Sir Ian proudly proclaims that his first job was as a singer in a rock and roll band, aptly named Kal-Q-Lated Risk. The undoubted highlight of that career was opening for the Beach Boys when they toured New Zealand. Ian holds an LLB from the University of Otago and was inducted into the New Zealand Hi-Tech Hall of Fame in 2009. In 2010 he was named North & South magazine’s New Zealander of the Year. In the same year he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the New Zealand Computer Society, the top honour of the ICT sector in New Zealand. He was named a Companion of the NZ Order of Merit in the 2012 New Year Honours for services to television and business and won the Creative sector of the World Class New Zealander Awards in the same year. In 2013 Ian was named Outstanding Maori Business Leader of the Year. Also in 2013, Animation Research Ltd, the technology company Ian founded in 1989, received the first ever Lifetime Achievement Award at the NZ Hi Tech Awards for its contribution to the Hi-Tech industry. In the same year they won an Emmy for their America’s Cup Mobile App. The award was for “Outstanding New Contribution to the coverage of Sport.” Ian was named Innovator of the year at the 2019 Kiwi Bank New Zealander of the Year Awards. In the same year he was appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his contributions to broadcasting, business and community. In 2022 he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Commerce by the University of Otago.