Whale Rescue patron Philip Wollen made millions as a merchant banker - now he's giving it all away.
The former Citicorp boss's dramatic change in direction came after a visit to a client's slaughterhouse two decades ago. He founded the Kindness Trust and dedicates his life to animal rights causes, though he prefers the term "ending human wrongs".
Mr Wollen and his wife Trix now have more than 500 projects in 45 countries, including a chain of "kindness farms" in India for mistreated and injured animals, each employing about 100 people and feeding many more.
They are major supporters of Sea Shepherd, an organisation which pursues Japanese whaling ships.
"On my 40th birthday I decided to give away all the money I'd earned and die broke. I'm right on budget," Mr Wollen told a gathering in Opua for the launch of Whale Rescue on Saturday.