Stirring The Pot
Created by metal minds for metal minds – join us for practical conversations that get to the nuts and bolts of the metals industry here in New Zealand. Connect with leaders & experts from across the globe who talk overcoming key industry challenges, and influencers who cast their eyes to the future. Perfect if you’re time poor but want to keep your finger on the pulse. Prepare to be challenged, informed & inspired!
Stirring The Pot
It's all about the people!
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In today's Humans of Steel edition of Stirring the Pot, we sit down with Noel Davies, director of Hydro Link, former chair of HERA, and one of Aotearoa New Zealand's most quietly influential business leaders.
Noel joined the Navy at 16, made lieutenant commander by 28, then bought a tiny engineering division out of receivership and grew it past $100M. He chaired HERA for 30 years as the only non-engineer to ever hold the role, became an initial trustee of HEERF, and was awarded the Order of New Zealand for services to engineering, business, and community.
In this conversation, Noel talks about what military life taught him about people and leadership, how he navigated a business purchase that landed straight into receivership, why culture is the foundation of every strategy, and what he learned from 30 years sitting at the table of Aotearoa New Zealand's heavy engineering sector.
He also shares the story behind his book, The Guide to Successful Business Partnerships, and why his wife asked if it applied to marriage.
His answer to almost every question comes back to the same thing. It's all about the people.
Resources and links
- Connect with HERA team - https://hera.org.nz/about-us/our-people/hera-team/
- Learn more about HERA's Industry 4.0 rangahau: https://hera.org.nz/research/industry-x-0/
- Subscribe to our podcast: https://www.hera.org.nz/podcasts/
- For live updates, follow us on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/hera-innovationinmetals/
📬 Got questions or feedback? Reach us at info@hera.org.nz