Brett O'Riley

Brett O’Riley, Chief Executive, EMA

Brett O’Riley is the Chief Executive of the Employers and Manufacturers Association, New Zealand’s largest business association. He is also a member of the Board of BusinessNZ. Brett is a graduate of Victoria University of Wellington, with post graduate qualifications from MIT and Singularity University.

Brett returned to New Zealand in 2009 and has spent the last 12 years dedicated to the goal of growing business productivity through innovation. This included roles as founding CEO of what is now NZTech, founding Deputy CE of the Ministry of Science + Innovation, and as CEO of Auckland’s economic growth agency.

Prior to that Brett worked internationally in the telecommunications and IT sectors for 20 years.

Brett is one of New Zealand’s three APEC Business Advisory Council members, co-chair of the Advanced Manufacturing Industry Transformation Plan, chairs the Tamaki Makaurau Business Network, and is involved both local and nationally in the flood and cyclone recovery work.

He is also a director of World Bowls, Dotterel Technologies, BeVine, and an advisor to TCS.