Daniel O'Grady Email & Phone Number

Responsible for leading a team to provide advice relating to: COVID-19 business support packages, business advice policies, B2B payment practices and supporting the Minister for Small Business in international engagements. I grew the team from 4 to 9 staff, initiated a series of strategic pieces to define the team’s direction and led the team through the demands of a lockdown.

Wellington Region, New Zealand

Highlights in this role included: initiating regulation of NZ’s retail payment system, progressing work on a consumer data right for NZ, assessing NZ’s product safety system, initiating the Commerce Commission’s market study into supermarkets, finalising NZ’s country of origin labelling requirements and leading a high performing team of 13 members.

Wellington & Wairarapa, New Zealand

In this role I led the development of new legislation to govern the conduct of New Zealand’s banks, insurers and non-bank deposit takers. This was a response to reports by the FMA and RBNZ into the conduct and culture of New Zealand’s banks and life insurers. I also initiated a review of NZ’s insurance contract law and was responsible for advising MBIE’s Chief Executive in her role on the Council of Financial Regulators.

Wellington

Competition and Consumer Policy teamIn this team I focused on considering new ways to lift competition within New Zealand (beyond the bounds of competition law). I also created a strategic competition research programme with a view to improving our knowledge of competition in the New Zealand economy. I was the lead negotiator for the competition chapter at the 14th round of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership free trade agreement negotiations. While in this team I was also involved in the design and implementation of the Outer Space and High Altitude Activities Act and the 2017 study into the financial performance of the retail fuel industry. I played a key role advising Ministers to introduce a market studies power for New Zealand's Commerce Commission.I was also responsible for creating the Government of the day’s Promoting Competition document (part of the Business Growth Agenda).

I managed the Competition and Consumer Policy team at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment for five months while a permanent manager was recruited.

Wellington

In Strategic Policy I looked ahead to see what might affect or help the economy, worked with teams on some of their bigger projects, helped join the dots across the Ministry and gave advice to senior management about the Ministry's priorities. In 2015 I coordinated the refresh of the Government's Business Growth Agenda - a complex, cross-agency work programme intended to lift New Zealand's economic growth. I led a high-profile project in an ambiguous environment, managed contractors, maintained a wide variety of working relationships internally, cross-agency and with the Minister's office at a range of levels of seniority and helped to deliver a refreshed agenda looking towards 2025.

Melbourne, Australia

3.5 month Fixed Term contract in the Industry Skills Analysis Unit. My main project while in this role was examining the implications of structural change for occupations and skills needs in the Victorian economy. I was also involved in responding to ad hoc data requests and other small pieces of analysis.