Todd Talks By Todd Muller

The world has changed drastically during the last 12 months, and whether we like it or not New Zealand will be affected by this. We can't bury our heads in the sand; we need to be ready for the challenges and opportunities this will present and take them with both hands.

A technological revolution is sweeping the world, and it is advancing at a rate exponentially faster than the industrial evolution ever did. It is being driven by a culture of instant messages and digital solutions at the push of a button. We have already seen it in a number of our industries with email presenting ever-mounting challenges to our existing postal system, banks looking to close some provincial branches as increasing numbers turn to online banking, and digital disruptors such as Uber competing with traditional taxi companies and challenging all the rules we thought existed.

Many people fear the world is changing in a way they can no longer recognise or participate in, and it is this fear that's led to a number of political shocks few saw coming such as the election of Donald Trump in the United States and the decision of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union.

My view is the brands of populism and protectionism are deeply flawed and will never work in our best interests. Globalisation, automation and technological advancement cannot be resisted. The global economy is not going to stop.

New Zealand, and the Bay of Plenty, needs to keep doing what we do best. Innovating and aspiring to deliver world-class products to the market. We are a small exporting country in the bottom corner of the globe, but we have so much to offer. Our future will be defined by our resilience, our openness to change, and the Kiwi 'lightness of being” that is so attractive around the world.