Ohmio's Mohammed Hikmet named EY NZ Entrepreneur of the Year 2019

Mohammed Hikmet, founder of intelligent transport systems developer and manufacturer, HMI Technologies, has been named EY Entrepreneur Of The Year for 2019.

Mohammed will now represent New Zealand at EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year competition in Monaco next June, with winners from more than 50 countries for the top award. Mohammed was chosen from a field of five category winners and received his award at a gala banquet in Auckland this evening.

Along with his brother Ahmed, Mohammed started HMI Technologies after migrating to New Zealand with his family after the 1991 Gulf War. After starting a computer repair business, Mohammed identified an opportunity in the manufacture of electronic road signs. Following that, he saw an opportunity in the field of autonomous vehicles, after he quickly recognised that these types of vehicles will reduce the need for road signs and visual communication with drivers.

Judging panel chairman Bill Day, the founder of Seaworks and the New Zealand Entrepreneur of the Year winner in 2000, says Mr Hikmet personifies the grit and determination required to turn an idea into reality.

“Mohammed left war-torn Iraq in the early 1990s for the safety of New Zealand. As a result, he had to start from scratch. He had to re-sit the same tertiary education that he had already completed in Iraq while delivering pizzas to support his family.

Determined to give back to the country that had given him a home, he was determined to use his talents to export the best of New Zealand to the world,” Mr Day said.

“The calibre of the entire field was extremely impressive. This entrants and finalists of the award demonstrated again demonstrated a skew towards young people, women and those from immigrant backgrounds – a representative snapshot of the changing face of New Zealand,” Mr Day added.

Awards director and EY partner Darren White said each finalist should be praised and they all gave the judges something to think about.

The beauty of EOY isn’t just the people. It’s their stories – the two are inextricably linked and highlight the colourful and often bumpy journey they have been on to get here today. Aotearoa is fertile ground for budding and established entrepreneurs. Coupled with diverse investment opportunities in the likes of family capital and angel investment, this creates the perfect environment to establish, grow and pivot. Today’s entrepreneurs are increasingly focusing on big-picture challenges by creating purpose-led businesses – this also bodes well for the future,” Mr White said.