Page 2: Snapshots - Labour of love

Forsyth Barr boss Neil Paviour-Smith (left) and chairman Sir Eion Edgar at the new Auckland office. Photo / Dean Purcell

In the thick of the controversy over its public outing of ethnic Chinese home buyers, the Labour Party launched a PR offensive with Auckland business last week, hosting drinks at quirky old-school venue The Hopetoun Alpha. The corporate world can't have written them off yet because despite the rain and cold there was a big turnout from all the major players, including Sky, Spark and the banks. Meanwhile, of the many Labour MPs working the room, none seemed more enthusiastic than former leader Phil Goff, who was in fine form meeting, greeting and shaking hands at a breakneck pace. Who knows why that could be?

Hisco fever

New Zealand's top-paid chief executive, David Hisco of ANZ, could be eyeing up a bigger role across the Ditch, with ANZ Group chief executive Mike Smith set to retire next year. As well as hosting several Australian analysts in Auckland in recent weeks, Hisco has followed closely on Smith's tail, signing up to Twitter just weeks after Smith himself joined the social media platform. Despite being New Zealand's top-paid executive, Hisco's $4.27 million salary pales in comparison to Smith's A$10.7 million.

Greek aid package

New Zealand's new ambassador to the World Trade Organisation, Vangelis Vitalis, is en route to Geneva to take up his post, but is making an emergency aid stopover on the way. Vitalis is stopping in at Serifos in the Western Cyclades to visit relatives in financially stricken Greece, and is understood to be carrying medicine, infant milk powder and other vital necessities for his family. Vitalis is the first Greek-New Zealander to be appointed ambassador.

Kea World Class awards

Kea's annual awards event was upgraded this year to the Viaduct events centre after it seems Kea decided all of New Zealand's talent could no longer fit in the Langham Hotel. Prime Minister John Key's speech - punctuated with anecdotes about his phone calls to the British PM while fishing and golfing - went down well until Helen Clark won the Supreme Award, thanking all her supporters and noting that she could not have achieved this success if she had spent her time on the golf course.

Holly Ryan and Karen Walker at the Viaduct. Photo/ NZME.

The other World Class New Zealand Award winners were businesswoman and philanthropist Audette Exel, tech entrepreneur Victoria Ransom, renowned plastic surgeon and medical researcher Dr Swee Tan and former Olympian Beatrice Faumuina.

What's in a name?

Forsyth Barr has left Forsyth Barr tower and moved across the road to its newly-fitted-out office in the Lumley Centre. The high-powered firm celebrated the opening of its new office with a low-key cocktail and canape event for its staff and several industry leaders. With sweeping views over the harbour, the office is a step up from the company's previous home according to its managing director Neil Paviour-Smith, who said the firm had outgrown its previous office space. Forsyth Barr are currently hunting for tenants to sub-lease their old office until the lease expires in a few months. It is likely naming rights may also be on offer, with some of the tower's branding already missing.

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This is not a gossip column but....

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CORRECTION: The original story noted New Zealand's new ambassador to the World Trade Organisation, Vangelis Vitalis, was born in Greece. This is incorrect and has been updated.