Case Studies Archive - Healthier Business Queenstown Lakes

There is a well-established network of entrepreneurs and innovators living and working in the Queenstown Lakes. We’ve compiled a few of their stories.

When Rod retired as CEO from Xero in 2018, he was determined to set two new objectives. One of them was to participate in and lead a number of community infrastructure projects. The other was to find something he was passionate about, something that would challenge him and something that he could enjoy most days of the week. “For...

LOCATION

Queenstown

YEARS IN DISTRICT

Two

Food is the one thing that brings people together and it’s a part of life that most people take for granted, especially in New Zealand where it’s perpetually at our fingertips. Food production and exportation has long been a mainstay of the NZ economy but Alex says there’s far more scope for success in this sector, particularly when it...

LOCATION

Queenstown

YEARS IN DISTRICT

Six months

International businessman Jason Wilby is a force of nature. He’s just arrived home to Queenstown from a fleeting, non-stop business trip to Sydney but, after a year of closed New Zealand borders, there’s a certain sense of excitement and a feeling of new beginnings. There’s also a certain energy coming from the background of Jason’s Zoom call, the entrepreneurs...

LOCATION

Queenstown

YEARS IN DISTRICT

Four

That night back in August 2018, the couple made the decision to uproot their lives in Australia and settle in Wānaka. Hayley, originally from Auckland, had never previously contemplated returning to New Zealand to live with her South African husband Steven. A chartered accountant specialising in tax advisory, she had been climbing the corporate ladder in London and Australia,...

LOCATION

Wānaka

YEARS IN DISTRICT

Two

Michael, the son of local kaumatua Darren Rewi, is now the chief executive of Mana Tahuna, a charitable trust that was borne out of lockdown to support local whānau. In just eight months, Michael has helped lead a group of volunteers to become a fully-fledged organisation with diverse revenue streams, an office space, a team of 18 paid staff...

LOCATION

Queenstown

YEARS IN DISTRICT

Born, raised and returned

During Katie’s tenure at Aptiv she was involved in the firm’s $4 billion joint venture with Hyundai, which saw her head up the talent strategy to recruit more than 500 tech and engineering experts from around the globe. By early 2020, Katie needed to press pause on her corporate career. Life involved weekly red-eyes, global travel and the burnout...

LOCATION

Queenstown

YEARS IN DISTRICT

18 months

Serious about better work-life balance?

Home for Healthier Business is an initiative led by Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) Economic Development Unit (EDU) to establish Queenstown, Wānaka and surrounding communities as healthy, thriving places to live and do business in a way that will benefit all residents.

There is a well-established network of entrepreneurs and innovators living and working in the Queenstown Lakes. We’ve compiled a few of their stories.

Rod Drury

Alex Worker

Jason Wilby

Hayley Hobson

Michael Rewi

Katie Evans

Serious about better work-life balance?

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