Waikato Business News November/December 2016

WESTPAC WAIKATO BUSINESS AWARDS
WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS November/December 2016 25
ution
Supreme Award winner
– Hobbiton Movie Set
Hobbiton’s success
down to ‘team effort’
Winner Strategy & Planning Award
– SKYCITY Hamilton
Winner Emerging Leader of the Year
Award – Richard Jeffares, Ultrafast Fibre
By GEOFF TAYLOR
Russell Alexander, chief
executive of Hobbiton
Movie Set, Supreme
winner of the Westpac Waikato
Business Awards has paid tribute
to the work of his staff and his
board of directors.
“Having good people around
you is the key to it. And bloody
hard work. Those two things combined.”
“We’ve got a supportive team
and a supportive board and belief
in the product and what we’re
doing.”
Russell described the awards
night at which Hobbiton Movie
Set also won the Deloitte Business
Growth Award and the Chow:Hill
Marketing Award as “a very cool
night.”
“I think it was good for the
team to get some recognition and
hopefully it lends a bit of a humbling
feeling that they are part of a
successful organisation.”
He said Hobbiton had taken
senior managers to other award
ceremonies this year but on this
occasion he wanted the next tier
of staff to experience the event at
Claudelands Event Centre.
“It’s nice to share it round
because the engine room often
doesn’t get recognised.”
Russell said as chief executive
he was very lucky to have an experienced
board. He recalled how
after years of being a “one man
band” he initially had been worried
about the prospect of reporting
to the board.
“I remember the very first
board meeting former Tourism
New Zealand chief executive
George Hickton saying to me
‘we’re here to support you – not
to be the ogre’ and there has never
been a truer word spoken.”
The board is chaired by
Colin Harvey and comprises Mr
Hickton, Russell’s brother Craig
and accountant James Corke.
“Being chief executive can be
a lonely role to be honest. The
board has been very supportive
and I think it’s made a big difference.”
Hobbiton’s success is reflected
in the exponential growth of its
visitors and the raft of awards it has
received this year. Hobbiton took
out three categories at September’s
Tourism Industry Awards including
the People’s Choice, Business
Excellence (more than $6m turnover)
and the Tourism Marketing
Campaign Award.
In June Hobbiton was a finalist
in the Exporter of the Year
awards (more than $25 million
turnover) while in October Russell
was given the Conventions and
Incentives New Zealand (CINZ)
Outstanding Contributor Award.
In November Hobbiton was a
finalist in the ANZ Best Medium
Category of the New Zealand
International Business Awards.
Russell says the number of
awards they have received stems
partly from the fact that management
has put more time into
entries. He sees this as a healthy
process as it helps identify gaps in
the business.
“I think the awards success
we’ve had is also a culmination
of the growth in the business and
the effect it is having and the jobs
we’ve created in the local economy.”
Hobbiton employs about 220
staff and through its construction
activity employs many local
contractors. On the day Waikato
Business News visited, 55 staff
from contractors were on- site.
Russell says 90 percent of
Hobbiton’s visitors are international
tourists, most of whom also
visit Matamata. Hobbiton is also
keen to engage more with the
community. Over two months in
the winter Hobbiton ran $10 daily
tours for Matamata locals and then
donated the proceeds to Pohlen
Hospital.
Congratulations to Hobbiton Movie Set,
Supreme Winner of the Westpac Waikato
Business Awards.
JN15060
Westpac New Zealand Limited.