<B>A gusto for business</B>

The New Zealander arrived a year ago to head Enterprise Mauritius, a joint public and private venture to enhance GDP through export growth…

Lance Wickman started his career as avionics engineer for Air New Zealand. However, he has ended up working in trade and industry development, spending over 22 years in various privately-owned industries, mostly technology-based. The common factor throughout his career was his passion to grow businesses. Lance joined the public sector in 2001 as general manager of Northern Region for Industry New Zealand. There, Lance established a group of consultants focused on helping New Zealand exporters to develop and grow their businesses.

With diplomas in management, business and business marketing as well as a master in business administration, he has managed a team of over 120 business advisors around New Zealand. Today, Lance is the chief operating officer of Enterprise Mauritius. With this job he is able to use his three assets – friendliness, trust and openness.

“I love meeting entrepreneurs and working with them to see what can be done to build momentum in their businesses. At the end of the day, it is enterprises that make money that pay the employees, that pay the taxes that allow government to make the roads, build schools and look after the old and the sick. I think more energy should be spent on growing the pie, and less on how it should be carved up.”

When Lance talks about his hobbies, he has a lot to say. Indeed, he is a very keen yachtsman. Actually, he just loves “anything to do with the water” – in it, over it and under it! He sees himself a bit of an adrenaline junkie… and enjoys white water rafting and shark diving. He is already booked to fly a new amphibious micro-light soon. Furthermore, he is taking the opportunity to step up his tennis game while he is here.

“Africa and the Indian Ocean are a long way from New Zealand. So we are keen to see as much as we can of the region while we’re here. We’ve been on a short safari in South Africa, but I’d really like to do a hot air balloon trip over the Serengeti during the migration.”

Lance was born 46 years ago in Auckland and grew up there doing his primary, secondary and tertiary education in the same area. He married in 1991 to Toni and they have two children.

Today, Lance’s wife and his two girls aged 7 and 11 are enjoying life here. They have found the people very welcoming, friendly, and helpful. For his first overseas posting, Lance has learnt a lot about working in new businesses and living in a new cultural environment. He expected to end up in a mainly “expat” scene, but his experience in the island has been quite different. In fact, he has a wide range of wonderful friends from all different backgrounds both locals and expats. And he fully expects to remain close to many for a long time even when he has gone. About his departure, he remains hesitating.

“Well, I have to say that we have really enjoyed the opportunity to experience a different cultural setting. There are a number of projects waiting for me back in New Zealand but I may well look for other overseas opportunities after I have finished here…”