaling with purpose, and adapting decisively.
You'll walk away with practical ways to spot market shifts early, make sharper growth decisions, and move forward with more clarity, whether you're expanding, responding to change, or planning your next stage.
Thursday 10 September
7:30–9:30am · Grand Millennium Auckland
Networking breakfast and barista coffee provided.
This session is for:
Business owners, directors and senior leaders who are thinking about what comes next and want practical thinking from people who've done it.
You'll get the most from this session if you're:
Leading a business through growth, change or a shift in the market
Weighing an expansion - new territories, new markets, or a new direction
Rebuilding strategy after the old model stopped delivering
Responsible for the decisions that set your organisation's next stage
Whether you're scaling up, holding steady, or planning your next move, you'll leave with sharper thinking and practical ideas you can apply straight away.
Agenda
7:30am - 7:55am - Breakfast & Networking
7:55am - 8:00am - Welcome: Chairperson
8:00am - 8:15am - Speaker 1
8:15am - 8:30am - Speaker 2
8:30am - 8:45am - Speaker 3
8:45am - 9:15am - Panel Discussion
9:15am - 9:30am - Networking & refreshments
9:30am - Event concludes
Bring your team - buy 2 tickets, get the 3rd free.
Early Bird pricing ends 18 August 5pm .
We would love to see you there.
Lineup
Anna-May Isbey
Anna-May Isbey is a New Zealand-based business leader specialising in China market entry, business growth, and strategic engagement. As Partner and New Zealand Representative at Mahon China Investment Management and Corporate Advisory, and International Engagement Advisor at the Auckland Business Chamber, she works with businesses navigating the opportunities and complexities of operating in China and the broader Asia-Pacific region. With over ten years of on-the-ground experience in China across New Zealand Trade & Enterprise, the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, and the New Zealand Business Roundtable in China, Anna-May has built an extensive network across government, industry, and business in both countries. Anna-May advises on China market strategy, trade policy, government and stakeholder relations, brand positioning, and the cultural and regulatory landscape businesses must understand to succeed in China. Anna-May is a Mandarin speaker and recognised voice on New Zealand-China business affairs.
Mahara Inglis
Mahara Inglis is the CEO of MitoQ, a New Zealand-based consumer health company and global leader in cellular health, healthy ageing and longevity. Under Mahara’s leadership, MitoQ has continued to expand internationally, with approximately 97% of its products exported—primarily to China and the United States. The company has operated in China since 2016, building cross-border e-commerce channels, establishing an in-market team and developing research partnerships with leading institutions, including Zhejiang University. Before joining MitoQ, Mahara led Fonterra’s probiotics and ventures business units and worked as a consultant at McKinsey & Company. Earlier in his career, he held roles across government, industry and the not-for-profit sector. Mahara holds an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, where he studied as a Fulbright Scholar, as well as undergraduate degrees in Commerce and Science from Victoria University of Wellington. He is also a member of the New Zealand China Council, contributing his experience in innovation, consumer health and growing New Zealand businesses in the Chinese market.
Ryan Sanders
Ryan Sanders is an entrepreneur who started Haka Tours while on his OE in the UK, with zero tourism experience, and built it into a multi-brand tourism group generating $34 million in revenue, ranked among Deloitte's Fast 50 fastest-growing companies and winner of multiple New Zealand Tourism Awards. After navigating back-to-back 90% revenue drops through COVID, Ryan raised significant capital to launch Drifter and grow Haka House, with Intrepid Travel acquiring their signature touring brand Haka Tours. Ryan now owns Earnscleugh Castle in Central Otago, recently featured on Grand Designs, opening as a conference venue and home to the luxury wellness brand Sanctum 7.
Speaker Company Description
Mahon China Investment Management - a Beijing-based investment and advisory firm founded in 1985, advising multinationals and SMEs on China market entry and expansion.
MitoQ - an Auckland-based consumer health company built around a patented mitochondria-targeted antioxidant molecule, exporting to 140+ countries.
Haka Tours - an award-winning New Zealand adventure tourism company that scaled to $30m+ in revenue before its full acquisition by Intrepid Travel in 2025.
Earnscleugh Castle - a Central Otago castle owned by Ryan Sanders, recently featured on Grand Designs, opening as a conference venue and home to luxury wellness brand Sanctum 7.
FAQs
- Where can I park ?
Grand Millennium Auckland has its own parking; the entrance is located just past the lobby drive entrance on Mayoral Drive. You can enter directly from the covered parking building.
Charges are as follows:
Guest Self-Park: $5.00 per hour until $25.00. $25.00 for 24-hours.
Valet Parking: $60.00 per vehicle, per day.
*Parking is open to public and subject to availability. Paying for Parking Vehicle owners can apply a debit or Credit Card to their vehicles license plate at the onsite kiosk, Online Kiosk or Mobile Parking App anytime when their vehicle is in the carpark building or on exit. Online Kiosk Scan the ‘Online Kiosk’ QR code or visit parkgrandmillennium.co.nz when your vehicle is in the carpark, Select Pay by Plate, entering the vehicles number plate.
Gallery
Thank you to our Corporate Supporters
The BNZBA facilitates growth in bilateral trade and investment between New Zealand and the UK, creating opportunities for its members by enabling country and industry knowledge sharing, and by helping create valuable business and personal networks. This is achieved by working with the New Zealand and UK governments, industry partners and its member network. The BNZBA is also a member of the British Chambers of Commerce Global Network which has 51 chambers across the UK and representation in over 70 other countries.
The New Zealand Taiwan Business Council is a not-for-profit organisation fostering trade, investment, and business connections between New Zealand and Taiwan.
We support business networks, promote opportunities, and coordinate key partnerships across both regions.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
