“You’re hired!” is the phrase that springs to mind, The Apprentice-style, as Grant Robertson strikes a pose against a polished London skyline for his Attitude shoot. Although, as the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand, an Apprentice Aotearoa backdrop might be more fitting. (What is that, exactly? Magnificent mountains, fjords and glaciers, à la Lord of the Rings?)
We meet Robertson — who is also Minister of Finance — at the London branch of New Zealand-based tech company Xero, which makes cloud-based business accounting software. In its shiny office block, he’s just wrapped a round-table meet with several Kiwi start-ups, an event he describes as “one of the highlights” of his trip.
Robertson is on a 12-day visit to Blighty. “New Zealand is reopening to the world [after Covid-19],” he explains. “It’s important to get to the UK, meet with businesses and politicians, and ensure people know we’re here.”
Lest we forget, his home nation
