Peter Hanbury Masfen CNZM (born 9 August 1941) is a New Zealand businessman, philanthropist, and former representative rower. Regarded as one of the country's most astute businessmen, he is best known for his former shareholding in Montana Wines.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Peter Hanbury Masfen |
| Born | 9 August 1941[1] Auckland, New Zealand |
| Height | 189 cm (6 ft 2 in)[2] |
| Weight | 88 kg (194 lb)[2] |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Rowing |
Private life
editMasfen was born in 1941 in Auckland, New Zealand.[3] He received his schooling at King's School[4] and then King's College in Auckland.[5] When he worked for Porter Wigglesworth & Grayburn, he married Joanna Porter, the daughter of principal Rolf Porter. Their sons are Rolf and Anatole and daughter Eugenie.[6]
Involvement in rowing
editAfter having received an invitation to the Henley Royal Regatta, he won the inaugural Prince Philip Challenge Cup regatta in 1963 in Henley-on-Thames.[7] That year, the Henley regatta was regarded as the event that came closest to a world championship.[8] Darien Boswell, Dudley Storey and Alistair Dryden made up the other rowers, and Bob Page was the cox.[7]
The same coxed four team then went to the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, where they placed a disappointing eighth.[7][9] He went to the 1966 World Rowing Championships in Bled, Yugoslavia with the eight,[10] where the team came sixth.[11]
Masfen worked as a rowing coach for some time.[12] He helped fund both the New Zealand women's and men's eight to attend the 2015 World Rowing Championships in Aiguebelette-le-Lac, France, and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[5]
Professional life
editMasfen started his professional life as an accountant for the accounting firm Porter Wigglesworth & Grayburn, where he eventually became a partner. He consolidated a number of business interest into Collingwood Holdings, which became Corporate Investments Ltd.[6][13] He invested in the winemaker Montana Group and held 21% of its shares until 2001, when the winemaker was taken over by Allied Domecq.[6] From 2001 to 2005, Masfen was one of the New Zealand representatives on the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC).[14] In 2003, he took a 50% shareholding in the 14,000 hectares (35,000 acres) Mount Linton Station near Ohai in Southland.[10]
Masfen is regarded as "one of New Zealand's most shrewd businessmen" and he has often displayed counter-cyclical investment, with a tendency to holding companies longer term.[5] The Masfen family is on the rich list published by the National Business Review. In 2006, the family wealth was estimated at NZ$330m,[6] and this had increased to over NZ$400m by 2015.[5]
Awards
editMasfen was inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame in 2002.[13] He was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2016 New Year Honours, for services to business and philanthropy.[14]
References
edit- ^ "Peter Masfen". International Rowing Federation. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
- ^ a b "Peter Masfen". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
- ^ "Peter Masfen". New Zealand Olympic Committee. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
- ^ "Old Boys". King's School (Auckland). Retrieved 7 September 2016.
- ^ a b c d Fletcher, Hamish (31 December 2015). "New Year Honours: Peter Masfen - Many a reserve up his sleeve". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
- ^ a b c d Gibson, Anne (12 May 2007). "The corporate grave's comeback kid". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
- ^ a b c Leggat, David (6 July 2013). "Rowing: Crew toast 50th anniversary of glorious win". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
- ^ Green, David (7 September 2013). "Rowing - International rowing, 1920s to 1980s". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
- ^ "New Zealand Rowing at the 1964 Tokyo Summer Games". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
- ^ a b "Ex-Rower Buys into Ohai Station". The Southland Times. 30 July 2003. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
- ^ Alderson, Andrew (27 May 2012). "Rowing: Time for change after eights disappointment". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
- ^ Winter, Chloe (31 December 2015). "Rich-lister Peter Masfen honoured for services to business and philanthropy". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
- ^ a b "Masfen, Peter Hanbury". New Zealand Business Hall of Fame. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
- ^ a b "New Year Honours 2016 - Citations for Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 14 December 2015. Retrieved 7 September 2016.