A major merger in the hotel sector. 

Two local players, Capstone Hotel Management and Marsden Group, are set to merge from April 1st, creating the country’s largest independent hotel platform. 

With around 45 properties and 2,500 rooms, the group is positioned to compete directly with big international hoteliers.  

Marsden CEO Sajad Bassam has been appointed CEO of the combined group, and told Mike Hosking they had two big local businesses performing well independently, and when they saw the opportunity to create something more powerful, they took it. 

He says with international brands expanding into New Zealand, they need the scale of the combined group in order to compete.  

LISTEN ABOVE 

A major merger in the hotel sector.&nbsp;
Two local players, Capstone Hotel Management and Marsden Group, are set to merge from April 1st, creating the country’s largest independent hotel platform.&nbsp;
With around 45 properties and 2,500 rooms, the group is positioned to compete directly with big international hoteliers. &nbsp;
Marsden CEO Sajad Bassam has been appointed CEO of the combined group, and told Mike Hosking they had two big local businesses performing well independently, and when they saw the opportunity to create something more powerful, they took it.&nbsp;
He says with international brands expanding into New Zealand, they need the scale of the combined group in order to compete. &nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show.

Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda.

The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion, delivers the best talent, and always leaves you wanting more.

The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show. Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda. The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion, delivers the best talent, and always leaves you wanting more. The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show.Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda.The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion,...

The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Sajad Bassam: Capstone & Marsden Group Merger CEO on the decision to combine the two groups

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/04fa466c-8069-40aa-853b-b416015184ad/transcript

If the question is "what can the Government do to help you offset the war and its costs?", the answers will not only all be different, chances are no one is going to end up satisfied, or even grateful. 

Yet that is the dilemma the Government currently faces, as indeed do all governments. 

The moment something untoward happens our first port of call is a government. 

Operation Epic Fury is not the Government's fault. It's not of their making; it's just life in an increasingly unsettled and unpredictable world. 

Depending also on your political leaning depends on just what sort of role the government should have in your life. 

It's made worse for our government because it's election year. 

Their great fear will be: 

1) This thing isn't over soon and, 

2) The fallout will simply keep getting worse and worse. 

Outside of petrol we actually haven't seen any impact because most have already forgotten this thing is only three weeks old and even though they said it could be six, we are over it. 

But in some way, shape or form we will be short of something sooner or later. 

The trick for the Government is when to pull the trigger and what sort of trigger it is. 

Once you start, your first trap is the “out”. Getting in is always easier than getting out. Turning the tap on is easier than turning it off. 

What is the 'end'? What's it look like? What has to happen? You rarely win on that. 

Given we don’t know what happens next in a conflict we have no control over, what are the parameters of the help? How targeted can we be? How much should a government help, and who? 

If it's petrol, why not food? Why not your mortgage? They are all directly related and will all potentially move because of the war. 

The best scenario is of course that this thing gets wrapped up, it’s a blip and we can all get on with life. 

But from the starting point of having less than no money, in a world where debt is getting more expensive and nothing you do will be enough, you wouldn’t wish that headache on your worst enemy, would you?  

If the question is "what can the Government do to help you offset the war and its costs?", the answers will not only all be different, chances are no one is going to end up satisfied, or even grateful.&nbsp;
Yet that is the dilemma the Government currently faces, as indeed do all governments.&nbsp;
The moment something untoward happens our first port of call is a government.&nbsp;
Operation Epic Fury is not the Government's fault. It's not of their making; it's just life in an increasingly unsettled and unpredictable world.&nbsp;
Depending also on your political leaning depends on just what sort of role the government should have in your life.&nbsp;
It's made worse for our government because it's election year.&nbsp;
Their great fear will be:&nbsp;
1) This thing isn't over soon and,&nbsp;
2) The fallout will simply keep getting worse and worse.&nbsp;
Outside of petrol we actually haven't seen any impact because most have already forgotten this thing is only three weeks old and even though they said it could be six, we are over it.&nbsp;
But in some way, shape or form we will be short of something sooner or later.&nbsp;
The trick for the Government is when to pull the trigger and what sort of trigger it is.&nbsp;
Once you start, your first trap is the “out”. Getting in is always easier than getting out. Turning the tap on is easier than turning it off.&nbsp;
What is the 'end'? What's it look like? What has to happen? You rarely win on that.&nbsp;
Given we don’t know what happens next in a conflict we have no control over, what are the parameters of the help? How targeted can we be? How much should a government help, and who?&nbsp;
If it's petrol, why not food? Why not your mortgage? They are all directly related and will all potentially move because of the war.&nbsp;
The best scenario is of course that this thing gets wrapped up, it’s a blip and we can all get on with life.&nbsp;
But from the starting point of having less than no money, in a world where debt is getting more expensive and nothing you do will be enough, you wouldn’t wish that headache on your worst enemy, would you? &nbsp;

Mike's Minute: What does government help look like?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/ec6eedbd-5e7b-4c60-ac1c-b41601631bae/transcript

One of the biggest names in food is undoubtably Phil Rosenthal. 

The creator of ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ has gone on to write cookbooks, children's books, and present food and travel documentaries, including eight seasons of ‘Somebody Feed Phil’.  

He’s effortlessly entertaining, and has figured out a way to bring his passion to the stage, visiting New Zealand and Australia in a few months' time for a moderated conversation about his life, career, food, travel, and family.  

'Somebody Feed Phil’ is incredibly popular, with Rosenthal's love and appreciation for the things he experiences keeping audiences coming back.  

“There’s enough in the world to make you angry and scared and frustrated, but I’m here to tell everyone that most of the world is not that,” he told Mike Hosking. 

“I sold the show with one line, this is the line: I’m exactly like Anthony Bourdain, if he was afraid of everything.”  

Bourdain, an American celebrity chef, hosted a wide range of food and travel programmes throughout his career, exploring international culture, cuisine, and the human condition. 

“I would watch Anthony Bourdain like everyone else and was a huge fan, and I thought, this guy’s a superhero, he’s amazing – I'm never doing that,” Rosenthal explained. 

Unlike Bourdain, Rosenthal is not the type to travel to Borneo and get a traditional hand-tapped tattoo from the native Iban people, and he bet most of the audience is the same. 

“So maybe there’s a show for people like me, who are sitting on the couch, and maybe just getting off that couch is taking a giant step out of their comfort zone.”  

“I figured out a niche for myself.” 

LISTEN ABOVE 

One of the biggest names in food is undoubtably Phil Rosenthal.&nbsp;
The creator of ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ has gone on to write cookbooks, children's books, and present food and travel documentaries, including eight seasons of ‘Somebody Feed Phil’. &nbsp;
He’s effortlessly entertaining, and has figured out a way to bring his passion to the stage, visiting New Zealand and Australia in a few months' time for a moderated conversation about his life, career, food, travel, and family. &nbsp;
'Somebody Feed Phil’ is incredibly popular, with Rosenthal's love and appreciation for the things he experiences keeping audiences coming back. &nbsp;
“There’s enough in the world to make you angry and scared and frustrated, but I’m here to tell everyone that most of the world is not that,” he told Mike Hosking.&nbsp;
“I sold the show with one line, this is the line: I’m exactly like Anthony Bourdain, if he was afraid of everything.” &nbsp;
Bourdain, an American celebrity chef, hosted a wide range of food and travel programmes throughout his career, exploring international culture, cuisine, and the human condition.&nbsp;
“I would watch Anthony Bourdain like everyone else and was a huge fan, and I thought, this guy’s a superhero, he’s amazing – I'm never doing that,” Rosenthal explained.&nbsp;
Unlike Bourdain, Rosenthal is not the type to travel to Borneo and get a traditional hand-tapped tattoo from the native Iban people, and he bet most of the audience is the same.&nbsp;
“So maybe there’s a show for people like me, who are sitting on the couch, and maybe just getting off that couch is taking a giant step out of their comfort zone.” &nbsp;
“I figured out a niche for myself.”&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Phil Rosenthal: Creator and Producer of 'Somebody Feed Phil' on the show, his career, liveshows in NZ and Australia

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/713be8f9-6d62-4bdf-b051-b416015c4938/transcript

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 24th of March, the Government intends to relax our fuel standards to align with Australia. What does that actually look like, and does it mean we’re bringing in “dirty fuel”? 

NZ Cricket has decided to back the new T20 franchise league. Players Association CEO Heath Mills explains the benefits of the new system.  

Phil Rosenthal from 'Somebody Feed Phil' is coming to NZ and joined for a chat while he was on his elliptical. 

Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 24th of March, the <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/shane-jones-associate-energy-minister-on-the-government-changing-fuel-specifications-to-align-with-australia/">Government intends to relax our fuel standards</a> to align with Australia. <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/lurion-de-mello-energy-market-expert-and-senior-lecturer-at-macquarie-university-on-the-changes-to-fuel-import-specifications-to-ease-supply-burden/">What does that actually look like</a>, and does it mean we’re bringing in “dirty fuel”?&nbsp;
NZ Cricket has decided to back the new T20 franchise league. <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/heath-mills-nz-cricket-players-association-ceo-on-nz-cricket-backing-nz20-to-replace-super-smash/">Players Association CEO Heath Mills</a> explains the benefits of the new system. &nbsp;
Phil Rosenthal from 'Somebody Feed Phil' is coming to NZ and joined for a chat while he was on his elliptical.&nbsp;
Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Full Show Podcast: 24 March 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/7a8afba1-a42b-4976-bbde-b416014c9250/transcript

Sajad Bassam: Capstone & Marsden Group Merger CEO on the decision to combine the two groups

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