Finalists named in Deloitte Top 200 awards

Dame Alison Paterson, who has been awarded for her services to business in the Queen's Birthday Honours. Photo / Richard Robinson

The field has been narrowed in the prestigious Deloitte Top 200 Business Awards with 27 finalists announced across nine categories.

The awards, celebrating 28 years of business excellence and individual, team and management performances in New Zealand's largest companies and trading organisations, will be announced at Spark Arena in Auckland on November 23.

The theme for this year's awards is the 'spirit of resilience'.

Tourism Holdings, a2 Milk and Briscoe Group are vying for the coveted Company of the Year title.

Restaurant Brands' chief executive Russel Creedy, a2 Milk boss Geoffrey Babidge and Spark managing director Simon Moutter are in the running for the Chief Executive of the Year award.

Judge Cathy Quinn from MinterEllisonRuddWatts said whittling down the three finalists for each category was not straightforward.

"Accordingly, making it as a finalist in any category is an achievement for any company or individual. The judges applaud every finalist and ask that the business community and their colleagues also recognise and congratulate them," she said.

O'Sullivan said: "All finalists are highly performing companies or individuals who stood out from their peers for a variety of reasons."

The judges are Dame Alison Paterson, Sandy Maier, Jonathan Mason, Neil Paviour-Smith, Quinn and NZME head of business Fran O'Sullivan, who will also act as judging panel convener.

O'Sullivan said: "All finalists are highly performing companies or individuals who stood out from their peers for a variety of reasons."

Mark Allan, Liam Dann, Steven Naude and Glenys Talivai will judge the Young Executive of the Year award.

Deloitte chief executive Thomas Pippos said the finalists "embody the spirit of resilience, leading and contributing to their company's success in a shifting business landscape".

"Resilience is about how well individuals and institutions can absorb, or bounce back, from a difficult situation - a valuable trait in an environment that is influenced by so many factors."

The finalists:

Deloitte and Marsh Company of the Year Award
• Tourism Holdings Limited
• A2 Milk
• Briscoe Group

Deloitte and Orbit World Travel Chief Executive of the Year Award
• Russel Creedy - Restaurant Brands
• Geoffrey Babidge - A2 Milk
• Simon Moutter - Spark

Massey Business School Chief Financial Officer of the Year Award
• Grant Ellis - Restaurant Brands
• Paul Chambers - Meridian
• Steve Gray - Port of Tauranga

QBE Insurance Chairperson of the Year Award
• Jan Dawson - Westpac New Zealand
• Rob Campbell - Tourism Holdings/Summerset Group/WEL Networks
• Peter McBride - Zespri International

MinterEllisonRuddWatts Excellence in Governance Award
• Sanford
• Air New Zealand
• Abano Healthcare

Most Improved Performance Award
• Xero
• 2degrees
• Datacom

2degrees Best Growth Strategy Award
• Tourism Holdings Limited
• A2 Milk
• Zespri International

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Award
• Stuff - Fairfax Media
• Air New Zealand
• Fonterra

Eagle Technology and IMNZ Young Executive of the Year Award
• Komal Mistry - Fonterra Ventures
• Sasha Lockley - Avanti Finance
• Ed Hyde - Spark Ventures

Sheffield Visionary Leader Award
• Announced at the awards ceremony