For Carolyn Paewai-Young, being a recipient of the Prime Minister’s Business Scholarship means two trips to France next year to one of the world’s most prestigious business schools, and the added knowledge to help grow Palmerston North-based, Prepared Foods.

Carolyn is the newly appointed General Manager for the company, which is part of the largest Iwiowned fisheries company in New Zealand, Aotearoa Fisheries Ltd. She has worked her way up, starting as a Food Technologist 23 years ago.

Carolyn is one of just twelve to receive the scholarship which allows New Zealand’s smartest executives and business owners to expand their international expertise, and grow their business skills to help make Kiwi firms more internationally competitive. Fifty per cent of the cost of the study is funded by the Government, and Carolyn has chosen to study Transition to General Management through INSEAD.

She is delighted to have been given the opportunity, and with the support she has received over the years at Prepared Foods.

“I’ve had the opportunity to progress through the company and learn the whole business from operations, logistics to sales and finance. I’ve worked hard to achieve what I have accomplished, but it’s worth it with such a great bunch of committed staff” she says.

During her time at Prepared Foods she has completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Nutrition on her own time. During that time Prepared Foods won the tender to supply Retort pouch meals for ration packs to the Australian Army.

Prepared Foods has also expanded into producing unique and innovative ready to eat meals for global retail and foodservice channels and with her new knowledge and change in role from Operations Manager to General Manager, Carolyn believes this is an area where there is plenty of room to build the business.

“That is why this study will be so valuable, it will enable me to bring additional knowledge back to the team and contribute more to the company’s strategy. I’m very grateful for the continuing support and commitment to my career and development that Aotearoa Fisheries has provided,” says Carolyn.

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