The brains trust Wellington hopes can spark a revival
Wednesday, 1 July 2026
A crack team of Wellington’s best brains have signed on to help the capital get its mojo back.
The city council has brought together a lineup of business, property, technology and creative sector leaders to help shape a five-year plan aimed at turning around the capital’s economic growth.
The idea of a business advisory panel was instituted under former mayor Tory Whanau, but was hit with criticism and high profile resignations. Her successor, Andrew Little, scrapped it when he took office last year.
Little’s council has now appointed three expert business advisory groups - covering property and housing, technology and innovation, and arts, hospitality and inner-city revitalisation - as it looks for ways to attract investment, grow jobs and restore confidence in the city. They will provide advice to the council’s Te Urungi Whakatupu Ōhanga Economic Growth and Development Subcommittee.
Read more:
Little said the city needed to move beyond its reputation as simply a government town and unlock its wider economic potential.
“We’re the coolest little capital in the world, and have world-class capabilities in tech, creativity, and amazing hospitality,” he said.
“The challenge is to unlock our potential, to generate economic and population growth, and good jobs.”
The Technology, Science, Education and Innovation group includes venture capitalist Mark Vivian, founder of Bird Island and creator of Lightning Lab Tui Te Hau, MacDiarmid Institute commercialisation lead Kevin Sheehy and Ruth McDavitt, who leads Summer of Tech.
It also includes VP of Investor Relations at OpenStar Technologies Ben Taylor-Bryant, Somar Digital founder Aaron Scott, PikPok research director Emma Procter, former PwC New Zealand Wellington managing partner Phil Royal, and Wellington Chamber of Commerce chief executive Hayley Horan.
The Arts, Creative, Hospitality and Inner-City Revitalisation group members include hospitality entrepreneur Jamie Williams, Trinity Group owner Jeremy Smith, Museums Aotearoa chief executive Jaenine Parkinson, retailer Meg McMillan, luxury retail entrepreneur Christopher Yu, hospitality operators Mike Ny and Tim Ward, Village Goldsmith founder Ian Douglas, World of WearableArt chief executive Meg Williams, and Verve founder Terri van Schooten.
The property, infrastructure and housing group includes property developer Craig Stewart, CBRE Wellington director Dharmendra Mistry, Property Council regional chairperson Melissa McGhie, urban strategist Anna Harley, Aurecon technical director Erica Walker general manager of Destination KRL Business Improvement District Steve Walters , Wellington Company’s Ian Cassels, and architects John McIntyre and Simon Hardy. )
Councillor Karl Tiefenbacher, who chairs the subcommittee, said the council had been encouraged by the number of people willing to contribute.
“All applicants shared the qualities and commitment to Wellington, so it was a good problem to have to identify applicants with complementary skillsets to make up the groups.”
The city still had the foundations needed for growth, he said, including a highly skilled workforce, international connections and proven success in industries such as film and technology.
The groups will meet quarterly, with all positions voluntary and unpaid.
Horan said it was a constructive way to look at getting Wellington back to a vibrant city.
Their first task will be helping the council identify practical actions it can take to support growth - but the challenge will be turning advice from some of Wellington’s biggest business names into visible change on the streets of the capital.