You might be wondering what NEC actually does these days. We certainly were! Mel Barber, NEC New Zealand Managing Director, shares the range of activities that they are involved in and how NEC is helping to make life better with self sovereign biometrics. You will be seeing more of these applications in your daily life very soon! NEC is striving to become a global company and Mel shares what it’s like to work at an overseas office of a Japanese company and how she manages the cultural differences between Japan and New Zealand.

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In this episode you’ll hear:

• How Mel came to be Managing Director of NEC New Zealand
• Cool self sovereign biometric technology that is coming into use in both NZ and Japan
• NEC's shift towards becoming a more global company
• Mel’s strategies for asking for things and knowing when to give an out to the other party

About Mel

Mel Barber is the Managing Director for NEC New Zealand, being appointed to the position after 18 months there. In previous roles at NEC, Mel held the position of GM Field Delivery, ensuring successful relationships with a number of key customers. Mel joined NEC from Ventia where she was the Project Director for the UFB2+ project – a $120M project bringing fibre to New Zealand’s rural communities. This was a complex project from design through to commissioning with a number of key stakeholders including local Iwi and community groups. Her focus on ensuring the best outcome for communities was recognised by Ventia in 2018 with a Highly Commended award for Enterprise. This project honed her skills in leadership and ensured a solid grounding in commercial, financial and stakeholder management. Mel is a transformational leader who believes in empowering her team to achieve the key priorities of the business. She believes in bringing her authentic self to work, leading with empathy and realism.

Connect with Mel

Website: https://www.nec.co.nz/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nec-new-zealand-ltd/

Links

JNZBC: https://www.jnzbc.com/ 

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