Bugger the boxing, pour the concrete anyway.
Ian Taylor’s journey is a remarkable reflection of New Zealand's technological and cultural evolution.
Raised in a small East Coast village on the North Island, Ian experienced the arrival of electricity at his home at age seven in 1957, followed by the telephone a few years later. Unbeknownst to him, just three years after these transformative developments, New Zealand welcomed its first computer—marking the beginning of a digital revolution he would become a significant part of.
Ian’s early years were marked by a diverse range of experiences. From working in the freezing works during school holidays to performing as a rock and roll singer through the vibrant 60s and 70s, he embraced the cultural and social shifts of the times. His life took another turn when he was called up for army service, eventually leading him to complete a law degree by 1980. Despite his legal education, Ian's career trajectory shifted dramatically as he ventured into television, witnessing and contributing to the industry’s leap from black-and-white film to the digital age.
In 1990, Ian founded Animation Research Ltd (ARL) in Dunedin. Starting with little more than a handshake agreement with the Vice Chancellor of the University of Otago, ARL made its mark by purchasing its first hard drive for $15,000—a 1GB behemoth by today’s standards. The technological milestones continued, with their computer for the 1992 America's Cup the size of a small fridge and costing half a million dollars. Today, the same capabilities fit in a mobile phone, illustrating ARL’s role in driving technological progress.
ARL has since become a global leader in innovative technology solutions, covering major sports events worldwide and branching into diverse ventures. They built an air traffic control simulator for Airways New Zealand, an F1 Race Car simulator for a leading team, and various online platforms for global mining companies and tech giants—all without prior experience in these fields. Ian credits his team’s open-mindedness and ‘can-do’ spirit, reflecting the ingenuity of New Zealand’s approach to problem-solving, as encapsulated in the quote from Lord Ernest Rutherford: “We didn’t have the money, so we had to think.”
In 2019, Ian launched the Land of Voyagers project, which he considers his most significant work. This initiative celebrates the Polynesian journey to Aotearoa, aiming to educate New Zealanders about the extraordinary voyages of their Polynesian ancestors.
Ian’s contributions have been widely recognized. Holding an LLB from the University of Otago, he was inducted into the New Zealand Hi-Tech Hall of Fame in 2009. In 2010, he was named New Zealander of the Year by North & South magazine and received an Honorary Fellowship of the New Zealand Computer Society. The New Year Honours of 2012 saw him appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, and he was awarded the Creative Sector accolade at the World Class New Zealander Awards. Acknowledged as Outstanding Māori Business Leader in 2013, Ian continued to gain recognition as New Zealand Innovator of the Year in 2019.
In 2021, Ian was knighted as a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to broadcasting, business, and community. Despite his accolades, Ian remains modest, claiming to possess no special skills and attributing his success to the fortunate timing of being in the right place with the right people. He humorously suggests that his location at the bottom of the world has kept scrutiny at bay, allowing his small but brilliant team to achieve remarkable feats.
Talking Points
Bugger the boxing and pour the concrete any way
Ian was brought up in a small East Coast village on the North Island of New Zealand. He was seven when electricity arrived at his home. It was 1957. The telephone arrived a couple of years later. He didn't know it at the time but three years after he got electricity at his house, New Zealand got its first computer.Bugger the boxing and pour the concrete any way
Ian's story mirrors New Zealand's growth from its days as an agriculture-based economy. He laboured in the freezing works during the school holidays. Through the swinging 60s and 70s he was a singer in a rock and roll band, before being called up in the army. By 1980, he had completed a law degree and started an entirely new career in television, where he was part of an industry that went from black-and-white film to colour video and on into the digital age.
Video
Deciding Where You Want to Live: Ian Taylor at TEDxEQChCh
From his home base in the city of Dunedin on the South Island of New Zealand, Ian Taylor's work takes him to some of the most exotic locations in the world. In this funny and engaging talk, Ian shares why life becomes so much easier once you decide where you want to live.Ian Taylor | Visionary Leader
Ian Taylor was brought up in a small East Coast village on the North Island of New Zealand. He was seven when electricity arrived at his home. It was 1957. The telephone arrived a couple of years later. He didn't know it at the time but three years after he got electricity at his house, New Zealand got its first computer. Ian's story mirrors New Zealand's growth from its days as an agriculture-based economy. He laboured in the freezing works during the school holidays. Through the swinging 60s and 70s he was a singer in a rock and roll band, before being called up in the army. By 1980, he had completed a law degree and started an entirely new career in television, where he was part of an industry that went from black-and-white film to colour video and on into the digital age.Ian was an engaging and informative speaker and an extremely personable bloke. His quintessential kiwi can do attitude, coupled with his global outlook was refreshing and completely aligned ... keep reading Furnware Industries Ltd
Our team really enjoyed Sir Ian Taylor's presentation- it was well pitched to engage the audience and aligned with our theme of innovation. Really authentic, inspirational and motivational speaker. Super relevant and topical adaptation of the content. We were also joined by Ben Taylor who was also an excellent speaker.
Ian is an inspiring and entertaining speaker. His story telling linked with incredible animations was a wonderful mix to educate, entertain and inspire our delegates to think about what they do in different ways. Love the "can do" message of his story.
We received extremely positive feedback from our delegates who reported their enjoyment of the one-hour presentation you delivered. The journey you took the audience on revealing various experiences throughout your life and career had everyone captivated and energised. Our delegate survey reported that 97 % of the delegates found your talk interesting and 100% of delegates found you to be an engaging speaker. The structure of presenting for an hour and then having time afterwards to meet with delegates for individual questions and discussions was very effective and a number of our delegates noted your keynote as the highlight of the conference. On behalf of our organisation and all in attendance, thank you for being a key note speaker for our conference and sharing your story in such a memorable way.
Phenomenal speaker! This was a global audience which included multiple translators relaying his message. With his expert story telling skills he was able to bring every single delegate on the journey with him. Outstanding talent we will definitely book again.
Ian was outstanding and created an exceptional level of energy in the room. The anecdotal feedback was all hugely positive and after his presentation our people were fizzing and collectively wanted to brainstorm how to make our business better. Ian more than exceeded our expectations.
I was very impressed with the extent to which he engaged prior to his own address (attending other sessions, talking with me) to understand context and test out his approach. He also linked his address very well to the themes of the conference and the other speakers he heard. This was above and beyond the call expected of him.
We were honored to have Sir Ian as our conference keynote speaker. His dynamic presentation captivated our audience, sparking intrigue and fostering engagement. The depth of his knowledge, coupled with his extensive experience, resonated perfectly with our attendees, leaving a lasting impression. His contributions were impeccably tailored for our group, consistently striking the right chords. We greatly appreciate the distinctive value Sir Ian brought to our event and look forward to future collaborations.
