Today’s Speaker: Mike Hutcheson

Mike is an Adjunct Professor at the Auckland University of Technology. He has spent

most of his life working out what makes people tick, what they want and why.

The World Economic Forum Report 2019 states that the top three skills required for

the next decade are Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving and Creativity. Mike is

expert in all these areas.

He is a serial start-up guy, having co-founded leading advertising agencies Colenso

BBDO and Hutcheson Knowles Marinkovich. His advertising career in Auckland

culminated with him becoming Managing Director of Saatchi and Saatchi. He was also

a director of a family building company and, in the early 80s, set up Replica Homes

with franchises throughout New Zealand.

In 2003 he launched The Lighthouse Ideas Company, set up Scarborough Fair, a Fair

Trade organic coffee and tea marketing company and planted Lonely Cow vineyard on

Waiheke Island. He is a director of a number of private and public companies and has

interests in a wine distribution company operating through Nashville, Tennessee.

Mike has written four books, and is a regular television guest and commentator. He

writes an Innovation column for Idealog magazine, and has been named Business

Columnist of the Year. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and has a

Master of Philosophy degree (with 1st Class Honours). His thesis was on the alchemy

of innovation in New Zealand business.

Hutcheson says, “To create change you have to change something. That means

thinking differently and changing the rules. I can show you how.”