Icehouse
In a world where political risk, economic competition, and global supply chains are increasingly entangled, businesses can no longer afford to treat geopolitics as background noise.
Trust between markets is eroding. Trade and investment have become strategic tools, not neutral flows. For New Zealand’s innovation-driven sectors, including packaging and advanced manufacturing, these shifts present both significant challenges and new opportunities.
In this session, Heath will cut through the noise to explore:
- Why geopolitical risk has become a frontline operational issue — not just a boardroom discussion
- How shifting alliances and regulatory fractures are already reshaping global trade, particularly in sectors reliant on high-value products
- Practical resilience frameworks for companies: how to diversify supply chains with intent, embed political intelligence into decision-making, and turn agility into a strategic advantage
- Why preparation — not prediction — must become the cornerstone of growth strategies in an unstable decade
Heath Fisher
Drawing on nearly two decades in diplomacy, public policy leadership, and crisis management, Heath Fisher brings a hard-earned strategic lens to conversations with companies navigating an increasingly volatile and fragmented world.
He began his career as an international corporate lawyer before joining New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with postings to Iran and Afghanistan. He later led New Zealand’s international security diplomacy - covering counterterrorism, cybersecurity, defence deployments, hostage recovery, and nuclear and chemical weapons negotiations. Heath also oversaw New Zealand’s relationship with the United States during the first Trump and Biden administrations and served as senior advisor to the Foreign Minister.
Heath has advised Prime Ministers, led New Zealand’s response to major global crises, and negotiated through some of the world’s most complex and politically sensitive environments - from Washington to Beijing to Tehran.
Now working with business leaders, Heath helps organisations navigate geostrategic shifts, emerging threats, and regulatory and supply chain fractures - bridging the gap between geopolitical noise and boardroom action.
