Westpac Smarts: Culture's role in driving growth

Alongside our friends at Westpac, we'd like to invite you to our next Westpac Smarts event, where we learn more about Culture’s role in driving growth.

We’re thrilled to have Sarah Meikle from the iconic Visa Wellington On a Plate organisation share insights from her extensive background in Wellington’s hospitality and event community at this event.

It’s a surprise to no one how difficult life has been for hospitality over the last few years – the pandemic, talent shortages, rising costs – and what that has meant for this great city we live in. So, with all that in mind, what’s the answer to the current challenges facing the industry?

Sarah is very clear around establishing a vision for the future which the city needs to embrace, particularly when it comes to tourism and the food and drink sector. Collaboration has served us well in recent times, and this needs to be expanded on – for example, removing barriers to business and working in partnership with Wellington City Council to ensure a renewed sense of vibrancy in the city. This means we need to get the basics right so we can enjoy the great venues and events we’ve come to know and love.

Sarah is particularly excited about Tākina, opening in June, and the possibilities this new events and conference centre will bring. She is adamant that collectively, as a city, we need to support international growth for the food and drink sector. Indeed, spending on culture will be fundamental to Wellington’s wider growth over the coming years, so we invite you to attend this Westpac Smarts event to learn more about Sarah’s vision.

Format

• 12pm-12.30pm – Networking
• 12.30pm-1.15pm – Presentation
• 1.15pm-1.30pm- Open Q&A