Business alum recipient of two UK awards
UK-based Business and Law alum Craig Fenton has received two awards this year in recognition of his many achievements as a business leader, entrepreneur, investor and mentor, as well as his contributions to the community.
In May this year, business and law alum Craig Fenton was presented with the UK Friends of the University of Auckland Special Recognition Award (SRA) which recognises the impact and contribution that alumni are having in the UK and around the world. The award was presented by the University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Dawn Freshwater at the UK Alumni and Friends Reception 2023 held at the Royal Society of Chemistry, Burlington House, London.
And in February, Craig was named UK New Zealander of the Year 2023 by the New Zealand Society UK. Established in 1999, this award recognises New Zealanders or British nationals who have gone above and beyond their daily or professional lives to make a difference in presenting the most positive image of New Zealand within the UK.
Both these awards are testament to the outstanding contributions Craig has made over the years, and to his generosity, openness and dedication.
Craig Fenton
Craig Fenton is a business leader and entrepreneur who has worked in the technology industry for over two decades. Craig graduated from the University of Auckland with a Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) in 1993. He is currently Managing Director, Strategy & Operations, at Google.Prior to Google, Craig worked for 16 years at Accenture in a number of roles, ending as Managing Director and Sales Lead, Europe, Africa, Latin America & Middle East.
Craig is also an investor in and mentor of several start-ups and has worked in all major countries in Europe and the Middle East helping businesses digitally transform.
Craig is the Founder of Big Community Records, an independent record label that works with talented music artists from lower socio-economic areas to give them their start. He is also the Co-Founder and CEO at Big Community Productions which provides similar opportunities in filmmaking. Craig has also been a Group Advisor to Big Youth Group, which owns a collective of youth first companies whose common purpose is to improve the odds for young people between the ages 18-30 years old. In 2013 Craig became a seed investor in MyCare New Zealand, a platform that matches carers with people who need care. Most recently, Craig founded tokenspringboard.com in the US to address the emerging issue of token securities law compliance.
Craig has been a member of the Kea World Class New Zealander network since 2018, and in June this year, was invited to attend the Coronation of King Charles III.
Craig has a podcast and YouTube channel called ‘Coffee, Eggs & Inspiration’ where he interviews inspiring leaders.
We asked Craig to reflect on his time at the University of
Auckland.
For your Bachelor of Commerce, you majored in Accounting, Finance and Economics - What would you say was your greatest learning from your Business degree?
Having the basic foundations of accounting, economics and valuation techniques in Finance gives you a great basic understanding of the principles underlying business, investment and policy, which I draw on frequently.
How do you think your studies at the University of Auckland have impacted on your career, and /or your life in general?
My degree gave me a great foundation of skills - I still use my legal training daily - and durable friendships that remain part of my life today.
What would you say was your biggest highlight from your time at the University of Auckland?
Changing the University constitution to get a canteen at the off campus law school when it moved, so we did not have to climb the hill to get kai!
What’s one piece of advice that you would give to a young business graduate starting out in their career today?
Figure out what excites you and do that - your why. Don't be seduced by the brand, title, function, salary, or the convention - do what you love, whatever that is, and feed your passion. Orthodoxy is so last year ;)
Lastly, any exciting plans coming up in the immediate future?
We are now empty nesters, both of our kids having now finished school, which is a little like being transported back to my twenties. This starts to open up new options and I cannot wait to explore where this takes us. Watch this space!