Interview: Expat exec Chris Liddell

Xero chairman Chris Liddell. Photo / Doug Sherring

Kiwi who achieved US success says he’d like to spend more time here — but probably not in business.

Chris Liddell jokes that he's on an extended visit to New Zealand this week.

"It's a long trip - four days," he says.

But Matamata-born, New York-based Liddell, a former chief financial officer of Microsoft and General Motors, is looking to spend more time back home.

"I would like to live here for part of the year in the future," he says.

"I'd probably, to be honest, live a bi-hemisphere life, spending some of my time in the Northern Hemisphere, in New York probably.

"But I'd like to spend up to half of the year back in New Zealand in due course."

Liddell has been in Auckland this week announcing the latest investment by Next Foundation, the environmental and education fund he chairs.

It plans to invest $100 million in various projects over the next 10 years.

The latest investment, Project Taranaki Mounga, is aiming to transform the ecology of Egmont National Park, initially through pest eradication.

The world of philanthropy is a big change from the senior roles Liddell held at Microsoft and GM, which followed other top positions including a stint as co-CEO of investment bank Credit Suisse First Boston and chief executive of New Zealand's Carter Holt Harvey.

He jumped ship from Microsoft to join the Detroit-based automaker in January 2010, when the firm was still reeling from the upheaval of the global financial crisis.

Only months earlier, the US Government had bailed out GM to the tune of US$50 billion.

Liddell helped steer the company through a US$23 billion initial public offering in November 2010, before leaving GM a few months later.

These days he says the chances of his taking on another big overseas executive role are slim.

"I'm moving into a new phase of my career, but you never say never," Liddell says.

What I've found in my life is opportunities come around when you least expect them.

He says a big role with a New Zealand corporate is also an unlikely prospect.

"If I was to spend more time down here in New Zealand, which I hope to, I would probably spend the great bulk of that in the philanthropic area."

Liddell has been the chairman of New Zealand accounting software provider Xero since February 2014, and says he is enjoying that role.

"I'm still very positive about Xero's long-term prospects," Liddell says.

"I really love the company. I love Rod Drury, who's the CEO. I think he's a real tech visionary and I love the grand ambitions that he has to create a global company from a New Zealand base."

Past roles:

• Co-chief executive, Credit Suisse First Boston

• Chief executive, Carter Holt Harvey

• Chief financial officer, Microsoft

• Chief financial officer, General Motors