All change at the top

Olivia Wensley is moving on from Startup Queenstown Lakes after a hard-fought but bruising mayoral campaign.
Hers is one of a number of changes in key business support positions across the district. Jim Boult stepped down as mayor, Ruth Stokes is on her way out of Queenstown Chamber of Commerce, while Mat Woods has only been in charge of Destination Queenstown for five months.
Elsewhere, Sharon Fifield has moved from the council’s economic development unit to the Chamber, and it’s also notable that well-regarded Bridget Legnavsky, who provided pastoral support for many, has left RealNZ to run Sugar Bowl Resort in the US.
Wensley says it was the right time to step down as chief executive of Startup Queenstown Lakes and move into a venture capital role.
Standing for public office was “simultaneously the best thing I ever did and the worst thing I’ve ever done”, she says.
“I have no regrets about running. It really got me out of my comfort zone, I learned a lot and it was a fantastic thing to do for personal growth.
“But it was hard going and after the experience I had I just have so much respect for people that have a public role like that. I’m really happy to have my privacy back.”
Wensley’s campaign was derailed by focus on her links to Queenstown’s leaky building problems - her father-in-law Ross Wensley developed the Oaks Shore, for which ratepayers could ultimately end up paying a $160 million-plus repair bill.
Opponents Glyn Lewers, who won the mayoral race, and Jon Mitchell claimed that was a conflict of interest, meaning she’d be unable to participate in council decisions.
“It’s ridiculous, trying to tie me to a project from more than 20 years ago. In hindsight, I’d have hit back earlier, got rid of the stupid rumours and innuendos, nipped it in the bud. It was a smear campaign, and it worked, people listened to it.”
She doesn’t, however, intend to follow through on a police complaint she made towards the end of the election.
The viciousness and judgement on social media from locals was also nasty, she says.
“You have to have a very thick skin, which I do. I knew it would be awful but had a firm belief that the net good from serving the community would be greater than the awfulness.”
With all that in mind, Wensley says she feels huge relief to not be the new mayor.
“I should probably send them all [her mayoral opponents] a bunch of flowers. I wasn’t afraid to roll my sleeves up and do it, because I know I have the skillset to improve the region and make things better for the community.
“I was willing to spend a few years of my life for public service, because you don’t do it for the money, but would it have been my favourite thing to do in the world? No, probably not.”
But she would still encourage other professionals to stick their head above the parapet.
“Hopefully I changed people’s thinking about who can be leaders in the district, and also brought the problem of economic diversification to the forefront.”
Her campaign also garnered national attention and since it wrapped, she’s been inundated with job offers.
She in the process of deciding between offers from two venture capital companies.
Venture capital funds raise money, in the tens of millions of dollars range, from limited partners, such as high-net worth people, their family offices and superannuation funds, then find the best companies to invest in.
“I’ll be working to get investment into early-stage start-ups, so it’s the perfect use of my skills, attracting investment into our region, promoting Queenstown as New Zealand’s up-and-coming tech destination.
“It’s a similar role to SQL but more elevated, with more resources, better profile, a national role, and I’ll be focusing on opening the first physical venture capital premises in Queenstown.
“That’s what I’m passionate about. I don’t think people realise how much potential there is here. I’ve been at the coalface and there are amazing things happening in this region. It would blow people’s minds to know the kind of talent and the companies that are being developed.
“People thought my campaign was too future-focused, it’s very easy for the average Joe to say ‘automated vehicles, yeah that’s not happening’, but we need to be embracing technology.”
Wensley was recently named one of NZ’s 50 most powerful lawyers by LawFuel in recognition of her advocacy work and mayoral campaign, and earlier this month was invited to be a moderator The Tech Summit 2022, hosted by Hon Judith Collins.
She’s been shoulder-tapped to become a politician at a national level but for now will instead use those connections to lobby for change from the private sector.
“Chris Luxon [National Party leader] and Judith Collins are very excited about the future of Queenstown and tech, and there are some great developments coming along.”