Tim Calder

BioSouth is Dunedin’s network of biotechnology and technology-based businesses. Through the Otago MBA Business School I received an invite to their biannual showcases held in in the Conference Room of the Dunedin Art Gallery. I thoroughly enjoyed this showcase as someone interested in business with out having a background in science. The next upcoming event is the Student Function on the 28th of May. This event will showcase some of the exciting career prospects that students have in Dunedin and will be held at the Centre for Innovation on the University of Otago campus.

It has been a long two months but my MBA Syndicate group and I have finally completed our Financial Investment Report on publicly listed, Dunedin based company Scott Technology. We have received excellent assistance from Chairman Stuart McLauchlan, CEO Chris Hopkins and former CEO and Director Graham Batts who have helped us gain great insight to form our opinion and recommendations. Our report is being assessed by Forsyth & Barr analysts Ken Lister and Lynette Scott as well as Otago University lecture Garry Heaton.

The Otago University put on an excellent night of entertainment on Wednesday with their first Bear Baiting competition. Barry Colman was on his fine “Dragons Den” form for the event laying into the competitors with some tricky questions. All competitors had great, creative ideas which made for entertaining pitches. As the idea alone was being judged there was no requirement for long boring financials. Damian Newell, the MC for the competition, did a brilliant job of running the event and controlling the Bears (”Be nice!”). Congratulations to Christine Grove of Supportit who who the $5,000 of UPSTART mentoring.

Its great to see former Otago MBA student Graeme Hart shoot up 135 places this year to be ranked 201 on Forbes world rich list. Although it has been 20 years now his class picture still hangs on the wall. This year is the 32 year of the Otago MBA.