Auckland, NZ. TradeWindow, a trade-tech company helping exporters, importers, freight-forwarders and customs brokers on the front line of global trade to digitise trade processes has appointed three new independent directors to its Board

It has also acquired two software businesses to bolster the company’s capabilities.

The new independent chair will be Alasdair MacLeod who currently serves as Chair for NZX-listed Napier Port Holdings Limited and for Silverstripe Limited a Wellington-based digital experience company. He has broad governance experience across the software, technology, and not for profit sectors. A former Partner of Deloitte NZ, he has worked extensively with primary industry exporters, and was Chair of the Hawke’s Bay chapter of Export NZ for seven years.

Founder and CEO of TradeWindow, AJ Smith, says the appointment of an independent chair and directors signals a new stage of commercial maturity for the company as it looks to expand market share across Australasia and prepares for a possible direct listing on the NZX later this year.

“We are delighted to bring this depth of governance experience, sector knowledge and strategic relationships to the board of TradeWindow. As Chair, Alasdair MacLeod will bring a rare combination of supply chain and technology understanding,” says Mr Smith.

Alasdair MacLeod said that TradeWindow operates in an exciting market segment.

“The interface of technology and trade is an exciting space for TradeWindow to operate. Having worked with many primary sector exporters, I see ample opportunity to improve the productivity, connectivity and visibility of trade through technology,” says Mr MacLeod.

The other two new independent directors to be appointed are Diana Puketapu and Phil Norman.

Diana Puketapu (Ngāti Porou) is a finance professional by career with a broad background in commercial, iwi and sports governance. Diana has a strong governance background, with her current portfolio including directorships on NZX-listed Napier Port Holdings Limited, Ngati Porou Holdings and New Zealand Cricket. In 2015 she was elected to the board of the New Zealand Olympic ommittee. She sits as either the Chair or a member of the Audit Committees on all of these entities.

Phil Norman is a professional director and business advisor for growth companies. His career has included management, ownership and governance roles in many local and international businesses. He was founding chairman of Xero Limited for five years and his current chairing roles include NZX/ASX-listed Plexure Group, ASX-listed Straker Translations, NZX-listed Just Life Group, and Loyalty New Zealand Limited.

During October, TradeWindow has acquired two software businesses specialising in solutions for the customs broking and freight forwarding sectors. The businesses are Auckland-based FreightLegend and Tauranga-based SpeEDI Software.

FreightLegend is a cloud-based software application to help freight forwarders streamline how they prepare and track freight quotes – an area of high-need amid the currently disrupted domestic and global supply chains. The business was co-founded by Will Schmidt and Anna Bilton, under the umbrella of Orchid, an Auckland-based developer of web applications. As part of the transaction, Anna Bilton will also join TradeWindow fulltime in the role of Product Owner for TradeWindow Freight.

SpeEDI Software is a specialist offering of online border clearance software primarily aimed at shipping lines and their agents, air freight couriers, moving companies, independent customs bondstore operators and others. As part of the acquisition, Russell Beswick and Andrew Hickton from SpeEDI will join the TradeWindow team, establishing a TradeWindow presence in Tauranga, home of New Zealand’s largest export port.

The new board appointments and recent acquisitions for TradeWindow follow an over-subscribed $15 million capital raise announced last month.

The company’s solutions now facilitate more than 1.5 million TEU container movements and 89,000 tonnes of airfreight per year. Leading exporters to use TradeWindow’s solutions span most major productive sectors, including T&G Global, Cedenco Foods (horticulture sector), Whittakers and Jack Link’s (processed foods), Greenlea Premier Meats, ANZCO, Silver Fern Farms (meat sector), Synlait, Open Country (dairy), Pan Pac Forest Products Ltd (forestry) and Sealord and Independent Fisheries (seafood).