ACT – Paul Henry Unlocked

We welcomed ACT Party candidate Paul Henry and MP Todd Stephenson to Southland. They toured Bluff with support from Calvin Claridge of Southfish and James Harvey from McCulloch and Partners, which gave them a first-hand look at the region’s strengths and opportunities. Later, at the Chamber, members joined us to hear more about ACT’s vision […]

2026 Export Gala – Southland to the World

The 2026 Export Gala – Southland to the World, in partnership with DHL, was held, Friday 4 September, at Ascot Park Hotel. The Export Southland Trust welcomed over 200 exporters, businesses and supporters to the prestigious awards dinner. Highlights of the evening included: Garston Hops was named winner of the Rio Tinto | NZAS Innovation […]

BDO Biz Bite – Employment Leave Bill

The Southland Business Chamber hosted Janet Copeland, Managing Partner at Copeland McAllister, for a practical session on the proposed Employment Leave Bill and what the changes could mean for New Zealand employers.  Janet talked through the key areas of the reforms, highlighting what businesses, HR teams and payroll professionals need to be aware of and […]

Westpac Smarts – Blue Economy Making the Opportunity Real

Our August Westpac Smarts session brought together business and regional leaders for a timely conversation about the future of Southland’s blue economy. Hosted by Southland Business Chamber CEO Sheree Carey, the on-the-couch discussion featured Paul Miller from Kernohan Engineering and The Blue House, alongside Bobbi Brown from Great South. The conversation explored the opportunities ahead […]

Datagrid: The Facts

Southland Chamber members recently joined Datagrid founder and CEO Remi Galasso and members of the Datagrid team for an open conversation about the proposed Makarewa data centre development. Hosted by Chamber CEO Sheree Carey, the session addressed key community questions around power, water, environmental impacts, employment, infrastructure and the wider economic benefits for Southland. A […]

BA4 – Invercargill Airport

Our Business After 4 Event at the Invercargill Airport was a relaxed and informative evening, and a great chance for our business community to catch up and connect at the beautifully refreshed and modern terminal space and departure lounge. Hangar 106 Café put on a beautiful spread, as we heard more about the airport and […]

Westpac Smarts – Bare Lake To Big Success

Last week, as part of our Westpac Smarts Series, we had the pleasure of hosting Emily Rutherford, Co-Owner and Managing Director of Kiwi Water Park, for an engaging fireside chat with our own Nigel Finnerty. Emily was friendly, energetic and incredibly knowledgeable, openly sharing the highs, challenges and lessons that have come with building one […]

Governing in a changing operating environment: risks, pressures and planning

Tonight, we welcomed directors, business owners, and leaders for a practical governance workshop delivered in partnership with the Institute of Directors – Otago Southland Branch. A big thank you to our guest speakers, Judene Edgar, Evelyn Fraser and Sanel Tomlinson, for sharing practical insights into strengthening governance, managing risk, and helping boards navigate an increasingly […]

BDO Biz Bite – ACC for Business

Our August BDO Biz Bite with Garth Butson from ACC gave local businesses a clearer understanding of how ACC works and the support available when workplace injuries occur. Garth shared the history of ACC, which began in 1974 following the work of Sir Owen Woodhouse, and highlighted that the greatest number of injuries happen in […]

Today, local businesses joined us for a Dodge the Drama: No Disciplinary Disasters, No Grievance Grenades workshop, facilitated by employment law specialist Angela MacKenzie from PRLaw. The workshop unpacked some of the trickiest workplace situations, helping attendees understand the difference between poor performance, misconduct, and incapacity, while providing practical guidance on managing disciplinary processes fairly and […]

Never Let A Good Crisis Go To Waste

Business leaders gathered for an inspiring leadership discussion featuring Roger Clark and Peter Kean from the Highlanders, alongside Lindsay Breen, Managing Director of Breen Construction. Guided by MC Sheree Carey, the panel shared honest stories and practical lessons about leading through uncertainty, making difficult decisions, building resilient teams and finding opportunities during challenging times. Drawing […]

Communication Challenges in the Workplace

Today, the Southland Business Chamber hosted a Dyslexia and Communication in the Workplace session, facilitated by Chris Cole, Adaptive Thinking Adviser and co-founder of Unlock Innovation. The session explored how communication challenges are often misunderstood as capability issues, when they are more commonly the result of differing communication styles, processing preferences, and expectations. Drawing on […]

Leadership Academy Graduation – Riverton

Today we celebrated our newest Southland Leadership Academy Alumni - Intake 32.

BA8 – Kayes Bakery

We had an absolute delight hosting our BA8 event at Kaye’s Bakery. Guests enjoyed a behind-the-scenes tour of the factory, seeing how much care, love and hands-on work goes into every product made. Highlights included watching truffles being created, tasting Belgian biscuits straight from the conveyor belt, and seeing the impressive scale of production, with […]

Government Insights and Questions with Hon. Louise Upston

The Southland Business Chamber was pleased to host Government Insights and Questions with Hon Louise Upston, bringing together local employers, business leaders and community representatives for an informative evening of discussion and connection. Minister Upston shared insights into the Government’s priorities around workforce participation, employment, tourism and hospitality, with attendees having the opportunity to ask […]

BDO Biz Bites – Hiring and Firing & the Bits In Between

Our July BDO Biz Bite with Ange MacKenzie from PR Law was a fantastic, well-attended session focused on getting employment basics right. Ange shared clear, practical guidance on leave entitlements, hiring and firing, good faith, documentation, trial periods, and upcoming employment reforms. The session was highly informative and gave attendees plenty to think about within […]

Leadership Academy Graduation – Intake 35

Today we celebrated our newest Southland Leadership Academy Alumni - Intake 32.

BA5 – The Headache Clinic

A fantastic evening was had at our latest Business After 5 event, hosted by The Headache Clinic. Guests enjoyed great networking, drinks and nibbles, before hearing from founder Helen Tufui about her inspiring journey from humble beginnings in Myross Bush to building New Zealand’s first clinic of its kind into a nationwide network. Helen shared […]

Ngāi Tahu Governance 101

From Papatipu Rūnanga to Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Last night we explored the structure and story of Ngāi Tahu governance with historian and iwi representative Dr Michael Stevens. Prof. Michael Stevens shared the history and structure of Ngāi Tahu governance, from the collective voice, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, to its eighteen constituent Papatipu […]

Export Southland – Brews and Bites – Built in Southland. Engineered for the World.

Brews & Bites with Ethan Todd – Backlanz Export Southland’s latest Brews & Bites event was a great evening of relaxed networking, good company and an inspiring local export story from Ethan Todd, founder of Invercargill-based Backlanz. Ethan and Caitlin shared the Backlanz journey, from early product development and prototypes through to growing their range […]

BDO Biz Bites – Sit Happens! Fix Your Desk Setup.

Our June BDO Biz Bite with OCC Health South was a practical and hands-on session focused on helping desk-based workers improve comfort, posture and productivity throughout the workday. Designed for anyone who works at a desk, whether from home or in the office, the session covered simple and realistic ways to reduce strain and create […]

Business Owners Programme Alumni Connect.

Southland Icehouse Alumni and Business Owners Programme Alumni got the inside scoop on what the new Invercargill Distinction Hotel is going to look like.

Strengthening Southland business

Congratulations to our 2024 Southland Business Chamber – Icehouse Business Owner Programme Alumni.

Turn Social Media into a Powerful Tool for Your Business

The room was buzzing as business owners and marketing teams joined us for a workshop focused on making social media work smarter for business growth. Facilitated by Emma Lindsay, this highly practical two-hour session explored the fast-changing social media landscape — from AI-assisted content creation and search-based discovery to the rise of short-form video and strategic storytelling

The Customer Journey

Looking at your customer journey and wondering where people are dropping off… or where you could create a better experience? Our latest workshop with Lou Evans helped businesses unpack exactly that — identifying the gaps, uncovering opportunities, and exploring simple “surprise & delight” moments that can make a real impact. Participants got hands-on mapping their […]