Arria’s Addams Family values, John Key’s real legacy, Hark: Golden advice from angel investors

In NBR print today:

In Hunter’s Corner, Tim Hunter says the potential float of software company Arria in March has so many scary details investors could be forgiven for running away screaming. He writes: “It is brought to us by some of the same people who brought us software firm Diligent, which brings part of the baggage – but if it also led to a similar performance investors would walk away happy. It all adds up to a difficult decision.”

Political editor Rob Hosking writes   John Key’s National party has had two political missions – one explicitly acknowledged, the other less so. “Both he and deputy Bill English have spoken of the need to get New Zealanders used to the idea of gradual economic social and regulatory reform to adjust to an ever-changing world.”

Given the week in politics, it’s no surprise Rodney Hide gave his view on the Key legacy  while NBR’s editorial argued National’s new leader faces a grim challenge and Matthew Hooton  argued Bill English, the likely next prime minister, would need to  establish his own team – and proposed a few names, some surprising.

Meanwhile Nathan Smith can hear angels wings flapping as he asks : “Is it better to back the A-team with the B-idea or the B-team with the A-idea? Should you spend more time digging for dirt or gold when deciding whether to invest? Angel funding isn’t for the faint-hearted, and how you answer those questions will determine your success or failure.”

Jenny Ruth finds that after spending $250 million on a new SAP system for its retail business, Contact Energy believes it’s reaping the benefits. And analysts are increasingly convinced the company has staunched its decade-plus haemorrhaging of customers. Meanwhile, she writes, Genesis Energy – which overtook Contact as the nation’s largest electricity retailer in 2004 – has a new retail strategy that ditches heavy discounting. “But is Genesis overly optimistic about its ability to absorb the shock of the Tiwai Point closure?”

After peer-to-peer lending was legalised in 2014, early operators focused on non-secured consumer loans, Calida Smylie writes. “But that’s changed with contributory mortgage business Southern Cross Financial becoming New Zealand’s seventh licensed p2p operator.” “Although some financial advisers are already warning clients away from Southern Cross, existing p2p lenders see its entry into the sector as a harbinger of growth.”

Auckland University’s decision to raise law school student numbers next year has drawn fire from legal professionals, Jason Walls writes. They say there are already too many lawyers being “churned out” for too few firms. Meanwhile, the law school’s unprecedentedly high level of staff vacancies is making many faculty members nervous.

All this and more in today’s NBR print edition. Out now.