New year, new perspectives: BDO’s newest Partners share their top business tips for 2025

After a rollercoaster few years, New Zealand business leaders will be hoping for a more settled and positive 2025. And with every new year comes new opportunities – and challenges. As interest rates fall and cautious signs of business optimism emerge, what strategies can business leaders adopt to not just survive, but thrive in 2025?

We spoke to our ten newly appointed Partners across BDO New Zealand’s national network to help understand how business leaders can best prepare for the new year. From succession planning to tax pooling, digital evolution and the fight for funding, our Partners offered their insights on what local businesses should be looking out for, as well as sharing their top tips for success.

Anna Kuzmich
Advisory Partner, BDO Wellington

As an Advisory Partner at BDO Wellington, Anna specialises in the retail and franchise industries. Her firm grounding in the supermarket sector brings real-world experience to her advisory role and she enjoys helping clients create business efficiencies.

Retailers have undoubtedly had a difficult time in recent years. However, our latest BDO Business Wellbeing Index shows the sector is starting to feel more positive about business performance. As interest rates come down, we expect to see more optimism in the business community – although these economic changes may take time to have effect (particularly in Wellington) 

Until then, retail leaders should focus on essential housekeeping tasks, from strategy setting and forecasting to managing cashflow and stock, reviewing products and ensuring they have the right mix of online and brick-and-mortar presence. Quiet business times are also ideal opportunities to focus on staff training and retention. Investing in your people goes beyond paying them – it’s about creating a company culture, supporting them to do their job and coaching them to achieve more.”   

Top tip: When times are tough, focus on what you can control – your strategy, goals, forecasts and staff plan as well as having a strong relationship with your bank (whether directly or through your trusted business adviser). A solid foundation and strong team will be a huge business benefit when the market improves.

Jessica Mackle 
Advisory Partner, BDO Auckland

Since joining BDO as a graduateJess has gained extensive experience within the commercial real estate sector. She’s passionate about helping clients think beyond the day-to-day to future-proof their businesses. 

“The commercial property sector has been heavily impacted by the high interest rates we’ve seen over the past few yearswith profits being squeezed and a lot of uncertainty out there. Within the rental space, there’s been a focus on the quality and longevity of tenancies, along with a general market slowdown as purchasers and sellers alike have held off on making any moves.  

Now that interest rates are coming down, business leaders will be hoping to see some economic benefits towards the end of this year. In the meantime, businesses should connect and align their teams of advisors, from us at BDO to lawyers and bankers, for support and information to make more educated decisions. 

Top tip: Don’t be short-sighted and don’t make panicked decisions. Consider the long-term effects of any actions you take, especially when it comes to making any permanent decisions related to staff.  

Dan Lewis 
Audit Partner, BDO Manawatu 

With deep experience working alongside Not-for-Profit and public sector organisations, combined with a genuine love of his work, Dan is passionate about helping businesses get more out of their audit. 

“Not-for-Profits have a lot on their mind. There’s the new Tier 3 Standard change coming into play this year, and the full enactment of the Incorporated Societies Act next year – so we’ll see a lot of reregistration activity in 2025. For the bigger companies, the main focus is the ongoing impact of the change in government and reduction in funds available to firms – plus the competitiveness to secure these funds. This makes it more important for charities and Not-for-Profits to tell their story in a way that appeals to funders – and the Statement of Service Performance (SSP) is key to this.  

The SSP can tell a story and showcase impact beyond the balance sheet. Funders are increasingly looking at the impact of Not-for-Profits outside the core numbers, and in a competitive world of diminishing funding, it could be the key to success."

Top tip: View your audit as something you can embrace, rather than endure. Auditing provides constructive feedback to improve internal control, giving you clear insights to action and improve your business.  

Dan Lewis BDO profile

Dan Lewis

Partner - Audit & Assurance
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Alex Cochrane 
Director, BDO Gisborne

Starting her BDO career as a junior more than 1years ago, Alex embarked on a journey through the banking sector before returning to BDO Gisborne, where she provides proactive support to business leaders on a diverse range of business matters. 

“Banks play an incredibly important role for businesses, but business leaders don’t always have the right knowledge or contacts to get the most from their banking relationships. As well as helping to better connect businesses and banks, I work alongside clients to give them a 360-degree view of their business, acting as a key member of their team to help them achieve their goals.

I’m passionate about helping clients start new journeys, whether buying or starting a business, managing family succession or changing business strategy. In 2025, businesses will want to balance risk and growth, and as the economy hopefully settles, there will be opportunities for growth and new directions. I'll be proactively reaching out to discuss clients’ goals, opportunities and challenges, helping them feel confident about their overall business strategy and outlook – not just their numbers.”

Top tip: Be proactive, not reactive. Don’t kick the can down the road – act early, get the right people around you and you’ll be better positioned to maximise opportunities and solve problems. 

Rosie Jarvis,  
Advisory Partner, BDO Marlborough Tasman

Since joining BDO in 2011, Rosie has committed herself to going beyond the numbers for her clients, offering customised solutions to businesses in the agribusiness sector - viticulture and further afield. 

“In 2025, clients will, as ever, be thinking about cash flow. We should see more optimism around this compared to last year as consumer confidence grows and interest rates drop, and there may be growth opportunities for businesses with strong balance sheets to make the most of. We’re also seeing businesses look for new technology solutions to boost productivity and efficiency, including adopting AI to streamline and automate tasks. We can help clients work through these questions and implement tailored strategies that benefit their whole business – it’s about more than just the numbers! 

I’m passionate about helping people build their businesses and thrive, working with business owners and leaders to not only navigate challenges, but maximise opportunities and drive profitability.”  

Top tip: Engage with your accountant about more than just your tax advice. If you’re looking for operational insights, advice on an opportunity you could seize or support with your strategy, we can help you make informed decisions and position your business for long-term success. 

Josh Ambler 
Partner, BDO Auckland

As a Partner in the BDO Digital team, Josh combines his digital and business expertise to help clients evaluate and overhaul their technology systems to achieve their business goals. 

This year I expect clients to dedicate more effort to their sales and marketing strategies and tools. After years focused on cost-saving measures, businesses are now aiming to boost sales and grow margins – and their tech stack can play a key role in supporting this. For companies that have weathered the economic storm, now might be the time to look at big projects they’ve postponed, such as legacy system upgrades or complete digital overhauls. My role is not just to suggest and implement new products, but to guide businesses through major change and design bespoke solutions 

I focus on finding value for money within clients’ technology spend. The digital landscape is vast and overwhelming, but the right frameworks and products can streamline processes and generate valuable insightsAs a strategic adviser, I work to understand business leaders' challenges and design digital solutions that address these issues and provide a good return on investment. 

Top tip: Invest in technology but be selective. Don’t get sucked into the hype of new products or technologies without doing your research and seeking advice. 

Rebecca Connor 
Advisory Partner, BDO Manawatu

Rebecca’s background in chartered accounting and commercial roles in New Zealand and overseas – plus experience running a business - means she understands the challenges and opportunities facing local business owners today. 

Coming back after the summer break, business owners will be thinking about what their future might look like. For many, this will include succession.  

Succession planning means acting as a steward for your business and creating opportunities for future generations, as well as for you as the founder or owner. Successful families in business follow the four Ps: parenting, processes (for your family, such as having a family Christmas), protocols (such as remuneration and employment policies) and purpose (within both the family and business). My role is to assist family businesses with succession including family relationships, professionalising their business and exit strategiesacting on behalf of the whole family unit to protect that stewardship legacy. 

Top tip: Think about the hard decisions earlier rather than later, especially in a family business. Some conversations and decisions can be uncomfortable but the sooner you start them, the sooner you can move forward. While things are still hard for many businesses, economic cycles come and go and if you can hold the line, there may be an opportunity around the corner. 

Rebecca Connor | BDO Manawatu

Rebecca Connor

Partner - Advisory
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Poppy Crawford,  
Tax Partner, BDO Wellington

Poppy has been a tax specialist since starting her career in London. With experience in domestic and international tax, she’s especially interested in start-ups, small-to-medium enterprisesfamily owned businesses and high-net-worth individuals.  

“New Zealand as a whole is seeing cautious growth, and people in Wellington are particularly cautious. Public sector cuts are felt strongly and clients are very aware of changing conditions in the capital. People aren’t making big investments, transactional work is impacted and there’s more concern about cash flow. That makes it even more important for business leaders to work closely with their advisers. 

Inland Revenue is increasing investigative activity, assisted by compliance funding announced in the Government BudgetI’m working with clients to ensure they have accurate and up-to-date documentation and are comfortable with all positions they’ve taken. If there are any areas they’re concerned about, it’s better to be proactive and work them through with a tax adviser before Inland Revenue investigates.” 

Top tip: Look into tax pooling to see if it could help with cash flow. Tax pooling companies can be innovative and offer a range of products, so speak with your adviser about whether this could be a solution for you. 

Michael Nes 
Advisory Partner, BDO Hawke’s Bay 

Michael has been in the BDO network for nearly 15 years, offering advisory and tax compliance services across sectors including medical professionals, construction, retail and investment trusts. He follows a flexible and communicative approach to client relationships to help businesses achieve more. 

I’m seeing cautious optimism in the market currently, where business leaders are excited about interest rates coming down but cautious about over-spending too soon. It’s great to see positivity returning to the business landscape and I’m excited to work alongside clients to help evolve their businesses this year. It’s important that business leaders understand the business and economic environments they operate in, so part of what I do is breaking down jargon and sharing information clearly and simply. 

Every business is different, with unique operating conditions, challenges, opportunities and even communication preferences. It’s my role to understand these and approach each client in a way that works for them.  

Top tip: Stay strong and keep goingDon’t be afraid to feel optimistic, but make sure you work through any big decisions before taking the leap. Similarly, communicate any struggles with your adviser so that we can help you get to a positive position as soon as possible.  

Jen Mildenhall,  
Director, BDO Gisborne

Farming runs in Jen’s blood. Her passion for helping businesses succeed and her firm grounding in agribusiness means she’s ideally placed to support Gisborne clients with strategic planning, budgeting and forecasting. 

“There’s relief in the market after some hard years in farming. Sheep prices were low, compliance costs and interest rates were high, and in Tairāwhiti we’ve also had the cyclone. Now we’re seeing positive changes. Interest rates are reducing, lamb prices have improved and the most recent dairy payout forecast was strong, so there’s more positivity in the paddocks. For businesses in a strong financial position that can expand, now might be a good time to do it - otherwise, it’s a good year for consolidation.  

I’ll be working with clients towards their future goals, whether debt reduction, succession or growthadvise clients to plan for the long term so that no matter what’s happening now, they keep one eye on their future goals. Today’s decisions don’t just impact today – they feed into your future position." 

Top tip: Be proactive and utilise learnings from the past two years when there’s been financial pressure. What can you take from the tough times to ensure you’re better prepared for the future? 



After what was a challenging 2024 for many, our new BDO Partners sense an emerging sentiment of cautious optimism and readiness for growth during 2025 among business leadersTheir fresh perspectives and broad expertise might be just what many businesses need to help turn the corner on the road towards their goals 

For more assistance in setting your business up for success,contact your local BDO representative or reach out to one of our new Partners.