The board of Business Hawke’s Bay (BHB) will wind up the organisation, following an unsuccessful bid to secure sustainable funding.
Stu McLauchlan, Chairman of Business Hawke’s Bay commented:
“The board has wrestled with this decision, as BHB has made a genuine and significant contribution to Hawke’s Bay over the past decade, delivering much needed services to the region’s business community and the wider economic development eco-system.”
The board will now work collaboratively with Councils to try and preserve as much value and IP from BHB’s activities as possible; including its people and securing the future of the two Business Hubs, as well as BHB programmes serving start-ups, the food and fibre and hi-tech sectors, along with regional talent attraction and retention.
“We are looking forward to the establishment of a new regional economic development agency with sufficient money, mana and mandate to serve the businesses of Hawke’s Bay, and the wider community,” says Mr McLauchlan.
On behalf of the region’s councils, in her role as Matariki Governance Group co-chair, Mayor Alex Walker delivered the eulogy:
“BHB has been one of our important partners in the inception, development and success of our Matariki economic strategy. But now it’s time for the next step in the evolution of our highly collaborative approach to economic development.”
Perhaps businesses could find this for themselves.