Podcast: Susannah Batley - Sharesies Business
[ E19 ]In this episode of Co-op Leader Conversations, Susannah Batley of Sharesies Business explores how technology is reshaping the member ownership experience for cooperatives.
The conversation looks at what happens when long-established co-op structures meet modern digital expectations. Many cooperatives were built for paper share registers, annual meetings and more manual share trading processes. Today, members increasingly expect visibility, accessibility and the ability to engage with ownership more easily and more often.
Susannah shares how Sharesies Business has moved into this space, including through its work with large cooperatives such as Fonterra and LIC, and through the acquisition and rebrand of Orchestra as Sharesies Private. She explains how technology can absorb the complexity of cooperative ownership structures while making the experience for members much simpler, more intuitive and more mobile-first.
The discussion also explores the role of shareholder communication, the importance of liquidity and flexibility, and how digital tools may help the next generation engage more confidently with ownership, succession and long-term wealth creation.
Conversation themes
How technology is changing the co-operative ownership experience
Why Sharesies Business expanded into shareholder and member engagement
Supporting complex co-op ownership structures through simple digital design
Mobile-first access, visibility and easier share trading for members
What Fonterra and LIC were looking to achieve for farmer-shareholders
The role of communication in governance and member trust
Generational transfer, succession and the future of ownership
Sharesies Private and the role of technology in unlisted member-owned organisations
Why this matters
This episode is especially relevant for co-op leaders, boards and governance professionals thinking about member engagement, shareholder communication and the future of capital in member-owned businesses. It highlights how technology can support stronger ownership experiences without replacing the underlying values, relationships and long-term thinking that make cooperatives distinctive.
“Technology should do the heavy lifting. The structure can be complex, but the experience shouldn’t be.”
Susannah Batley, GM Sharesies Business
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