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ABOUT THIS EPISODE

Nick Astwick is one of those leaders who feels deeply grounded in purpose and never disconnected from performance. He’s spent more than 25 years across financial services and healthcare — from National Bank to UBS Warburg, through to becoming COO at Kiwibank and then CEO of Southern Cross Health Society in 2017.

And what makes his story so compelling is that it doesn’t read like a classic CEO narrative. In fact, Nick once thought he’d become a detective. Instead, a temporary banking role turned into a career that has taken him right to the centre of some of New Zealand’s most important institutions.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. How to use partnership as a core lever for scalable growth
2. Why “good decisions” beat perfect ones in uncertain environments
3. How culture alignment determines whether your strategy actually works

If you want to scale faster, make better decisions, and build a business that stays relevant—this conversation will change how you lead.

The Partnership Playbook is the podcast for leaders who want to grow with clarity, create leverage through partnerships, and lead their teams with meaning. Each episode gives you practical insights drawn from two decades of building and backing companies, coaching CEOs, and closing high-value partnerships across industries. You’ll learn how to scale yourself as a leader, choose partners that help you grow faster, and turn trust, alignment, and first wins into momentum that lasts.

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