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,” said 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.”
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. Olsen was proud to lead a team that worked tirelessly to ensure organisations across New Zealand can access understandable and valuable information to make better-informed decisions.
“Infometrics has been there for everything – the stock market crash in 1987, the Asian Financial Crisis of the late 1990s, the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The New Zealand economy today is fundamentally different from what it looked like in 1984, with the economy's structure having changed markedly.”
Olsen said that manufacturing had become a smaller share of the economy, and business services have risen in prominence as the services economy has become focused. Employment has nearly doubled, from 1.48 million people in 1984 to 2.94 million in 2024, and the female employment rate has increased from 48 percent to 64 percent.
Housing affordability has become considerably worse than 40 years ago, with house prices 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,” said Infometrics independent Board Chair Chris Whelan.
As a business, Infometrics is focused on building on the hard work undertaken over the past four decades so that its clients get the best information on the economy, what it means for them, and what might be next.
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