Election 2005 blogger
Annette Presley is chief executive of Slingshot Internet. She began her career as a computer programmer in 1980, then moved into sales and started her own IT & T recruitment company in 1988.
In 1992 Annette and her partner Malcolm Dick moved to Australia to set up that
country's first telecommunications voice reseller. From humble beginnings in their garage, Call Australia grew to a turnover of $100 million with branches in all states and over 200 staff. In 1998 Annette and Malcolm sold the company to move back to NZ.
In 1996 they started CallPlus which has grown to become New Zealand's third largest telco with over 130 staff and an annual group turnover of more than $60 million.
In 2000 Annette created I4free, the first free internet provider in NZ, and Slingshot Internet was born out of this. Callplus and Slingshot have nearly 100,000 customers today with Slingshot being the third largest internet service provider in New Zealand.
Annette has two children and is involved in several charities, including Prevention of Violence in the Home and Kidz First Hospital. She is the patron of Dress For Success and is on the advisory board of Women in Technology.
