Ross Mortimer

As a 19-year-old university student, Ross Mortimer turned his passion for theatre into starting his own experiential marketing/events business.

“My company was fairly successful, and that’s how I discovered my passion for business, negotiating contracts and project management,” he says.

“But money has never motivated me, so it wasn’t as fulfilling as what I’m doing now.”

Fast forward to today and Ross, 34, is the CEO of Anamata, a not-for-profit youth health organisation in Taupō that provides “a one-stop-shop of services that rangatahi need to thrive”, including a doctor, nurses, mental health practitioners, a psychologist and youth workers.  

In his free time Ross is studying for his MBA degree at the University of Waikato. He is one of four MBA students to have received a Waikato Management School Emerging Leaders Award this year for his service to the Taupō/Bay of Plenty community.

As well as serving on the board of Rotorua Life Education Trust, last year Ross was elected by public vote onto the board of the Taupo Business Chamber.

“My intention was to help represent the not-for-profit sector within our local business community, because we face the same challenges as any other business,” he says.

Ross enrolled in the Waikato MBA programme on the recommendation of a friend who said the course was “fantastic”. His goal is to expand his business knowledge and take his leadership abilities to the next level.

“The course is quite fast-paced in terms of learning new concepts and theories each week, but I’m really enjoying it and looking forward to our overseas study tour to South Korea,” says Ross. “I’m quite an analytical and detail focused person, so this programme has given me a strong framework to build from.”

One of the most powerful benefits of the qualification is the networking element, he says.

“I’ve loved the group assignments because they bring people together from different industries and backgrounds to share ideas and tackle a problem from many different angles. That creates a more robust result and really challenges your way of thinking.”

For his MBA High-Impact Project, Ross is investigating how primary healthcare organisations could use rapid changes in digital and AI technology to help improve people’s health outcomes.

“I want to ensure that my project delivers actual results that can be used by organisations to inform their decision-making.”

The Waikato MBA is “definitely a commitment”, says Ross, “but the programme is flexible and can fit in around your life, so I think it's worth it.”