“The Godfather” Geoffrey Whitcher ONZM receives international award for University Transformation

Geoffrey Whitcher, the founding director of CIE

Geoffrey Whitcher, ONZM, the founding director of the University of Auckland Business School’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), has been honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award for University Transformation. The award was presented by the Accreditation Council of Entrepreneurial and Engaged Universities (ACEEU), the only globally operating quality assurance body that acknowledges engagement and entrepreneurship in higher education.

The Lifetime Achievement Award from ACEEU specifically recognises Whitcher’s role in transforming the University of Auckland into an entrepreneurial institution, where collaboration between academia and business thrives. Whitcher joined the University of Auckland following a storied career in business where he had numerous accomplishments, including a significant role in establishing Placemakers during his tenure at Fletchers and being one of the country’s first equity relations managers.

He accepted a role at the University to give back to the community, where his immense energy, drive and networks were leveraged to their full. At University, he played a leadership role in the design and operation of pioneering academic programmes such as the Master of Bioscience Enterprise and the Master of Commercialisation and Entrepreneurship. These programmes reflected his belief in the importance of bridging the gap between academia and industry, ensuring that graduates are equipped with the skills necessary to drive economic transformation. He also led the establishment of the Spark entrepreneurship development programme, now known as Velocity, which has had an exponential impact on New Zealand’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Whitcher mentored and supported countless aspiring entrepreneurs, earning himself the moniker of “the Godfather”.

Darsel Keane, the current Director of CIE, who accepted the award on Whitcher’s behalf at the ACEEU Awards ceremony in Malaysia, says “Geoff ignited entrepreneurship on campus 21 years ago. Today, this has enabled countless students and staff to develop their ideas, launch start-ups, and contribute to the wider economy as innovative employees. Geoff has also been a tremendous mentor to many, including me when I was a student.”

Professor Susan Watson, Dean of the University of Auckland Business School, says “It’s wonderful that Geoff is being recognised for his immense contributions. His work has left a lasting imprint on the Business School, and we are fortunate that he continues to be an active champion and supporter.”

Professor Thorsten Kliewe, Chair of the ACEEU, says “Through Geoffrey’s work, he has had a transformational impact, not just for the University but for the nation as a whole through enabling individuals and creating thriving communities. His commitment to creating an environment conducive to knowledge-based venture creation and to enhancing economic well-being via entrepreneurial education is inspirational, and he is very deserving of this lifetime achievement award.”

Below is a transcript of Whitcher’s acceptance speech, read at the awards on his behalf by Darsel Keane:

Thank you to the Accreditation Council of Entrepreneurial and Engaged Universities for this extremely significant honour. As I reflect on the work we’ve done over the past two decades I’m reminded of why I chose this path after my career in business.

New Zealand at the turn of the century was at a crossroads. It was witnessing a brain drain with our brightest minds leaving for opportunities abroad, which with our economy being heavily reliant on agriculture, we could not match.

We knew that we needed to become a thriving knowledge-based economy. To achieve this we had to more than talk about change – we had to drive it.

We had to foster a new relationship between academia and business, breaking down the walls of distrust that had long existed. We needed to establish new financial structures, from pre-seed funding to venture capital, to support innovation and entrepreneurship. And perhaps most importantly, we had to cultivate a new generation of graduates – innovative, entrepreneurial, business savvy, and globally connected – who could lead New Zealand into a prosperous future.

This work could not have been possible without the wonderful support of my wife and family. I am also profoundly grateful to the educators, business leaders, and politicians who believed in this vision and collaborated to make it a reality.

When we began, we calculated the extensive change required would take at least 20 years to see significant results. And here we are 21 years later with the talent from our University having generated hundreds of start-ups, thousands of jobs and some billions of capital raised.

It is heartening to see how far we have come, and the trajectory we are on tells us that the best is still yet to come.