A couple of weeks ago the Dutch Business Association was present at the EU NZ Summit 2025.
The event was attended by more than 500 business leaders, diplomats, government representatives and other key stakeholders in Europe – New Zealand trade relations.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon opened the event with his address, followed by an interview, paving the way for EU commissioner of Trade, Maroš Šefčovič.
Team Netherlands was represented by ambassador Ard van der Vorst, Aniel Kerkvliet (Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency), Sake Hitman (Honorary Consul), Carolien Vis (Deputy ambassador), Ashleigh Knox (NFIA), Martijn Bakker (DBA) and Charlotte van Son (DBA, not on photo).
Below you can find the full agenda and all sessions as recorded on YouTube!
Special notice should be taken at the session marked in orange, featuring SkyTree, a Dutch company with highly innovative technology that will impact many lives here in New Zealand.
Summit Agenda & Sessions
| Thursday 23 October – The Maritime Room, Princes Wharf, Auckland | |
| 5:30 – 7:00pm | Mihi Whakatau (traditional Māori welcome) Opening words from Hon Todd McClay, Minister for Trade and Investment and Hon Damien O’Connor, Opposition Spokesperson for Trade, former Minister of Trade and HE Lawrence Meredith, Ambassador of the European Union Followed by Opening Reception |
| Friday 24 October – EU-NZ Business Summit, Viaduct Event Centre, Auckland | |
| 07:15 | Registration and breakfast |
| 08:00 | Call to gather by Master of Ceremonies, Tim McCready |
| 08:05 | Opening Address – Prime Minister of New Zealand Rt Hon Christopher Luxon |
| 08:15 | Fireside chat with Prime Minister of New Zealand Rt Hon Christopher Luxon Hosted by Fran O’Sullivan ONZM, Managing Director, NZ INC |
| 08:40 | Coffee & Networking |
| 09:10 | Video: Trade Partnership from New Zealand Story |
| 09:13 | Address: Hon Tama Potaka, Minister of Māori Development |
| 09:23 | Address: Hon Dr Shane Reti, Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology |
| 09:33 | Video: Innovation Spotlight on Agritech |
| 09:35 | Address: Hon Todd McClay MP, New Zealand Minister for Trade and Investment |
| 09:45 | Address: Maroš Šefčovič, European Union Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security |
| 09:55 | Fireside chat with Minister McClay and Commissioner Šefčovič Hosted by Simon Bridges, Chief Executive, Auckland Business Chamber |
| 10:20 | Panel – From the ground up – trust builds growth – Katherine Rich, CEO, Business New Zealand – Jason Te Brake, CEO, Zespri – Niall Browne, CEO, Dawn Meats Facilitator: Felicity Roxburgh, Executive Director, New Zealand International Business Forum |
| 10:50 | Panel – Powering Change – Clean Tech and Renewable Innovation – Camille Hanna, VP Sales, Global Carbon Solutions, SkyTree, – Mark Hoskins, Chief Revenue Officer, Fabrum – Reuben Tucker, Managing Director, Institutional & Business Banking, Westpac New Zealand Facilitator: Tara Druce, Trade Commissioner, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise |
| 11:20 | Address: Hon Simon Watts, NZ Minister, Climate Change and Energy |
| 11:30 | Coffee & Networking |
| 12:00 | Video: Innovation Spotlight on Bioeconomy |
| 12:05 | Address: Hon David Seymour, Deputy Prime Minister |
| 12:15 | Panel – Building What’s Next: Investment and Infrastructure – Mark Baker, CEO, BESIX Watpac – Guido Cacciaguerra, Executive Vice President Infrastructure, We Build – Julien Guéry,Development Director,VINCI Highways – Rene Piil Pedersen, Managing Director A.P. Moller Singapore Pte. Ltd., Maersk Facilitator: Stephen Jacobi, Chair, NZ/EU Free Trade Agreement Domestic Advisory Group |
| 12:50 | Lunch and networking |
| 14:00 | Quickfire with Central and Eastern Europe – Estonia – Marko Mihkelson, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Estonian Parliament – Croatia – Ivan Hudaly, Managing Director of Podravka Australia – Poland – Paweł Pudłowski, Deputy Chairman of the Board, Polish Investment and Trade Agency – Slovakia – Matej Michalko, Chief Executive Officer, Decent Cybersecurity Facilitator: Simon Bridges, Chief Executive, Auckland Business Chamber |
| 14:20 | Panel – the Future is Here: Advanced Tech and AI – Dr Michelle Dickinson, Founder, Matter Workshop – Ludvig Landgren, Managing Director, Ericsson Australia & New Zealand – Blair Oldershaw, Director of Space Systems, Rocket Lab – Tim Williams, Managing Director, Nilo Facilitator: David Downs, Chief Executive, New Zealand Story |
| 14:55 | Partnership Plus: Professor Frank Bloomfield, from University of Auckland |
| 15:00 | Video: Innovation Spotlight on Digital Health |
| 15:05 | Address: Marko Mihkelson, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Estonian Parliament |
| 15:15 | Panel – Aerospace and Defence – Mark Rocket, Chief Executive Officer, Kea Aerospace, and President of Aerospace New Zealand – Stephen Forshaw, Chief Representative, Airbus – Israel Lorenzo Barragán, Executive Managing Director, Navantia Australia – Dr Markus Moeller, Management Board, Business Development and Strategy, OHB Facilitator: Hema Sridhar, Deputy Director, Koi Tū Centre for Informed Futures |
| 15:50 | Vision for the Future: Hon Todd McClay and Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič |
| 16:00 | Networking Reception |
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