The SME Stream

In Leaders Getting Coffee episode 67, our guest is Amelia Linzey, Group CEO of Engineering firm Beca. 

Amelia Linzey has broken the mould in more ways than most of us. Firstly, if we think of large-scale infrastructure engineering as a ‘mans world’, then she has truly broken that particular glass ceiling. But her other main attribute is stickability. In an environment where change is rapid and people move jobs with regularity and ease, she’s been with the same company for thirty years. 

She grew up on Auckland’s North Shore, studied geography, and after a brief stint in Council planning, she joined the engineering firm that has been her home ever since. 

She’s a highly qualified and well regarded planner and social impact specialist. And she worked “on the tools” gradually leading larger projects for over 25 years, before the CEO suite came calling.

During the Leaders Getting Coffee Podcast Amelia speaks about that wonderful career that shows no sign of slowing down just yet. She is open about the challenges she’s faced and the broader range of opportunities for young engineers today. 

But it is the scale of the work that Beca does that grabs our attention. From an electrical transmission project in New South Wales, to massive integrated resort and office precinct in Singapore, climate resilience work in the Pacific and a giant water infrastructure project in Melbourne, the work is large scale infrastructure with big budgets and big pressures.

But she seems to handle it all in her very brisk stride. 

As you might imagine, Amelia Linzey has a unique perspective on New Zealand’s infrastructure deficit and she speaks with Bruce Cotterill about how we might go about gradually correcting the underinvestment of the past. It’s a massive advantage that we have the knowledge right here in this country, with people who know a lot about building hospitals, water infrastructure, electricity generation and tourism venues.

This is a great discussion that captures many variables. It’s a story of a working mum with an outstanding career, and a commentary on infrastructure construction for today and the future.

Leaders Getting Coffee – Episode 67 with Bruce Cotterill and Amelia Linzey

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What can HR and business leaders learn from paramedics who make life-and-death decisions every day?

In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Ross Aitken, Clinical Operations Manager at Northern Rescue, and Mark Quin, Secretary of the New Zealand Ambulance Association.

Together they explore leadership under pressure, resilience, decision-making in high-stakes environments, and what a truly constructive employer-union relationship looks like in practice.

Drawing on decades of experience in emergency services, Ross and Mark share practical insights on staying calm in crisis, valuing highly skilled workforces, and creating partnerships that deliver better outcomes for organisations, employees, and the communities they serve.

What You'll Learn

• How paramedics make decisions in high-pressure situations

• Practical lessons leaders can apply when navigating workplace crises

• Why adaptability and course-correction are critical leadership skills

• The importance of trust in employer-union relationships

• How regular communication prevents conflict and builds partnership

• Why workforce value goes beyond pay alone

• Lessons in resilience, leadership, and emotional regulation

Key Takeaways

• Great leaders stay calm, adaptable, and focused under pressure

• Trust is built through consistent communication and follow-through

• Strong employer-union relationships create better outcomes for everyone

• Workforce retention starts with genuinely valuing people

• Sometimes the most important leadership skill is knowing when to pause and reassess

About Ross Aitken & Mark Quin

Ross Aitken is Clinical Operations Manager at Northern Rescue, leading highly skilled aeromedical and rescue teams across New Zealand's upper North Island.

Mark Quin is Secretary of the New Zealand Ambulance Association, representing ambulance professionals across New Zealand and advocating for workforce wellbeing, capability, and sustainable employment outcomes.

Why This Episode Matters

Whether you're leading a team, managing workplace challenges, or navigating complex stakeholder relationships, this episode offers practical leadership lessons from professionals who operate in some of the highest-pressure environments imaginable.

Resources & Links

• Northern Rescue: https://www.nrhl.co.nz/ 
• New Zealand Ambulance Association: https://www.nzambulance.org.nz/ 

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New Zealand isn't exactly famous for producing automotive brands, but FTN Motion is trying to change that.

In the latest episode of The Business of Tech, the company’s co-founders Luke Sinclair and Kendall Bristow recount how a backyard BMX hack led to them creating one of the country's most distinctive electric vehicle startups.

That was almost a decade ago, when two mechanical engineering graduates from Waikato University strapped a motor and battery onto a BMX bike in Pukekohe, before electric motorcycles were even a mainstream concept. 

That scrappy experiment sparked an idea: a new vehicle category sitting between an e-bike and a motorcycle, built for the 20 to 30-kilometre urban commute. The result is the Street Dog, a retro-styled café racer that channels the romance of classic motorcycles while running on electric power.

I spent a day test-driving the new Streetdog 50 on the streets of Wellington, enjoying a smooth ride on a bike that’s easy to get to grips with. This version doesn’t require the rider to have a motorcycle licence, so will appeal to people who want a bit more flexibility getting around town than an e-bike provides.

Rather than chasing a futuristic look like many EV makers, FTN Motion doubled down on nostalgia and craftsmanship, betting that riders want something that feels like a classic, not a gadget. That bet is paying off, particularly in Wellington, a city custom-built for the bike's use case, with concentrated inner-city roads and no need to touch the motorway.

At the heart of the co-founders’ success are relationships and networks. Luke and Kendall reveal how a chance conversation at a barbecue led them to Wellington incubator Creative HQ, how a single media column penned by professional director Mike “MOD” O’Donnell generated their first hundred pre-orders almost overnight, and how those early wins snowballed into relationships with Wellington’s Angel HQ and engineering veterans from Rocket Lab and Dyson.

FTN Motion has resisted the industry's urge to over-engineer the user experience, deliberately skipping apps and unnecessary tech to keep the focus on the ride. And as the company eyes expansion into Australia, the US and beyond, Luke and Kendall get candid about what it actually takes to manufacture vehicles in New Zealand, why scaling slowly has been their secret weapon, and how they plan to stand out in a global market increasingly crowded with cheap electric alternatives from China.

Listen to the full episode, streaming on iHeartRadio, Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Finance minister Nicola Willis says while inflation has been largely driven by fuel prices, rates are also an issue that need attention.

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HighGround Dairy's Stu Davison discusses the latest GDT auction prices.

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Rabobank’s senior agricultural analyst also comments on the GDT auction as well as Rabobank’s 2026 World Dairy Map, which shows New Zealand remaining the world’s largest single-country dairy exporter.

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Recent data has unveiled a silver lining in the latest June-quarter inflation figures.

Rents rose at their slowest rate, annually, in 25 years, according to Stats NZ.

The country’s stock of rents rose by 0.5 percent between the June 2025 and 2026 quarters, continuing the trend of softening increases that began towards the end of 2024.

NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explained further.

LISTEN ABOVE

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More people are becoming self-employed.  

A Self Employment Report released by Hnry and the Simplicity Research Hub shows they produce 17% of the country's GDP. 

That's around $78 billion per year – expanding faster than the total GDP per year. 

Co-founder of Hnry, James Fuller told Mike Hosking the security of having control of your own finances is appealing.  

He says they're seeing a shift, with more people turning to independent earning instead of being tied to one employer. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

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It's been an interesting time for the tech sector, with many big companies reporting their results.

Tech stocks recently reversed some of the recent selloff last night - with the Nasdaq up 1.9 percent.

Milford Asset Management's Andrew Curtayne explained further.

LISTEN ABOVE

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Fixed mortgage rates could be heading up “pretty soon”, says a New Zealand bank boss as wholesale interest rates rise on the back of volatility in the Middle East.

Speaking on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, Co-operative Bank chief executive Mark Wilkshire said wholesale rates were up about 30 basis points (bps) in the past couple of weeks.

“I think banks will have to start passing that on.

“Even though the Official Cash Rate [OCR] was priced in, those wholesale markets have lifted. I expect this to be upward pressure on retail mortgage rates.”

Wilkshire said fixed home loan rates could rise “in that region of 30 basis points”.

“It’s going to have to happen pretty soon.

“Wholesale markets have been very volatile on the back of these conflicts.”

On the Co-operative Bank lifting its own fixed rates, Wilkshire said, “I think we’re going to have to go pretty soon”.

“They’re not big changes but I think we’re going to have to see that pass through.”

Lower wholesale interest rates had led to banks cutting some of their longer-term fixed rates last month, while shorter-term rates continued to rise on expectations of an OCR hike in July.

That hike came, with the Reserve Bank (RBNZ) lifting the OCR earlier this month from 2.25% to 2.5%.

Floating rates, which move in lock-step with the OCR, were quick to rise.

However, fixed mortgage rates are heavily influenced by wholesale interest rates.

Following the OCR hike, economists told the Herald the move was unlikely to trigger immediate fixed mortgage rate rises.

ANZ chief economist Sharon Zollner said OCR changes take about 18 months to take effect.

Instead, the OCR hike would “put a bit of a floor under short-end rates”.

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