About Us

Angela is a Director and Owner of Formatt Bespoke Joinery, a mid sized industrial manufacturing facility servicing both residential and commercial construction in the Whakatipu.

Angela has been running businesses for the past 14 years, in Sydney and New Zealand. These have been in the Construction, Health and Wellbeing and Real Estate Marketing industries.

Angela is passionate about the contribution SME’s make to the fabric of communities and is inspired by the entrepreneurial spirit of Queenstown. She is really proud of the advocacy work that the Chamber does on behalf of the business community, while also recognizing the important role it plays in connecting people and businesses within the Whakatipu.

Angela began her career as a Physiotherapist after graduating from Otago University. She also gained a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from Massey University. Angela is a current member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors and serves as a Trustee on the Board of the Winter Games NZ.

Melissa Jenner is the Founder of Actvo & Start Now and has over 25 years’ business experience in general management, strategy, product design and marketing, gained from working in some of the world’s largest corporations.  These include Saatchi & Saatchi & NZX in Wellington, Barclays Bank in London, Microsoft in EMEA, Cantor Fitzgerald in New York and NZTE in Auckland.

Through her businesses Actvo & Start Now Melissa has supported executives and leadership teams to develop and grow talent through providing both SaaS and consulting services to enable people to work to their fullest potential. 

Melissa is also a Leadership Coach on AUT’s Brightside programme, a Human Innovation advisor on the AcademyEX Masters programme, and a Consultant with Leadership Lab. She is trained in Design Thinking from Stanford University in California, has a  Post-Graduate Certificate in Leadership from Columbia in New York and Certificate in Organisational Agility & Complex Problem Solving from AcademyEX in Auckland.

Melissa relocated to Queenstown in 2020, and now lives in Arthurs Point.

My good fortune in having stumbled into the hotel industry some 19 years ago having spent a decade in Commercial Real Estate has meant many layers of learning and experience in this dynamic and challenging sector. As with so many of our business community, I live and breathe our housing shortages, infrastructure shortfalls, and challenging immigration settings. I see the immense effort that goes into the perpetuation of our town’s outstanding reputation as a place to live and to visit.

With a workforce that is significantly younger than I am, and as a mother of two local teens, I am inspired and encouraged by the innovative and thought-provoking approach that our young people bring to our businesses. I’m determined to find a way to ensure our community remains diverse, confident and stable in a way that enables our commercial enterprises to thrive as well as preserving the ‘Queenstown’ that we all fall in love with.

Johnathan Chen (Co-opted) is the Business Strategy Director of Remarkables Park Limited / Porter Group Limited and the Director of Research & Innovation Queenstown Ltd.

Johnathan joined RPL/PGL officially in 2018, after being an external consultant for RPL/PGL over the previous 5 years on various business deals. He has had a strong track record in engineering, innovation and entrepreneurship, and extensive expertise in providing business advisory services to facilitate business and investment transactions between New Zealand and Asia. Having dual qualifications and experience in engineering (Bachelor or Mechanical Engineering) and legal (registered Patent Attorney in New Zealand and Australia) professions, in addition to being literate and fluent in Mandarin, enabled Johnathan to bring a multi-disciplinary approach to projects and businesses. As a result he has built a number of successful business ventures both in New Zealand and in Asia.

Johnathan is currently driving the Research & Innovation Queenstown project, which is one of the key steps towards the diversification of the Queenstown economy. He is passionate about engaging with the Queenstown business community on synergies and value that this project can create for the region.

Karen is incredibly passionate about Client relationship management and is dedicated to understanding and addressing our clients’ needs, ensuring they always feel valued and heard. By blending strategic insights with an empathetic approach, she aims to turn client requirements into actionable solutions that drive success. She is proud of our team and how we work together on customer engagements, and brings a strategic account management approach while helping to deliver solutions that increase client satisfaction. Karen has 30+ years in the technology industry and this dedication and experience make all the difference, and she is grateful to work with this talented and growing group of colleagues and motivated clients in the Central Otago region.  Karen joined Focus in 2010.

When Karen is not deep into client projects, you’ll likely find her enjoying the great outdoors. She loves trail running, mountain biking, camping, skiing, and more recently, golfing. Balancing work with outdoor activities and spending time with a wonderful family.

Bert has been in the Queenstown hospitality industry for over 20 years. Along with his business partner, James Ace, they have built Future Hospitality Group from 2 venues to 7 in the past 10 years.

Bert’s role as GM at Future Hospitality Group keeps him close to the venues and issues that face hospitality outlets and the wider industry.  Bert is also a Board Member for Hospitality New Zealand.

Away from the shop floor, Bert has a young family and has been deeply involved in our ice hockey community.

Dan is a Partner at Deloitte Private, based in Queenstown, where Dan works with a diverse range of clients including fast-growing businesses, not-for-profit organisations, and high-net-worth individuals. With 20 years at Deloitte and a decade leading the Queenstown office, Dan brings deep expertise in advisory, tax, and corporate finance across sectors such as property, tourism, horticulture, and FMCG.

Dan has played a pivotal role in establishing Deloitte’s presence in Queenstown and continues to support regional growth through strategic advisory services. Dan serves on advisory boards for family businesses and fast-growing companies, helping guide governance, succession planning, and sustainable growth strategies.

Dan holds a BCom and DipGrad in Accounting from the University of Otago and is a Chartered Accountant with a public practice certificate. Outside of work, Dan is actively engaged in the local community and enjoys Queenstown’s outdoor lifestyle, including skiing and mountain biking.