Former AB captain buys Bay property

BAY BEACH BOY: David Kirk may be operating from Hawke's Bay, having bought a station homestead on Ocean Beach, where he is a shareholder and director of successful sport horse breeding company NZPH. PHOTO/FILE

Victorious Rugby World Cup All Blacks captain David Kirk has bought a house on Haupouri Station, which borders Ocean Beach.

The Rhodes Scholar and captain of industry is no stranger to Hawke's Bay, his wife Brigit was originally from Porangahau and they own a bach in Pourerere.

Their new house is less than 40 minutes' drive to Hawke's Bay Airport, enabling Mr Kirk to easily attend to his boardroom commitments from Hawke's Bay.

Mr Kirk, active in the marketing and breeding selection sides of the business, has bought the farm's homestead, which has views up Ocean Beach to Cape Kidnappers.

The Rhodes Scholar is best known as the captain of the winning 1987 Rugby World Cup All Blacks team.

Graduating with a medical degree from Otago University, he worked in London finance with McKinsey & C. before serving as Chief Policy Advisor for the New Zealand Government.

He was CEO of Fairfax in 2006, when it bought Trade Me for $700 million, a deal criticised at the time but later shown to be shrewd.

Directorships include executive chairman of the Hoyts Group, chairman of TradeMe Group and a director of Kathmandu Holdings.

Now an Australian citizen, he maintains his local rugby ties as president of the Players' Association in New Zealand.

He is a co-founder of sport horse breeding company NZPH with Warwick Hansen. Haupouri Station has been in Juliet Hansen's family since 1860. It was through the government role Mr Kirk met Mr Hansen. Mr and Mrs Hansen are building a new home for themselves on one of several lifestyle properties on Haupouri Station, created from a recent subdivision. Mr Hansen said the new home would enable him to concentrate on his businesses.