Chris Keall: NZ Herald Technology Editor on Deloitte Top 200 Company of the year winner Rocket Lab

Deloitte's Top 200 awards took place at Auckland's Viaduct Event Centre last night, with New Zealand space company Rocket Lab, founded by Peter Beck, taking the title of Company of the Year. 

NZ Herald Technology Editor Chris Keall joined Matt and Tyler to chat about the win.

"To actually be a New Zealander and to even dream of doing something like that, let alone be heading off to Mars with your work, that's just so incredible," Keall said.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from Newstalk z'd be follow
this and our Wide Ranger podcasts now on iHeartRadio.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Studio is New Zealand Hero Technology editor Chris Keel. Always
good to see you.

Speaker 3 (00:20):
Chris and the great New Zealander. Sir Peter Beck's Rocket
Lab has been crowned the winner of the Deloitte Top
two hundred Company of the Year.

Speaker 4 (00:28):
Yeah, the Deloitte judges talked about the huge gains rocket
Lab said this year record number of launchers, second earning
two Elon Musk's SpaceX. But they also have said at
home that well, I said, it's particularly special in that
rocket Lab has achieved success in the space industry, one
of the most competitive industries and hardest in the world,

(00:52):
and also that its success has been hugely beneficial for
New Zealand long term.

Speaker 3 (00:59):
And what is Sir Peterbecks advice to other New Zealand
businesses trying to get to the levels he's reached, if
that's possible.

Speaker 4 (01:06):
One of his things was think lowball. From day one
when he head first started Rocket lad Ben a Fisher
Michael Apprentice and he's just experimenting with his first rockets.
One of the first things he did was go to
the US and around two thousand and four, I think
it was a knock on the door at NASA and
Darker and so forth. And he wasn't immediately successful, but

(01:29):
he did eventually get early investment from the US, and
he's saying, you know, I think beyond borders straight away.

Speaker 2 (01:36):
He had tenacity, that man. And so what is next
for Rocket lad Yeah?

Speaker 4 (01:40):
I often busy man. He often sort of videos in
a pre recorded message for the awards show and watch shows,
but last night actually turned up in person and as
he arrived he saw Miles Hurell, the Fonterra ceo, and
he thought, Fonterra has had a fantastic year. They will
almost suddenly win. So I'll kick back and have a
couple of wines. But lo and behold Rocket Lab one.

(02:03):
So he was bored on stage and he gave a
recentably animated couple of minutes if you go to the
Herald Business Session section as a clip at the top
of the story, which is worth watching. And he mentioned
that Rocket Labs to spacecraft on the way to Mars.
I now just zip pass Moon. There are one and
a half a million kilometers away and He also mentioned

(02:28):
that once they arrive in Mars, I think late twenty
twenty seven, I'll make up twenty percent of every object
orbiting Mars. So wow, great effort for a New Zealand
founder company.

Speaker 1 (02:40):
Oh good.

Speaker 3 (02:41):
You know, I'm going to say a terrible cliche here,
but the whole shoot for the Stars idea to actually
be a New Zealander and to even dream of doing
something like that, let alone be heading off to Mars
with your work, that's just so incredible. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (02:56):
Yeah, what that man has done, you know, I just
can't be put into words. Is tenacity and pushing through
and not listening to the naysayers. You know, I vividly
remember an interview on TV. I'll say his names. It
was Paul Henry and when he said what he wanted
to do, Paul Henry laughed in his face. Then he
came back a couple of years later and Paul Henry
apologized and said I was wrong.

Speaker 1 (03:15):
I was wrong.

Speaker 2 (03:16):
But how good?

Speaker 3 (03:16):
But I remember when we first started hearing that people,
you know that there was people that were going to
try and run a space PROGRAMMUT in New Zealand. I thought,
as this a scam. You know, this doesn't sound like
a real thing.

Speaker 4 (03:25):
I have to say. When he launched his very first
rocket from Mercury Island owned by Sir Michael Fay and
he lost local fisherman to search for it paid, I
did write a story called Cora Amanda. We have a
problem taking them back. But of course look at them
now yahing them?

Speaker 2 (03:43):
How good? Chris always nice to see you, mate. You
have a nice weekend. We'll get you make your name.
That is Chris Keel from the New Zealand Hero Technology team.

Speaker 1 (03:50):
He's the editor for more from News Talks'd be listen
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