Li Cunxin

A new insurance broker academy in Auckland’s North Harbour could not have come at a better time says one Australia’s top stockbrokers, Li Cunxin (pronounced “Lee Schwin Sing”) at the official opening in Auckland’s North Harbour today.
 
“This academy has been founded at a time a lot of professionals particularly in the investment, mortgage broking, banking or accounting industries really need it. It provides a fresh set of options and could open new doors for those who may have found themselves surplus to requirements, or need greater security or better prospects in today’s uncertain market.”
 
He said there was a real need for industry to rally to support skilled but displaced or vulnerable people in their ranks who needed to upskill or retrain. Companies also needed to encourage the pursuit of higher standards in the current recession, he said.
 
Li Cunxin has been invited to speak to some of the most successful companies and influential business, presidential and national leaders of our times, and impressed a largely business audience at the Brokers’ Independent Group (BIG) networking breakfast at the Ellerslie Convention Centre this morning. Li Cunxin extracted himself from poverty, became a world acclaimed ballet dancer then retrained himself as a stockbroker so he has some experience in retraining to invest in himself.
 
His autobiography, Mao's Last Dancer, immediately hit the top of the Australia bestsellers list and is now in its 45th printing, having been published and sold in over 20 countries. There is a feature film in the pipeline.
 
As the economy continues to contract, Brokers’ Independent Group (BIG) CEO Kevin Smee says they have brought Li Cunxin to New Zealand to open the new academy and address their networking breakfast as part of a long-term plan to inspire and educate the industry.
 
The Broker Academy offers three programmes: an intensive six-week full-time programme for those new to the industry, a part-time cross-selling programme for five weeks for those with an industry background and a part-time evening programme that runs for three months that caters for those who want to retrain at night so they can keep their day jobs.