Derek Handley

Entrepreneur and philanthropist.

Derek Handley was one of the youngest executives to list a company in New Zealand, and created seven start-up ventures in as many years.

In 2001, the New York-based Kiwi co-founded the Hyperfactory with his brother Geoffrey; a company named in Entrepreneur Magazines Top 100 Brilliant Ideas for 2010, the Hyperfactory has led and helped create an industry leveraging the power of the mobile phone as a marketing, communication and advertising medium.

Derek has a strong sense of the transformative power of entrepreneurship and actively contributes to the angel-investment, incubator and entrepreneurial communities in New Zealand. He established the Handley Foundation, which aims to develop the entrepreneurial capacity of New Zealand as a nation and offers grants to aspiring leaders and entrepreneurs.

In December 2011 Derek spent two years helping Sir Richard Branson to create what is now The B Team. The B Team is a non-profit leadership group formed to catalyse better ways of doing business for the wellbeing of people and the planet.

Derek regularly makes it back to NZ speak at conferences, visit entrepreneurs and incubators and get involved in mentoring and investing in young and aspirational start-up companies.

Derek has recently been involved with the Kiwi Knowledge Bank, which intends to be the country’s communication portal with the world.