KNZBC - Korea New Zealand Business Council

What KNZBC - Korea New Zealand Business Council does

KNZBC is a voluntary, non-profit Incorporated Society established in 1978 in association with the first trade mission from New Zealand to the Republic of Korea, headquartered in Auckland. It operates as the recognized bilateral business council connecting New Zealand businesses engaged with Korea, Korean businesses based in New Zealand, exporters, importers, investors, educational institutions, and individual professionals. Core activities centre on facilitating bilateral commerce between the two countries through membership services, signature events (notably the annual K-NZ Smart Cooperation Forum), ambassador breakfasts, trade seminars, and advocacy representation with both governments.

KNZBC does not develop proprietary technology products; instead, its deliverables are membership access, event participation, market intelligence dissemination via a monthly newsletter and bilingual website (English and Korean), and working-group participation in shaping Korea-NZ business cooperation. Revenue is generated through recurring membership subscriptions and event sponsorships (KPMG, PwC, ANZ, Grand Millennium Auckland, and others), with specific pricing tiers not publicly disclosed. The council's go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, leveraging both ambassadors as patrons (H.E. Changsik Kim and H.E. Dawn Bennet) and channel partnerships with NZTE, MFAT, the Korean Embassy, KOTRA, ExportNZ, and the Auckland, Wellington and Kiwi Chambers.

The organization operates with a lean team of six employees and an Executive Committee drawn from major NZ corporates, supplemented by an Advisory Board that includes government trade officials. As of 2025, KNZBC's programming is anchored to the 10th anniversary of the Korea-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (KNZFTA), Korea's hosting of APEC, and the new Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework, with a planned 2026 return of the annual joint meeting in Korea. The council holds no external funding, no parent company, and no subsidiaries.

Name

KNZBC - Korea New Zealand Business Council

Legal name

Korea New Zealand Business Council

Website

https://knzbc.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

KNZBC is a voluntary, non-profit bilateral business council established in 1978 in Auckland that facilitates trade and business connections between New Zealand and South Korea through membership services, signature events, and partnerships with government trade bodies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Council / Trade Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK)

Keywords

• Bilateral trade facilitation
• Business networking services
• Trade council membership
• Market entry support
• Business advocacy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: KNZBC operates as a voluntary membership organization. The council generates revenue through membership subscriptions from New Zealand businesses engaged with Korea, Korean businesses based in New Zealand, exporters, importers, investors, and individual professionals interested in Korea-NZ relations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

KNZBC is a voluntary bilateral business council that connects New Zealand and South Korean companies through membership services, networking events, trade forums, and advocacy. It provides members with access to ambassadors, government trade bodies (MFAT, NZTE, KOTRA), and bilateral market intelligence to facilitate commerce between the two countries. Core activities include the annual Korea New Zealand Smart Cooperation Forum, ambassador breakfasts, delegation debrief seminars, and working groups.

Product overview

KNZBC (Korea New Zealand Business Council) is a voluntary business membership organization, not a product company. It facilitates bilateral trade and business connections between New Zealand and South Korea. The council provides membership services including exclusive networking events, market insights, advocacy, promotion opportunities, and working groups for members across both countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KNZBC Membership Program
• Korea New Zealand Smart Cooperation Forum 2025
• Breakfast with Ambassador to Korea
• Korea Wellington Business Breakfast
• Delegation Debrief Seminar
• NZTE Market Seminar Series

Quantifiable outcome

• Trade between Korea and NZ has more than doubled since the FTA launch

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Embassy of the Republic of KoreacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 October 2025Co-host of the Korea-New Zealand Smart Cooperation Forum 2025. The Embassy works with KNZBC to strengthen bilateral business relations, with H.E. Changsik Kim serving as Ambassador patron of the council.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 October 2025Co-host of the K-NZ Smart Cooperation Forum 2025. MFAT officials including Shee-Jeong Park provide briefings on APEC outcomes and trade policy. The ministry supports KNZBC's role as a voice for Korea-NZ business.
• New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 October 2025Co-host of the K-NZ Smart Cooperation Forum 2025. NZTE provides trade commissioners and market expertise, hosting seminars on doing business in Korea. Rachael McGuckian serves on KNZBC Advisory Board as International Market Manager.
• Auckland Chamber of CommercesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPatron of KNZBC, representing the largest business chamber in New Zealand and supporting bilateral trade activities.
• Wellington Chamber of CommercesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerKey partner organization hosting KNZBC events in Wellington, including the Korea Wellington Business Breakfast.
• Kiwi ChambersupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerKorean business chamber in New Zealand serving as a key partner for KNZBC's networking and business connection activities.
• Asia New Zealand FoundationsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting partner of the K-NZ Smart Cooperation Forum 2025. Suzannah Jessep, CEO, speaks at KNZBC events on cultural connection and the K factor in Korea-NZ relations.
• ExportNZsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerExportNZ (part of Business NZ) serves as patron and supporting partner, representing NZ exporters and supporting Korea-NZ trade promotion.
• KOTRA (Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerKOTRA Trade Commissioner Eun Bum Cho serves on KNZBC Advisory Board, providing trade promotion support and market intelligence for Korean businesses.
• KPMG New ZealandsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEvent venue sponsor and advisory partner. Partner Stephanie Ward participates in forum infrastructure panels. Josh Eun serves as Audit Senior Manager & Korea Business Practice Leader on KNZBC Execution Committee.
• PwC New ZealandsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHosted Post-APEC & CSP 2025 Debriefing Seminar. Angela Kim serves as Treasurer on KNZBC board. Partner firm supporting council activities.
• ANZ BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKNZBC Chairman Gareth Coleman serves as Head of Trade & Supply Chain at ANZ New Zealand. ANZ supports council activities and provides trade finance expertise for Korea-NZ commerce.
• Wellington City CouncilsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerJennifer Zhou from Wellington City Council serves on KNZBC Advisory Board, supporting regional expansion to Wellington.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• New Zealand United States Business Council: Bilateral business council serving NZ-US trade and investment ties through member events and policy advocacy. Similar voluntary-membership structure and ambassador/government alignment as KNZBC.
• New Zealand China Business Council: Bilateral business council promoting NZ-China trade and investment, operating under the same membership-based, event-driven GTM model as KNZBC. Provides direct comparability on scope, member structure, and government relationship leverage.
• NZ-ASEAN Business Council: Bilateral business council covering NZ-ASEAN trade relations via membership events and government engagement. Comparable in structure to KNZBC but with a broader geographical mandate.
• New Zealand Japan Business Council: Bilateral business council connecting NZ and Japanese businesses through networking events, trade missions, and dialogue with both governments. Comparable to KNZBC in mission, structure, and dependence on ambassador/government patronage.
• Kiwi Chamber (Korean Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand): Korean-business chamber in New Zealand serving as a partner to KNZBC and providing a mirror network for Korean-owned businesses in NZ. Overlaps with KNZBC on Korea-NZ trade facilitation and member services.

Broad incumbents

• Auckland Chamber of Commerce: Largest regional business chamber in New Zealand and a named patron of KNZBC. Provides broader business services and advocacy that partially overlap with KNZBC's offerings, though without Korea-specific focus.

Others

• Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA): Korean government trade promotion agency with a Trade Commissioner on KNZBC's Advisory Board. Provides market intelligence and trade promotion for Korean businesses — an enabler rather than a direct competitor.
• New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE): NZ government trade promotion agency and core strategic partner of KNZBC. Provides trade commissioners, market expertise, and co-hosts KNZBC's signature events; not a peer so much as a channel and resource.
• Asia New Zealand Foundation: Government-funded foundation that builds NZ-Asia linkages including Korea-specific programming. A supporting partner of KNZBC's 2025 Forum and a complementary — not competitive — ecosystem actor.

Regional players

• Korea-Australia Business Council: Australian bilateral business council serving the Korea-Australia corridor with similar membership, events, and government-aligned programming. Operates in a different market but provides a useful structural and revenue benchmark for KNZBC.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/knzbc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KNZBC - Korea New Zealand Business Council