Greg Campbell, Ngai Tahu Holdings Corp's Christchurch-based chief executive, has suffered a year of seismic trauma but his iwi is still financially the country's strongest.
Ngai Tahu declared $730 million total assets, up from last year's $715 million and
ahead of Tainui's $658 million.
The successful iwi has $304 million in real estate and Campbell's team is very involved in insurance claims for damage.
It owns Tower Junction shopping centre in Blenheim Rd, the Harvey Cameron building on Oxford Tce, and police stations and courts in Christchurch, Queenstown and Dunedin.
But Campbell stands to gain from the city's stressful year, because the iwi has residential developments on stable land at Wigram Skies, Linden Grove and Lincoln.
Campbell, who has paid tribute to staff for coping during the quakes and clean-up, is leading the charge to grow Ngai Tahu's asset base in the year ahead