NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
    • The Great NZ Road Trip
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Business

The famous faces in this year's Rich List

Holly Ryan
By Holly Ryan
Business Reporter·NZ Herald·
24 Jul, 2017 01:00 AM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

The NBR's Rich List is out with 19 new names and a record $6.44 billion of new money

Despite disappearing from the public eye for several months after his surprise resignation last year, Sir John Key remains in the spotlight on the NBR Rich List - with an estimated $65 million fortune.

The former Prime Minister, who has also held the position of Minister of Tourism, will take up his latest appointment to Air New Zealand's board in September.

Key is not the only famous face on the list - with film makers Sir Peter Jackson and James Cameron also featuring.

Sir Peter Jackson - number 17 $630m
The New Zealand face behind the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies, Jackson has been a regular on the NBR Rich List.

Jackson has retained his $630m estimated net worth but fallen two places from number 15 last year to 17 this year.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

As well as his work with J.R.R Tolkien's books, Jackson has worked on movies including King Kong, The Lovely Bones and The Adventures of Tintin - to name a few.

Jackson has several projects on the go both in a directorship capacity and through several of the film-related companies he part owns - most notably Weta Digital.

Jackson has received commendations for much of his work including the Lord of the Rings which alone received 475 accolades from across the film industry.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

This included the third instalment, Return of the King, which won a record 11 Oscars.

Jackson and his wife Fran Walsh were named Supreme Award winners at this year's Kea World Class New Zealand Awards in June.

Jackson and Walsh set up a new company in March with billionaire Canadian filmmaker James Cameron and his wife.

The purpose and role of the company, PBT New Zealand, is currently unclear.

Discover more

Property

Revealed: Who's made NZ's Rich List?

23 Jul 08:35 PM
Healthcare

The winners and losers of the Rich List

23 Jul 09:11 PM
Business

New faces among NZ's rich

23 Jul 09:02 PM
Tax

Rich listers challenged: 'Come spend a week in my shoes'

24 Jul 03:13 AM
Peter Jackson at the Anzac Day Dawn Service at the National War Memorial in Wellington. Photo/Mark Mitchell
Peter Jackson at the Anzac Day Dawn Service at the National War Memorial in Wellington. Photo/Mark Mitchell

Eric Watson - number 31 $420m
Watson is a familiar face in a number of circles.

Formerly married to model Nicky Watson, the co-owner of league team the Warriors has a number of investments through his firm Cullen Investments.

The firm has interests in a range of companies including lingerie company Bendon, racehorses through Watson Bloodstock, Soul bar and restaurant, gas and oil assets and a significant property portfolio.

Watson too has maintained his estimated net worth at $420m, putting him at number 31 on the list.

Watson bought Bendon in 2002 for $59 million. Within five years, its turnover was said to have almost doubled, from about $80 million to about $150 million.

Bendon has recently been in the news for a proposed reverse takeover of Nasdaq-listed Naked Brand Group which Watson said would give the company room to grow in the US market.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Eric Watson is the founder and executive chairman of international private investment company Cullen Investments. Photo/NZME
Eric Watson is the founder and executive chairman of international private investment company Cullen Investments. Photo/NZME

Sir John Key - number 184 $65m
The country's 24th Prime Minister, Key has seen his net worth increase $5m in the past year putting him at number 184 on the Rich List.

Key's resignation late last year came as a shock to the country. He subsequently stepped out of the limelight for a few months before announcing he was taking up a position on the Air New Zealand board in September.

Key made his money as a currency trader and owns several properties around New Zealand and the world.

He famously did not take a salary for his role as Prime Minister.

The business world has continued to speculate on what other roles Key will add to his portfolio now he has stepped away from politics.

Former Prime Minister John Key. Photo/NZME
Former Prime Minister John Key. Photo/NZME

Sir Russell Coutts - number 200 $55m
New Zealand's highest-profile international yachtsman sits at number 200 on this year's Rich List, with his estimated net worth unchanged from last year's $55m.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Coutts was chief executive of this year's America's Cup regatta, which was held in Bermuda.

He has spent his life in the industry. In 1979, as a 17-year-old, he won the national Laser title.

Two years later he was the single-handed world youth champion.

In 1983 he made his mark in the difficult Finns, a single-handed yacht with a whippy mast.

In 1992, juggling his commitments to world match racing championship as well as preparing for his Olympic campaign, Coutts was a revelation.

He won the Steinlager/Logan Cup, the Omega Gold Cup in Bermuda, the Nippon Cup and the World Match Racing Championship and the following year was just as dominant.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The current chief executive of Oracle Team USA, Coutts has won the America's Cup five times.

He skippered New Zealand to victory in 1995 and 2000 and Switzerland in 2003 before switching to a chief executive role with Oracle and winning again in 2010 and 2013.

Russell Coutts, chief executive officer of Team Oracle USA. Photo/supplied
Russell Coutts, chief executive officer of Team Oracle USA. Photo/supplied

James Cameron - number 5 international $1.35b
Although not a New Zealand citizen, filmmaker Cameron's business interests and investments in New Zealand see him sitting on the Rich List's international section at number 5, with an estimated net worth of $1.35b.

Cameron has worked alongside Jackson on numerous films and the pair set up a company PBT New Zealand in March.

Cameron has significant investment in New Zealand outside his work in the film industry, having spent $20 million in 2012 for two rural properties in the Wairarapa totalling more than 1000ha.

Cameron and his wife Suzy also fronted an $11 million-plus campaign last year, aimed at marketing New Zealand overseas.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The Cameron family divide their time between New Zealand and California.

James Cameron, Hollywood's highest earner, responsible for the two highest grossing films of all time, Titanic and Avatar. Photo/supplied
James Cameron, Hollywood's highest earner, responsible for the two highest grossing films of all time, Titanic and Avatar. Photo/supplied
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Business

New Zealand

'Prime focus': Avocado industry targets global markets

09 May 03:08 AM
Premium
Property

Nine fires in five years: Environment Court rules on scrap metal dealer

09 May 03:00 AM
Premium
Tourism

Uber adds new ride option for Kiwis in Asia-Pacific first

09 May 02:00 AM

“Not an invisible footprint”: Why technology supply chains need optimising

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Business

'Prime focus': Avocado industry targets global markets

'Prime focus': Avocado industry targets global markets

09 May 03:08 AM

NZ Avocado plans to diversify export markets, focusing on North America and Asia.

Premium
Nine fires in five years: Environment Court rules on scrap metal dealer

Nine fires in five years: Environment Court rules on scrap metal dealer

09 May 03:00 AM
Premium
Uber adds new ride option for Kiwis in Asia-Pacific first

Uber adds new ride option for Kiwis in Asia-Pacific first

09 May 02:00 AM
Premium
NZME's bitter board battle over: Joyce and Grenon to join in peace deal

NZME's bitter board battle over: Joyce and Grenon to join in peace deal

09 May 01:59 AM
Deposit scheme reduces risk, boosts trust – General Finance
sponsored

Deposit scheme reduces risk, boosts trust – General Finance

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP