Investment specialists from the United States, China and Singapore are among the international speakers featuring at next month's New Zealand-Australia Investment Forum in Auckland.

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), in partnership with the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade), is hosting the forum from March 10-11. The event aims to bring together New Zealand and Australian companies seeking investment, corporate leaders from around the world, global investors, senior government officials, and academic opinion leaders.

More than 100 industry leaders are already participating in the forum and registrations remain open to New Zealand, Australian, and global delegates.

Attendees will hear about new opportunities in some of Australasia's most topical industries with forum sessions including discussions on the latest developments in energy supply, major infrastructure projects, the Square Kilometre Array, food and beverage production, and high-tech design and manufacturing.

Panellists will also debate the economic future of Australia and New Zealand and ways to grow the financial services sector in Australasia. A session from international investors about what they are seeking in terms of investment opportunities will be of particular interest to New Zealand companies.

NZTE Director of Investment New Zealand, Graham Matthews, says the forum is a way for New Zealand and Australia to signal to the world that they are "open for business".

"As prospects for a sustained global economic recovery remain relatively uncertain, investors continue to seek less risky opportunities. The New Zealand and Australian economies are two of the world's safest, transparent and most open markets with business confidence in both countries remaining upbeat.

"We want this event to help New Zealand companies that are 'investment-ready' to make vital international contacts. It's also a great opportunity to introduce global investors to existing and emerging investment opportunities in Australasia."

The full conference programme can be found at www.investmentnz.govt.nz/investmentforum, where online registrations are also being accepted.

Some of the sessions and international speakers at the New Zealand-Australia Investment Forum include:

Investment in energy, renewable energy, clean technology and minerals:

Andrew Forrest, CEO, Fortescue Metals Group (Australia)

William Buechler, Founder & President, Buechler Capital Asset Management (USA)

Anthony Pascoe, CEO, Land Lease Ventures (Australia)

An investor's point of view - what makes an investment opportunity attractive?

Clive Holmes, Chairman & CEO, Silverfern Group (USA)

Allan Lai, Chairman, Agria (China)

Stimulating investment in major infrastructure projects

Trevor Rowe, Executive Chairman, Rothschilds (Australia)

Anne Sherry, Chief Executive, Carnival Australia (Australia)

The Trans-Tasman Value Proposition

Brian Pink, Government Statistician, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Commonwealth of Australia (Australia)

Growing the financial services sector in New Zealand and Australia

Dr Katherine Woodthorpe, CEO, Australia Venture Capital Association (Australia)

David Murray, Chairman, Future Fund (Australia)

The vision on fibre - linking NZ and Australia economies to the rest of the world

Rajeev Singh-Molares, President Asia Pacific Region, Alcatel Lucent (Singapore)