Living and breathing China – a kiwi lens

Presentation

Speaker(s): Alistair Crozier, Hunter McGregor
Date: 5:00pm — 7:00pm, 28 July 2026
Venue: Business South
Location: Level 3, 442 Moray Place, Dunedin 9016
Price members: $30.00 incl GST
Price non-members: $50.00 incl GST

Overview

Following the strong interest in last year’s event with NZ China Council Chief Executive Alistair Crozier, we are delighted to welcome Alistair back south alongside China-based New Zealand businessman Hunter McGregor for this timely follow-up discussion.

New Zealand business leaders see and read a lot about China from afar. Often, the information is hard to reconcile – is China’s economy struggling, or continuing to move ahead? Is it polluted by coal mines and factories, or a clean-tech nation of EVs and solar panels? Are people happy there? Do they still want our products and tourism scenery, or are we no longer a country in favour?

Hunter McGregor is a New Zealand businessman who has lived in China for 19 years, in Dalian, Changzhou and now Shanghai. He is married locally and has two children in the Chinese education system. As an importer of NZ meat for the Chinese market he has direct insights into local consumption trends, and has consulted extensively across other sectors. He lives and breathes China daily (which is no longer as bad as it sounds!) You may have heard his insights on NewstalkZB’s The Country as its regular China correspondent.

This discussion with Hunter will explore what’s really going on in China in 2026 at grassroots level – the mood, the trends, and where China is likely to go next. Hunter has signalled that no topic is off limits, so prepare for an interesting “ask me anything” Q&A session to follow.

This event is presented in partnership with the New Zealand China Council Te Kaunihera o Aotearoa me Haina and Business South, bringing together directors and business leaders for a timely discussion on one of New Zealand’s most important international relationships.

Alistair Crozier 

Alistair Crozier has served as Executive Director of the New Zealand China Council since March 2022.  Alistair was a New Zealand diplomat for 25 years.  He served as Second Secretary at the New Zealand Embassy in Beijing (2000-01), Education Counsellor to China (2003-05) and NZ-Consul-General to Chengdu (2014-18). 

He was also Deputy High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea (2007-09) and Deputy Ambassador to Viet Nam (2009-14) and has held roles in the NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Wellington.  In 2019 Alistair was Chief of Staff to the Mayor of Christchurch.  In 2020-21 he established a South Island presence for the Asia New Zealand Foundation and led its international business programme .

Hunter McGregor

Hunter McGregor is a New Zealand businessman who has lived in China for 19 years, in Dalian, Changzhou and now Shanghai.  He is married locally and has two children in the Chinese education system.  As an importer of NZ meat for the Chinese market he has direct insights into local consumption trends, and has consulted extensively across other sectors.  He lives and breathes China daily (which is no longer as bad as it sounds!) You may have heard his insights on NewstalkZB’s The Country as its regular China correspondent.  

Additional information

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