Rod Oram has 25 years experience as a journalist, change manager, line manager and corporate strategist.  He is at present Adjunct Professor, New Zealand Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship.  The centre is a high-tech company incubator in the business school of Unitec, NZ’s tertiary technology institute.

He is involved in giving presentations to corporates on the economy and innovation, and is a member of the centre’s Industry Advisory Board.
 
From 1997 – 2000 Rod was Editor, Business Herald, Auckland. He worked closely with the Editor of the Herald and other senior colleagues to launch the section in April 1997.  He was responsible to the Editor for the Business Herald team of 25 journalists and as a member of the Editor’s senior management committee, was involved in paper-wide strategic and management issues.  Under his editorship the Business Herald was at the forefront of the economic debate and a champion of NZ’s high technology future. It tackled domestic business and economic issues but always within a full international context. From 1975-1979 Rod held various journalist positions in Canada and from 1979-1997 he held a variety of posts at the Financial Times, London and New York.
 
As a journalist, Rod Oram worked on complex business and economic stories in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific to demanding daily deadlines and exacting international standards. At the heart of journalism is a skill set widely applicable to many fields: the ability to use knowledge and contacts to dig deeply into subjects to bring clarity to confusing issues; and to work with others to develop and act on a clear vision.  Rod is also currently Contributing Editor for Unlimited Magazine published by IDG of Boston, USA and devoted to the development of the new economy.  He writes major features on economic, political and corporate topics and is also writing a monthly column on innovation.  He also contributes to a weekly column on business and economic issues for the Sunday Star-Times.  He writes for the Financial Times of London, and contributes to radio and televisions programmes.

Rod has won the following awards:
· 2001 WestpacTrust Columnist of the Year
· 2000 Qantas Media Awards: Best columnist (business and finance)
· 2000 WestpacTrust Awards, runner up best business feature writer
          
Rod uses his skills in journalism, management and leadership to help New Zealanders face some tough economic challenges and seize some exciting business opportunities.


“As always he was brilliant.  Having used him many times Rod always amazes us on how he can find new material that appeal to all” 
- AMP Financial Services

Topics

· New Zealand and global economics and business trends
· Economic development policy at home and abroad
· Entrepreneurship and innovation
· Technology trends
· Journalism and media
· Big issues eg, globalisation, sustainable development, climate change, genetic modification, corporate governance, social responsibility and ethical investment

References

“Great – wrapped up the whole session most professionally – we are using him again” 
- Unichem & Life Pharmacy

“Very polished.  Rod had prepared well.  Kept audience very involved – amusing yet got serious points across well.”
- Dispensary First

“Had so much information to share we should have given him more time, a quality presentation”
- Plastics Institute  

Excellent
– Vegfed

“Brilliant start to the conference, lots of positive feedback, your contribution was of value to a large number of our members” 
- NZ Citrus Growers