We asked a few on our Influencers list, as well some ‘ones to watch’, who influences them. The answers, as you might guess, were as diverse as the Influencers themselves — who listed multiple influences, including authors, colleagues, bosses, family, websites, mentors, personal philosophies and friends.

Mai Chen
Founding partner, Chen Palmer
"I am influenced by everyone who talks to me because they help me to formulate my view on a particular issue. They may not be the most important person on a particular issue, but they may have a different viewpoint that helps me to understand what the key decision makers on an issue are really thinking or really mean.

“I probably speak to a much wider range of people because of who I am and my background. I talk to the great and the good, but I also talk to the powerless and dispossessed. I speak to those in the majority pakeha culture, but I have a lot of associations with the Chinese and the greater Asian communities, as well as the Pasifika and Maori communities. I work with big business, but I also work with small not for profits, disabled groups and with those who come to ask for pro bono advice. The key thing is I am always open to a different viewpoint or an idea I may not have had, and I virtually talk to everybody who wants to talk to me. I think this openness and empathy is essential to being a good lawyer"

Erica Crawford
Co-founder, Kim Crawford Wines
“Dr Selva Saman influenced my thinking enormously as a young, aspirational medical scientist.
“During my foray into New Zealand business and middle management in the corporate [world], Graham Watt, CEO of Roche Diagnostics, fostered a real spirit of ‘ownership’ and pride amongst the staff. His view on female appointments was that they are more precise, work harder and are less driven by own career ambitions, and more by the task at hand and the greater good of the business.

“In my stint as senior vice-president global sales and marketing at Constellation — the biggest wine company in the world — Jon Moramarco was the president of the international division. My appointment was that of a change agent; he gave permission and pushed me to change attitudes at local level by challenging and leading.”

Bill Day
Founder, Seaworks
“I didn't really have any mentors save perhaps in the early days when I worked alongside a guy [called] Malcolm Blair, who was one of the gurus of the underwater world in New Zealand.

“I also recognise in myself that I have put a huge amount — possibly too much — time and energy into my education. I have three degrees and a ridiculous amount of other qualifications. I am fairly sure that this came via my parents whose education was precluded by WWII. Dad's education involved shooting Germans and he was never able to go to university. As a result of this education for their kids meant everything to Mum and Dad.

“If I really dig down and question what has influenced me it inevitably comes back to what are my core — and somewhat shallow — values of learning and fun. Those values have driven virtually everything. If something involved learning and it passed the "neat eh" test — “That would be neat eh! — then I was drawn to it like a moth to a flame.”

Tony Falkenstein
Founder, Just Water International
“Who influences me? My wife, my daughter, my older brother, my staff, members of my Entrepreneurs’ Organisation chapter, and everybody I come in contact with, influences me in some way.”