Leading economics consultancy Infometrics celebrates 40 years of operations in 2024, a milestone for a company that started during a time of upheaval in the New Zealand economy.

“Infometrics is a trusted advisor to decision makers, public sector leaders, businesses, local councils and economic development agencies, the public, and more,” says Infometrics Chief Executive and Principal Economist Brad Olsen. “It’s a role we take incredibly seriously at Infometrics, and one we’ve been taking seriously for 40 years. We call the economy how we see it – without fear nor favour.”

“I’m proud to lead a team that works tirelessly to ensure that organisations across New Zealand have access to understandable and useful information to ensure they can make better informed decisions,” says Mr Olsen. “Our insights, particularly on the performance and structure of regional economies, are used daily to gain an independent and respected understand of economic trends.”

Infometrics was founded in 1984 by Gareth Morgan and Andrew Gawith and has been a constant source of independent economic analysis and advice ever since. “Infometrics has been there for it all – the stock market crash of 1987, the Asian Financial Crisis of the late 1990s, the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Mr Olsen.

“The New Zealand economy today is fundamentally different from what it looked like in 1984, with the structure of the economy having changed markedly,” says Mr Olsen.

“Manufacturing has become a smaller share of the economy, and business services have risen in prominence as the services economy has come into focus. What hasn’t changed is the need to keep across changing economic trends and ensure that decisions are made with the best information available.”

“Society has changed too – the population and workforce are considerably larger and more diverse. Employment has nearly doubled, from 1.48m people in 1984 to 2.94m people in 2024, and the female employment rate has increased from 48% to 64%.”

“Some economic trends have worsened and need increasing focus. Housing affordability is considerably worse than 40 years ago, with house prices being 15 times higher in 2024 than in 1984 – but incomes are only six times higher.”

We’re proud of the work Infometrics does to support clients across New Zealand, with high-quality data, clear and understandable communication, and robust independent analysis of the things that matter,” says Infometrics independent Board Chair Chris Whelan.

“As a business, we’re focused on building on the hard work undertaken over the past four decades, so that our clients get the best information on the economy, what it means for them, and what might be next. We’ll continue to pursue our goal of ‘economics put simply’, and telling people what they need to know, not just what they want to hear,” says Mr Olsen.

ENDS