Ian Taylor (New Zealand businessman)

Sir Ian Lemuel Taylor KNZM (born c.1950) is a New Zealand businessman and former television presenter based in Dunedin.[1]

Taylor in 2012

Born in Kaeo to a Pākehā father and Māori mother,[2] (of Ngāti Kahungunu and Nga Puhi descent) he grew up in Raupunga and went to a Catholic boarding school in Masterton.

Taylor is married to Liz and they have two children.

Taylor joined the band Kal-Q-Lated Risk in c.1967 as lead singer, and later graduated with a LLB degree from the University of Otago.

A former television presenter (notably for TVNZ children's programmes Play School, Spot On (TV Series) and New Zealand's Funniest Home Videos, Taylor founded Taylormade Media in 1989 as a television production company. The following year he established Animation Research Limited, which quickly became one of the top computer animation companies in New Zealand and known internationally for its work, particularly in television advertising and sports graphics. Its sports division/product Virtual Eye, is used in various sports such as for ball-tracking in cricket where it assists umpires with their Decision Review System and informs TV commentators and viewers. During the 2010/11 Ashes series it was known as Eagle Eye.[3]

Taylor was inducted into the New Zealand Technology Hall of Fame in 2009[4] and was named North & South Magazines 2010 New Zealander of the Year.

He was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the Institute of IT Professionals (HFIITP) in 2010 (under its former name New Zealand Computer Society), the top honour of the tech sector in New Zealand.[5]

In the 2012 New Year Honours, Taylor was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to television and business.[6][7] In 2013 Taylor was named Outstanding Maori Business Leader of the Year.

In November 2012, Taylor spoke out against the high salaries being paid to New Zealand chief executives, saying chief executive salaries should be tied to how well they protect jobs and to the salaries of their staff.[8][9]

In May 2014, Taylor was part of a team who were awarded a prestigious Sports Emmy[10] under the category "Outstanding New Approaches – Sports Coverage" for development of an innovative mobile application for the 34th America's Cup.

On 13 February 2019, Taylor was named Innovator of the Year at the annual New Zealander of the Year Awards.[11] Awards organisers cited Taylor's business intuition and expertise as an exemplar of innovation in New Zealand. [12]

In the 2021 New Year Honours, Taylor was promoted to Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to broadcasting, business and the community.[13]

References
  1. Loughrey, David (26 March 2009). "Ian Taylor: 'I almost closed my company'". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 25 March 2009.
  2. Hutching, Chris (Spring 2004). "Māori entrepreneurs on a roll" (PDF). Te Karaka. Ngāi Tahu Publications. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 February 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
  3. "The Story of Virtual Eye Cricket". Animation Research. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  4. "Ian Taylor – Creative Innovator". NZ Hi-Tech Hall of Fame. The New Zealand Hi-Tech Trust. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  5. "Honorary Fellows of the IITP (HFIITP)". About the IITP. Institute of IT Professionals of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 10 July 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  6. "New Year Honours 2012" (27 January 2012) 8 New Zealand Gazette 215.
  7. "New Year honours list 2012". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  8. Tapaleao, Vaimoana (5 November 2012). "Rise of the $1m salaries: top boss says enough". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
  9. "Ian Taylor – TEDxtalk".
  10. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. https://nzawards.org.nz/awards/new-zealand-innovator-year/2019
  12. https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/taylor-wins-innovator-year-award
  13. "New Year honours list 2021". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
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